Identifying the Impact of Culturally Relevant Pedagogy - Evidence of Academic Risk-Taking in Culturally and Economically Diverse Nova Scotia Classrooms

Oct 15, 2026

Qualitative research examines how middle school teachers in rural Nova Scotia classrooms support learners historically underserved by the education system, with emphasis on African Nova Scotian and Mi’kmaq students and learners experiencing poverty. Over two years, researchers observed and documented science and social studies instruction to understand how pedagogy fosters academic risk-taking. Findings extend culturally relevant pedagogy scholarship by detailing the conditions teachers created for students to feel able to take academic risks, complementing evidence on supporting vulnerable learners in diverse contexts.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages32

Reading Time1 h 21 min

AccessFree to download

Abstract

Introduction

Achievement gap and equity context in Nova Scotia

Study mandate and research goals

Teacher practices observed in rural middle schools

Focus populations and vulnerability period (Grades 5 to 8)

Identifying the Impact of Culturally Relevant Pedagogy: Evidence of Academic Risk-Taking in Culturally and Economically Diverse Nova Scotia Classrooms Jennifer Mitton St. Francis Xavier University Anne Murray-Orr St. Francis Xavier University Abstract This article reports on findings from a qualitative research study investigating ways to support learners from populations who have been historically underserved by the Nova Scotia education system, particularly African Nova Scotian and Mi’kmaq learners, and learners who experience poverty. Working with middle school teachers located in rural schools with a proven track record of enabling students to succeed and thrive, we spent two years in their Canadian Journal of Education / Revue canadienne de l’éducation 44:4 (2021)©2021 Canadian Society for the Study of Education/ Société canadienne pour l’étude de l’éducation [www.cje-rce.ca](www.cje-rce.ca) classrooms observing and documenting pedagogical practices in the teaching of science and social studies. The results of this research not only complement what is known about how to support vulnerable learners in diverse school contexts, but also provide insights into how these teachers created conditions in which students felt able to take risks academically. The findings ofthis study show how the idea of academic risk-taking can complement, and expand, scholarship on culturally relevant pedagogy. Keywords: middle school, culturally relevant pedagogy, academic risk-taking Résumé Cet article rend compte des résultats d’une recherche qualitative étudiant les moyens desoutenir les apprenants issus de populations historiquement mal desservies par le système éducatifde Nouvelle-Écosse, plus particulièrement ceux d’origine africaine et Mi’kmaq, ainsi que ceux qui vivent dans la pauvreté. En partenariat avec des enseignants du secondaire d’écoles rurales ayant fait leurs preuves en matière de réussite et d’épanouissementdes élèves, nous avons passé deux ans à observer et à consigner les pratiques pédagogiques adoptées en classe dans leur enseignement des sciences et des études sociales. Les résultats de cette recherche, en plus d’enrichir les connaissances sur la manière de soutenir les apprenants vulnérables dans divers contextes scolaires, apportent des indications sur la manière dont ces enseignants ont réussi à créer des conditions dans lesquelles les élèves se sentent capables de prendre des risques sur le plan scolaire. Enfin, cette étude démontre comment la notion de prise de risques sur le plan scolaire peut parfaire et élargir l’éventail des connaissances sur la pédagogie culturellement adaptée. Mots-clés : école secondaire, pédagogie culturellement adaptée, prise de risques sur le planscolaire Canadian Journal of Education / Revue canadienne de l’éducation 44:4 (2021) [www.cje-rce.ca](www.cje-rce.ca) Introduction This article reports on findings from a research study investigating ways to support learners from populations who have been historically underserved by the Nova Scotia (NS) education system (Mitton & Murray-Orr, 2017; Murray-Orr & Mitton, 2019), particularly African Nova Scotian (ANS) and Mi’kmaq learners, and learners who experience poverty (Kakembo et al., 2014; Province of Nova Scotia, 2016) . The achievement gap 1 in this province is a complex issue pointing to historical systemic inequities (Black Learners Advisory Committee, 1994; Lee & Marshall, 2009; Province of Nova Scotia, 2016; Thiessen, 2009). In a province where the rate of children living in poverty is increasing (Frank, 2015) and the underachievement ofANS and Mi’kmaq learners has been identified (Kakembo et al., 2014; Province of Nova Scotia, 2016), the need to better understand how to support learners from vulnerable populations is significant. To this end, recent efforts in NS at the provincial level include the formation of the Inter-University Research Network (IURN) guided by a steering committee comprised of represent

FAQs

What population groups does the study focus on in Nova Scotia classrooms?

The study focuses on learners historically underserved by the Nova Scotia education system, especially African Nova Scotian and Mi’kmaq learners, and learners who experience poverty.

What did the researchers do during the two-year study?

Researchers worked with middle school teachers in rural schools and spent two years observing and documenting pedagogical practices used in teaching science and social studies.

How does the research connect culturally relevant pedagogy to academic risk-taking?

The findings show how academic risk-taking complements and expands scholarship on culturally relevant pedagogy by identifying conditions teachers created so students felt able to take academic risks.

Oct 15, 2026

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