Understanding Asian American Students' Identities and Their Learning in Social Studies

The purpose of the study was to examine how the identities of Asian American students interacted with their learning in the social studies curriculum in two high schools in the Midwestern United States. It investigated: (1) how do Asian American students identify themselves within school settings, (2) how do they perceive and interpret their social studies instruction, and (3) in what ways do their identities influence their learning in social studies and in what ways does the social studies instruction influence their identity. This qualitative study employed a naturalistic inquiry paradigm to collect data. The data were collected through participant interviews, classroom observations, and relevant documents. A constant comparative method was implemented for data analysis. Analysis of the data in the study suggested three main findings. First, the Asian American students all recognize being scholar/student as a crucial part of their identity and demonstrate different perceptions of their racial/ethnic and cultural identity. They employ different strategies to negotiate with their dynamic, multiple, and sometimes contradictory identities when being confronted with the challenges and opportunities within different social contexts. Second, the teachers play a significant role in how well the Asian American students have learned in social studies curriculum. These students also express their values of social studies education. Third, the Asian American students’ identities have influenced their learning in social studies in certain ways, and likewise the social studies instruction has affected their identities. The findings of the study have some implications for the teachers, teacher educators, curriculum policy, and future research.