CGEST's Undergraduate Research Associate Chun Tao Travels to Saipan

By: Chun Tao

As a graduate research assistant working on an NSF-funded EAGER project (NSF #1822346), I recently had the opportunity to conduct research with Dr. Sharon Nelson-Barber of WestEd in the Northern Mariana Islands. We visited Saipan, the largest island of this U.S. Commonwealth, in late October 2018.

Led by Drs. Kimberly Scott (ASU), Sharon Nelson-Barber (WestEd), and Terence Tracey (ASU), this project seeks to develop an empirically supported instrument assessing middle and high school youths’ culturally responsive computing. To broaden the applicability of the culturally responsive computing framework originally developed by Dr. Scott and her colleagues (2015), the first phase of this project involves conducting interviews with teachers and students of largely underrepresented and understudied backgrounds. To carry out this project, our team partnered with a cultural liaison in Saipan and the local public school system.

Thanks to Dr. Nelson-Barber’s expertise and wisdom from years of research experience in Saipan, I felt well prepared for this trip. Yet, walking outside the Saipan International Airport, I was immediately welcomed by the overwhelming humidity, a sharp contrast to the Phoenix desert I’ve become familiar with during the last 6 years. In addition to climate differences, I was surprised by the number of pink cars. Pink became the popular color and Mustang the popular model for most rental cars running on the main road, amongst other Mustangs with bright shades.

Pacific Islanders, including the Chamorro and Carolinian people indigenous to the Mariana Islands, comprise approximately 35% of the local population, while the majority are immigrants from Asian countries such as the Philippines, China, and Korea. Given its gorgeous view of the Philippines Sea, Saipan also remains a popular destination among tourists from these countries. Beyond Saipan’s natural beauty, I appreciated the generosity of its people, including the cultural liaison, school principal, staff, teachers, and students who were welcoming and eager to share their perspectives with us. During my trip, I also paid brief visits to historic sites like the Banzai Cliff and Suicide Cliff to reflect upon the Battle of Saipan and appreciate the peace in the present.

The first day of our visit, on a breezy Monday, went smoothly: Dr. Nelson-Barber and I observed a few classes at a local middle school and planned teacher and student interviews for the following days. However, by that afternoon, we received an alert that a tropical storm was forming, which would grow into a typhoon by Tuesday morning. Because of the strength of the fast-approaching Typhoon Yutu, Tuesday’s school day was cut in half, prompting us to shorten our full-day interviews with students and postpone teacher interviews. All students were sent home to prepare for the typhoon by noon. As ocean tides retreated, I saw the school librarian wrapping up all computer devices to minimize damage from possible flooding.

Supported by our research team, Dr. Nelson-Barber and I changed our travel plans and left Saipan Wednesday morning before the typhoon arrived later that day. Little did we know that Yutu would develop into a super typhoon, the worst on record for the U.S. The Yutu eyewall moved right through Saipan, including the airport and the local school where we observed, interviewed, and interacted with so many lovely locals. It is still hard to believe how devastating the typhoon became, and how quickly it grew. The school we collaborated with was flooded and its students remained unable to return until over a month later. Those who call the island their home continue to experience challenges such as loss of electricity, lack of clean water, and damage to local infrastructure.

We are currently analyzing interview and classroom observation data from this visit to Saipan, along with another visit to Compton, CA. Themes drawn from these interviews and observations will inform the development of an instrument that will be disseminated to the students in these communities. Moreover, it will have the potential to be used for program evaluation in the future. Our research team will return to Saipan later this year to support their community and share findings from this and related projects on culturally responsive education.

Science does not occur in a vacuum. Neither does scientific and technological education. The intersection of these subjects with the lived experiences and culture of students is what this projects tries to capture and promote through research, specifically as it relates to culturally responsive computing.

References

Scott, K. A., Sheridan, K., & Clark, K. (2015). Culturally responsive computing: A theory revisited. Learning, Media & Technology, 40(4), 412-436.

Written By:

Chun Tao

Graduate Research Assistant

Center for Gender Equity in Science and Technology

Arizona State University