Student-Faculty Partnerships in Mathematics Undergraduate Coursework

This study examines how student–faculty partnerships are experienced within undergraduate mathematics coursework at a majority Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI). Drawing on the Student as Partners (SaP) theoretical framework and using an interpretive phenomenological research design, we examined the lived experiences of student and faculty partners who participated in a series of professional development sessions on student-faculty partnerships and equitable teaching and learning practices in mathematics courses. Findings indicate that student partners’ lived experiences in the partnership program contributed to the development of sense of belonging, self-efficacy, and awareness of the need to link real-world and culturally responsive applications to mathematics learning. On the part of the faculty partners, findings indicate that their lived experiences in the student-faculty partnership program contributed to enhanced self-efficacy through professional growth, development of new perspectives on teaching, and awareness of fostering culturally responsive teaching and learning experiences. The study highlights the transformative potential of student-faculty partnerships in bridging traditional mathematics instruction with students’ lived learning experiences and perspectives on fostering real-world, reflective, and student-centered learning environments for all students. Specifically, the study showcases the promise of partnership models in mathematics settings and points to the need for future research on scalable approaches that support the success of culturally and linguistically diverse students in STEM.