03/19/2026
By Zakkiyya Witherspoon

The School of Education invites you to attend a doctoral dissertation defense by Heather Biancheri “From Awareness to Action: Cultivating Multicultural Competence and Reflexivity in Secondary Science Teachers Through Collaborative Professional Dialogue."

Candidate: Heather Biancheri
Degree: Doctoral- Ed.D. Leadership in Schooling, STEM
Defense Date: April 1, 2026
Time: 6:30 p.m.
Location: Via Zoom
Thesis/Dissertation Title: From Awareness to Action: Cultivating Multicultural Competence and Reflexivity in Secondary Science Teachers Through Collaborative Professional Dialogue

Dissertation Committee

  • Chair: Michelle Scribner, Ed.D., Clinical Professor, School of Education, University of Massachusetts Lowell
  • Committee Member: Dr. Amie Milkowski, Ed.D., Adjunct Professor, School of Education, University of Massachusetts Lowell
  • Committee Member: Linda Riley Ed.D., Adjunct Professor, School of Education, University of Massachusetts Lowell

Abstract
National trends indicate a rapid diversification in the student population, alongside persistent disparities in science and mathematics achievement correlated with race, ethnicity, and language. Grounded in critical social theory and improvement science, this mixed-methods study aimed to develop multicultural competence in educators as a strategy for addressing opportunity gaps in STEM education. A seven-week Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) intervention examined whether semi-structured, collaborative reflective dialogue could enhance multicultural competence among three secondary science teachers. Teachers met weekly to participate in discussions centered on culturally oriented case scenarios analyzed with the Equity Literacy Framework. New learning was documented through weekly reflective journaling. Improvements in multicultural competence were measured using the Multicultural Awareness-Knowledge-Skills Survey for Teachers (MAKSS-T), complemented by interviews, journals, and observational data from discussions. Results from the MAKSS-T indicated a slight overall decrease of 1.52% in multicultural competence, which was largely attributed to response-shift bias. Two participants demonstrated overall growth in multicultural competence, while all three exhibited significant gains in knowledge. Qualitative findings showed development across all three dimensions of multicultural competence in all participants. Thematic analysis revealed that teachers experienced discomfort when engaging with culturally sensitive topics, recognized the need for more purposeful inclusive practices in response to shifting student demographics, and continued to encounter challenges when implementing culturally responsive pedagogy. Collectively, these findings suggest that semi-structured, collaborative reflective dialogue can support the development of multicultural competence in secondary educators and may help mitigate the widening demographic gap between students and teachers and its implications for equity in secondary STEM education.