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Peer-reviewed article

Racial Storylines and Implications for Learning

January 1, 2012 | Informal/Formal Connections
In this article, we theorize the relation between race and schooling and consider the implications for learning. While the body of research on culture and learning has come to define learning as an inherently cultural and social process, scholars have few theoretical tools to help us think about the role of race and racism in relation to students' access to identities as learners and to learning. We draw on both theoretical and empirical literature to make three core arguments: (a) racial 'storylines' or narratives are prevalent in our society and have powerful implications for learners, particularly for youth from marginalized communities; (b) these racial storylines are a critical aspect of life in schools, which serve the purpose of racially and academically socializing students; and (c) as these storylines are invoked in school settings, certain identities are made available, imposed, or closed down. Such identities have important implications for students' opportunities to learn and their engagement in learning settings. As we conclude, we consider the potential of alternative spaces, which can serve to counter dominant narratives about who is capable of learning and how learning takes place, and open new spaces for identity and learning.

TEAM MEMBERS

  • Na'ilah Suad Nasir
    Author
    University of California, Berkeley
  • Cyndy R. Snyder
    Author
    Cape Peninsula University of Technology
  • Niral Shah
    Author
    University of California, Berkeley
  • Citation

    DOI : 10.1159/000345318
    Publication Name: Human Development
    Volume: 55
    Number: 5-6
    Page Number: 285-301
    Resource Type: Research Products
    Discipline: Education and learning science | General STEM
    Audience: Youth/Teen (up to 17) | Administration/Leadership/Policymakers | Educators/Teachers | Learning Researchers
    Environment Type: K-12 Programs
    Access and Inclusion: Ethnic/Racial | Black/African American Communities

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