Date

8-20-2026

Department

School of Education

Degree

Doctor of Philosophy in Education (PhD)

Chair

Alex Boggs

Keywords

Culturally responsive pedagogy, culturally responsive teaching, culturally relevant teaching, diversity, equity, and inclusion, educational equity, sociocultural theory

Disciplines

Curriculum and Instruction | Education

Abstract

The purpose of this hermeneutic phenomenological study was to explore the lived experiences of K–12 STEM teachers as they cultivated inclusive and diverse classrooms in alignment with culturally responsive pedagogy (CRP). Vygotsky’s sociocultural theory of learning guided the study. Purposeful sampling with maximum variation was used to recruit 10 secondary STEM teachers from public schools in Riverside County, Southern California. Data were collected through individual interviews, focus groups, and journal prompts and were analyzed using Colaizzi’s method. Seven themes emerged: CRP as an embedded and intentional practice; CRP as difficult but necessary work; student ownership as engagement; student reactions as instructional feedback; discipline-specific challenges; rigor with differentiated support; and social, cultural, and institutional constraints. The findings indicated that participants viewed CRP as a relational and interpretive process that preserved academic rigor while responding to students’ lived experiences and learning needs. Participants also described time, pacing, standards, community beliefs, and disciplinary expectations as barriers to implementation. The study suggests that STEM-focused professional development, greater curricular flexibility, and multiple rigorous pathways for demonstrating mastery may support sustained CRP implementation.

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