Scholarlink

<p>Children’s early encounters with narrative nonfiction shape their developing understandings of who belongs in scientific spaces. While representation of women and racially minoritized people in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields remains uneven, less attention has been paid to the representational landscape of the books educators rely upon to introduce young learners to scientists. Drawing on a critical content analysis of 234 biographies and field profiles included on the National Science Teachers Association’s Outstanding Science Trade Books lists (1996–2024), we examined patterns of gender and racial representation and the ways structural barriers are narrated. Findings revealed persistent racial underrepresentation, uneven progress in gender representation, and a patterned tendency for injustice to be narrated primarily in the lives of those excluded from power. We argue that award-sanctioned STEM biographies both expand and constrain possibilities for children’s STEM identity development. We conclude with implications for early childhood educators seeking to engage children in critical literacy practices that interrogate representation, belonging, and the social histories of science.</p>

错误：搜索内容不能为空，请输入英文关键词
错误：关键词超出字数限制，请精简
高级检索

Critical Reflections on Biographical Representations of Scientists in Award-Winning Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math Books

  • 期刊论文

  • 出版模式：

    开放获取

  • 发表日期：

    2026年7月25日

查看全文
  • Virginia Killian Lund,
  • Amy Broemmel,
  • Kristin Rearden,
  • Juliana Broussard

摘要

Children’s early encounters with narrative nonfiction shape their developing understandings of who belongs in scientific spaces. While representation of women and racially minoritized people in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields remains uneven, less attention has been paid to the representational landscape of the books educators rely upon to introduce young learners to scientists. Drawing on a critical content analysis of 234 biographies and field profiles included on the National Science Teachers Association’s Outstanding Science Trade Books lists (1996–2024), we examined patterns of gender and racial representation and the ways structural barriers are narrated. Findings revealed persistent racial underrepresentation, uneven progress in gender representation, and a patterned tendency for injustice to be narrated primarily in the lives of those excluded from power. We argue that award-sanctioned STEM biographies both expand and constrain possibilities for children’s STEM identity development. We conclude with implications for early childhood educators seeking to engage children in critical literacy practices that interrogate representation, belonging, and the social histories of science.