Pedagogy for Equity: Teaching in a Hispanic-Serving Institution

Abstract

Three female tenure-track faculty members at a Hispanic-Serving Institution explored how their cultural backgrounds inform their pedagogical approaches toward equity. They drew upon Mills's (1959) and Collins's (1993) frameworks to examine how their personal biographies, local social contexts, and broader systemic institutions affect their teaching processes for diverse students. These teaching processes include limiting assumptions about students, encouraging students to consider their own personal biographies in relation to the social world, welcoming students' multiple modes of expression, serving as role models, and challenging inequities in schooling. They conclude with recommendations for enhancing inclusivity in student learning and faculty development.

What Does it Mean to be Latinx-serving? Testing the Utility of the Typology of HSI Organizational Identities

“…Some HSIs incorporate advising models that are culturally relevant (Garcia & Okhidoi, 2015) while others enact student support programs that validate Latinx students (Martinez & Gonzales, 2015). There are also numerous examples of faculty at HSIs that utilize culturally relevant pedagogy in their classrooms, recognizing the unique ways of knowing of Latinx students (Cervantes, 2015;Kiasatpour & Lasley, 2008;Lara & Lara, 2012;Núñez, Murakami-Ramalho, & Cuero, 2010). Alternatively, some studies have revealed that the way that Latinxs experience the campus culture at HSIs is complex (i.e., sometimes positive and sometimes negative) (Cuellar & Johnson-Ahorlu, 2016;Garcia, 2015), further complicating the argument about the extent to which HSIs are effectively serving Latinx students.…”

The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley: Reframing HSIs through a Multi-Sited Ethnography

“…Researchers call upon HSIs to provide Latina/o students with the academic capital to be culturally informed to serve families, communities, schools, and businesses in an ever-changing social, cultural, economic, and transnational environment (García, 2012;Gonzales, 2016;Núñez et al, 2010). Within a short time of operation, UTRGV is cultivating and expanding students'…”

“…This research offers recommendations regarding what works for Latina/o students to achieve academic success and facilitates the process of changing higher education to serve these students more appropriately and responsibly (Evans, 2009;Hagedorn et al, 2007;Greene et al, 2012;Núñez et al, 2010;Núñez, Crisp, & Elizondo, 2016;Verdugo, 1995). These recommendations are divided into two categories-life worlds and systems worlds.…”

“…HSI's are distinguished from HBCUs in their history and mission in that HBCUs were created as early as the 1830s for the specific purpose of educating African Americans and have a longer tradition of providing access to higher education whereas HSIs grew out of predominantly-White institutions located in proximity to large Latino communities that became HSIs solely due to the increased enrollment of Latina/o or Mexican-origin populations (Benítez & DeAro, 2004;Flores & Park, 2015 Greene et al, 2012;Núñez & Bowers, 2011). Given persistently low graduation rates, location, and demographics, UTRGV looks to other models of student success geared toward Latina/o students (Contreras & Contreras 2015;Núñez, Ramalho, & Cuero, 2010). As a new HSI, UTRGV has a rare opportunity to create a "more intentional" "Latina/o-enhancing" university that serves students by providing curricula that are culturally relevant, inclusive, and transformative-curricula that focus on Latina/o students' lived experiences, knowledge, and cultural wealth (Contreras & Contreras, 2015;Cuellar, 2016;Gonzales, 2016;Greene et al, 2012;Núñez et al, 2010;Yosso, 2005).…”

“…Given persistently low graduation rates, location, and demographics, UTRGV looks to other models of student success geared toward Latina/o students (Contreras & Contreras 2015;Núñez, Ramalho, & Cuero, 2010). As a new HSI, UTRGV has a rare opportunity to create a "more intentional" "Latina/o-enhancing" university that serves students by providing curricula that are culturally relevant, inclusive, and transformative-curricula that focus on Latina/o students' lived experiences, knowledge, and cultural wealth (Contreras & Contreras, 2015;Cuellar, 2016;Gonzales, 2016;Greene et al, 2012;Núñez et al, 2010;Yosso, 2005).…”