Addressing Minority Student Achievement through Service Learning in a Culturally Relevant Context
Abstract
Research on recreational media use among youth indicates young people of color who spend more time with media may also be at higher risk for school disengagement and low personal contentment compared to their white peers. This puts these students in a position to be even more influenced by the themes and messages that abound in pop culture, particularly music and social media. ME: MIM is a multisensory, interdisciplinary, integrated approach to teaching and learning that uses music multimedia to engage students in individual and group activities and lessons that reinforces competencies aligned with positive youth development. Song lyrics, sound recordings and music videos are used as “text” to facilitate deconstruction and discussion of the themes and messages in music and the context. Students also discuss the influence of these themes and messages on their attitudes, beliefs, and choices as it relates to their cultural group identity and individual behavior both in and out of school. ME:MIMM has been facilitated through the Challenging Horizons Program (CHP), an evidence-based, after-school and summer service-learning program for academically and behaviorally challenged students. This study examined key stakeholders’ (i.e., parents/guardians, program staff members, and school administrators) perceptions of feasibility and acceptability of ME: MIM.
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