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The Asian American Identity and High School Social Studies

Learning Module

Abstract

This learning module aims to teach high school students about the Asian American identity in America. Learning about diverse identities can prompt student development through the creation of an environment that all students feel safe to participate in and provide diverse perspectives that can help students develop their own identities. Students in the course will learn about important Asian American events, stereotypes and their origins, and current problems facing the community. It is designed to be a 6-week online supplemental course and provides connections to other historical events taught in high school social science.

Keywords

Social Studies, Asian American History, High School, Identity Development

Course Alignment

Stereotypes that classify Asian Americans as effortlessly successful and fear that they are overrepresented in certain aspects of society have rendered Asian Americans invisible in the consideration of curricula, educational and mental health support, and research (Wing, 2007). This learning module aims to connect the integration of Asian American topics in high school social science and student development (admin update 5) through an understanding of diverse cultures, which can promote student identity growth and productive learning environments.

Experiential Alignment

In high school, I was not aware of my own identity as an Asian American. I only remember three instances where the K-12 curriculum highlighted Asian American topics: Chinese immigrant participation in the Gold Rush and railroads, Chinese anti-immigration laws, and Japanese internment camps during WWII. In addition, growing up in a primarily white neighborhood and being raised to assimilate into American culture and ideals, I was not prepared to deal with the pressure and anti-Asian discrimination prompted by stereotypes and COVID-19. As a result, I ended up internalizing all the expectations and remarks regarding my educational success due to being Asian throughout middle school and high school. I also did not know how to deal with a teammate on my varsity tennis team in college who blamed my family and me for creating COVID-19 and ruining our conference tournament.

A course designed around understanding the Asian American identity will prompt student development within both Asian Americans and non-Asian Americans. I believe it can contribute to a better learning environment where everyone feels safe to participate and can empathize with the diverse perspectives present in our modern classrooms.

 

Overview

This learning module aims to teach high school students about the Asian American identity in America. Learning about diverse identities can prompt student development through the creation of an environment in which all students feel safe to participate and provide diverse perspectives that can help students develop their own identities. Students in the course will learn about important Asian American events, stereotypes and their origins, and current problems facing the community. It is designed to be a 6-week online supplemental course and provides connections to other historical events taught in high school social science. 

The content of the course includes:

  • Asian American history
  • Model Minority Myth
  • Yellow Peril and Perpetual Foreigner Stereotypes
  • Asian Americans and Racial Triangulation
  • Affirmative Action
  • COVID-19 and Anti-Asian American Discrimination

Work in the Course

  • 6 comments (1 per week) on admin updates (~50-150 words each), 5 points per update for a total of 30 points
  • 6 personal updates (1 per week) based on admin updates using text with multimedia (~250-300 words each), computer-generated or hand-drawn infographic (examples of infographics), or video (~2-3 minutes each), 10 points per update for a total of 60 points
  • 18 comments (3 per week) on peer updates (~50-150 words each), 5 points per update for a total of 90 points
  • 1 peer-reviewed personal essay (~1500-2000 words) or video (~8-10 minutes) and 3 peer reviews (~50-150 words), 80 points for the essay or video and 5 points per peer review for a total of 115 points
  • 1 experiential survey to assess understanding of the Asian American identity, 25 points for completion

Total available points in the course: 300

Content in this course touches upon sensitive subjects and involves students discussing personal experiences. Please be respectful in responding and considering the perspectives of other students in the community.

Learning Outcomes

This 8-week learning module will teach students about the history and treatment of Asian Americans in education and society. Students participating in the learning module will develop a greater understanding of the Asian American identity, which can greatly enhance identity development for Asian American students and empathy towards diverse learners. Students are expected to spend 2 hours per week on the update (commenting on peer updates and making their own update), 10 minutes on the knowledge survey, and 5 hours on their peer-reviewed final project.

Students after the course will be able to:

  • Explain key Asian American historical events
  • Identify different Asian American stereotypes
  • Understand how stereotypes racially triangulate minority groups
  • Understand current issues facing the Asian American community
  • Navigate and empathize with the Asian American issues
  • Relate Asian American topics with topics in other communities

Student

This 6-week learning module will teach students about the history and treatment of Asian Americans in education and society. Students participating in the learning module will develop a greater understanding of the Asian American identity and connection to other minority groups and events in America, which can greatly enhance identity development and empathy towards diverse learners. Students are expected to spend 2 hours per week commenting on admin updates and peer updates and making their own updates. They are also expected to complete a 10-minute post-learning module survey and 5 hours on their peer-reviewed final project.

Students after the course will be able to:

  • Explain key Asian American historical events
  • Identify different Asian American stereotypes
  • Understand how stereotypes racially triangulate minority groups
  • Understand current issues facing the Asian American community
  • Navigate and empathize with Asian American issues
  • Relate Asian American topics with topics in other communities

Instructor

The Illinois State Board of Education has set standards for K-12 curricula in Illinois. The following guidelines reflect the prioritization of understanding diverse cultures and experiences in high school Social Science:

  • SS.9-12.H.3. Evaluate the methods used to promote change and the effects and outcomes of these methods on diverse groups of people.
  • SS.9-12.H.5. Analyze the factors and historical context, including overarching movements, that influenced the perspectives of people during different historical eras.
  • SS.9-12.H.6. Analyze the concept and pursuit of the "American Dream" and identify the factors that could promote or present barriers to the pursuit of the "American Dream" for multiple groups of people.
  • SS.9-12.H.7. Identify and analyze the role of individuals, groups, and institutions in people's struggle for safety, freedom, equality, and justice.
  • SS.9-12.H.8. Analyze key historical events and contributions of individuals through a variety of perspectives, including those of historically underrepresented groups.
  • SS.9-12.H.10. Identify and analyze ways in which marginalized communities are represented in historical sources and seek out sources created by historically oppressed peoples.
  • SS.9-12.H.11. Analyze primary and secondary historical sources from multiple vantage points and perspectives to identify and explain dominant narratives and counternarratives of historical events.
  • SS.9-12.H.13. Analyze multiple and complex causes and effects of events in the past.
  • SS.9-12.H.14. Analyze the geographic and cultural forces that have resulted in conflict and cooperation. Identify the cause and effects of imperialism and colonization.

These standards can be addressed through the self-paced online collaborative learning module. The target learners are high school students (grades 9-12) that have witnessed or experienced the application of Asian American stereotypes and want to develop a better understanding of the complexities of the Asian American identity and origins.

Update 1: Asian American History

Student

Media embedded November 19, 2022

A brief history showing pivotal Asian American moments in history and popular culture (Generasian, 2017).

Orientalism in America

Lee (2014) explains that Asian Americans came to America for economic and political reasons. Their treatment in America, however, was greatly influenced by preconceptions of the "orient" that positioned immigrant culture as exotic and inferior (Lee, 2014). 

Please watch an episode from the PBS docuseries below to learn more about the context of historical events in Asian American history.

Required Viewing

Link to PBS videos (Watch one of the episodes)

Comment (Please answer one of the following): Which events mentioned in the episode that you chose are you familiar with? How does learning about Asian American history expand your understanding of the Asian American identity?

Make an update: Research one of the historical events touched upon in the video or the episode you chose. Analyze how the Asian American historical event is related to an important event for another minority community at about the same time (e.g. Asian American participation in the Civil Rights movement) and make either a text, infographic, or video update.

Instructor

Relevant standards for the week:

SS.9-12.H.3. Evaluate the methods used to promote change and the effects and outcomes of these methods on diverse groups of people.
SS.9-12.H.5. Analyze the factors and historical context, including overarching movements, that influenced the perspectives of people during different historical eras.
SS.9-12.H.6. Analyze the concept and pursuit of the "American Dream" and identify the factors that could promote or present barriers to the pursuit of the "American Dream" for multiple groups of people.
SS.9-12.H.7. Identify and analyze the role of individuals, groups, and institutions in people's struggle for safety, freedom, equality, and justice.
SS.9-12.H.8. Analyze key historical events and contributions of individuals through a variety of perspectives, including those of historically underrepresented groups.
SS.9-12.H.14. Analyze the geographic and cultural forces that have resulted in conflict and cooperation. Identify the cause and effects of imperialism and colonization.

Students this week will develop an understanding of important historical events in Asian American history and will be asked to relate it to their personal experiences and experiences of people of different cultures in America. It is important to teach this before the other sections because it gives context to the stereotypes and racializations discussed in future weeks. Instructors can incorporate ideas presented in the reading below or political cartoons to better understand student responses or promote discussions about the origins of the characterizations of Asian Americans in history.

Potential Learning Activities

  1. Constructivist Approach: Students give a presentation about their update and have a discussion about the points that they brought up.
  2. Social Cognitivist Approach: Role playing activity where students enact different roles in a part of Asian American history and after discuss biases and perspectives taken. Make sure students are respectful in their representations of different people and try to provide a safe environment to discuss the choices in the portrayal and the learning from the activity.

Relevant Political Cartoon

Political Cartoon Depicting the Chinese Exclusion Act

Relevant Reading for the Week

Orientalism and Asian American History and Experience

 

Update 2: Model Minority Myth

Student

Media embedded November 19, 2022

Video describing the model minority myth and limitations of such depictions (AJ+, 2017).

Model Minority Myth

Lee et al. (2017) explain the model minority myth was first coined by William Peterson, a White journalist for the New York Times Magazine, in 1966 to describe Japanese American assimilation after internment during WWII. It has later been used to characterize Asian Americans as a hard-working, successful, and submissive minority group. Although on the surface it seemingly gives positive depictions of Asian Americans, it can have detrimental effects when considering racial triangulation, immense educational pressure, and invisibility of educational and mental health needs (Lee et al., 2017). The model minority myth has influenced Asian American characterizations in:

  • Education
  • Popular Culture and Media
  • Political and social environments

Required Reading:

Southeast Asian Americans and the Model Minority Myth

Comment (Please answer one of the following): What is the model minority myth? What are the limitations of depicting Asian Americans as model minorities? What is your personal experience with these stereotypes? 

Make an update: Describe an application of the model minority stereotype and make either a text, infographic, or video update. How are these characterizations and limitations similar and/or different for other minority groups?

Instructor

Relevant learning outcomes:


SS.9-12.H.6. Analyze the concept and pursuit of the "American Dream" and identify the factors that could promote or present barriers to the pursuit of the "American Dream" for multiple groups of people.
SS.9-12.H.7. Identify and analyze the role of individuals, groups, and institutions in people's struggle for safety, freedom, equality, and justice.
SS.9-12.H.10. Identify and analyze ways in which marginalized communities are represented in historical sources and seek out sources created by historically oppressed peoples.
SS.9-12.H.11. Analyze primary and secondary historical sources from multiple vantage points and perspectives to identify and explain dominant narratives and counternarratives of historical events.
SS.9-12.H.13. Analyze multiple and complex causes and effects of events in the past.
SS.9-12.H.14. Analyze the geographic and cultural forces that have resulted in conflict and cooperation. Identify the cause and effects of imperialism and colonization.

Students this week will learn about the model minority myth which is prevalent in America. It is important to teach this to help students give names to their experiences, identify harmful stereotypes that are perpetuated in society, and understand there are diverse Asian American identities within the Asian American label. They will be asked to relate it to their personal experiences and the experiences of people of different cultures in America. The graphics below can help educators frame the importance of debunking the myth. In addition, it can prompt discussion about the diversity of people labeled as Asian Americans and possible interventions or strategies to make Asian American issues more visible.

Potential Learning Activities

  1. Constructivist Approach: Students give a presentation about their update and have a discussion about the points that they brought up.
  2. Social Cognitivist Approach: Role-playing activity where students have a discussion while they embody students of different races to build empathy and understand affordances and barriers that they face in education and society. See the video below for leveraging technology like VR for this. Make sure students are respectful in their representations of different people and try to provide a safe environment to discuss the choices in the portrayal and the learning from the activity.
Media embedded December 3, 2022

VR experience enables people to experience life as a Black male to develop racial empathy (NBC News, 2018).

Model Minority Myth and Southeast Asian

Percentage of Cambodian, Laotian, and Vietnamese Americans in poverty compared to the US average
Individual incomes comparing Cambodian, Laotian, Vietnamese, and White Americans from 2007-2009 from US Census Bureau
Percentages of Cambodian, Laotian, and Vietnamese Americans with less than a high school degree compared to the US average in 2000

 

 

Update 3: Yellow Peril and Perpetual Foreigner

Student

Media embedded November 19, 2022

Video describing the perpetual foreigner stereotypes of Asian Canadians, which is nearly identical to those used with Asian Americans (Act2endracism Network, 2021).

 

Yellow Peril

​Wollenberg (1978) explains that the Yellow Peril originally referred to the fear that Asian Americans are overrepresented in American society and were an economic and cultural threat. Wollenberg (1978) also states it was used in the 1800s as a justification for the Chinese Exclusion Act and school segregation. Today, similar arguments have been used again other minority groups, like Mexican Americans, and Pak et al. (2014) state it has once again been applied to Asian Americans in the realm of education and admission into selective institutions. Proponents of the Yellow Peril stereotype contend that Asian Americans are overrepresented and thus should not receive academic support from programs like affirmative action, even though data from 19990-2005 show that Asian Americans accounted for the largest growth in 2-year public institution enrollment (Pak et al., 2014).

Perpetual Foreigner

Perpetual foreigner refers to the treatment of Asian Americans as a second-class "other" in American society (Huynh et al., 2011). Huynh et al. (2011) explain that microaggression regarding the perpetual foreigner stereotype can take the form of comments regarding proficiency with English or asking where they are "really" from and assuming that they are foreigners. Stereotypes can have detrimental effects on a person's view of their own identity and treatment by others.

Comment (Please answer one of the following): Describe the perpetual foreigner or Yellow Peril stereotype for Asian Americans. What are the limitations of depicting Asian Americans as perpetual foreigners or Yellow Peril? What is your personal experience with these stereotypes? 

Make an update: Describe an application of the perpetual foreigner or yellow peril stereotype and make either a text, infographic, or video update. How are these characterizations and limitations similar and/or different for other minority groups? 

Instructor

Relevant learning outcomes:


SS.9-12.H.5. Analyze the factors and historical context, including overarching movements, that influenced the perspectives of people during different historical eras.
SS.9-12.H.6. Analyze the concept and pursuit of the "American Dream" and identify the factors that could promote or present barriers to the pursuit of the "American Dream" for multiple groups of people.
SS.9-12.H.7. Identify and analyze the role of individuals, groups, and institutions in people's struggle for safety, freedom, equality, and justice.
SS.9-12.H.8. Analyze key historical events and contributions of individuals through a variety of perspectives, including those of historically underrepresented groups.
SS.9-12.H.10. Identify and analyze ways in which marginalized communities are represented in historical sources and seek out sources created by historically oppressed peoples.
SS.9-12.H.11. Analyze primary and secondary historical sources from multiple vantage points and perspectives to identify and explain dominant narratives and counternarratives of historical events.
SS.9-12.H.13. Analyze multiple and complex causes and effects of events in the past.
SS.9-12.H.14. Analyze the geographic and cultural forces that have resulted in conflict and cooperation. Identify the cause and effects of imperialism and colonization.

Students this week will learn about the Yellow Peril and perpetual foreigner stereotypes which are prevalent in America. They will be asked to relate it to their personal experiences and the experiences of people of different cultures in America. It is important to teach this to help students label their experiences or identify harmful stereotypes that are perpetuated in society. Instructors should use the reading below to connect experiences between Asian Americans and other minority groups, which can prompt discussions from students. In addition, they should frame the importance of identity development beyond the stereotypes described in the past two weeks. 

Potential Learning Activities

  1. Constructivist Approach: Students give a presentation about their update and have a discussion about the points that they brought up.
  2. Social Cognitivist Approach: Role-playing activity where students act as people from different groups (racial and different immigration generations) and after discuss biases and perspectives taken. Make sure students are respectful in their representations of different people and try to provide a safe environment to discuss the choices in the portrayal and the learning from the activity.

Relevant Reading

Perpetual foreigner and identity development for racial minority groups in America

 

Update 4: Asian Americans and Racial Triangulation

Student

Media embedded November 19, 2022

Video describing Dr. Kim's Asian American Racial Triangulation and the importance of interacial solidarity (Shengxiao "Sole" at Nectar, 2022).

Racial Triangulation

Kim (1999) states there is a racial hierarchy in American society. She describes that the "Black-White paradigm" can be represented by examining the perceptions of superiority versus perceptions of foreignness in American culture. Kim explains that Asian Americans, due to the model minority, Yellow Peril, and perpetual foreign stereotypes, inhabit a complex space where they are positioned as a superior culture to African Americans but are still seen as foreigners. This racialization has acted to pit Asian Americans against other minority groups (Kim, 1999), which has even resulted in racial violence.

Supplemental Reading 

The effects of racial triangulation on the Black-Korean American relationship

Required Reading

Asian Americans and Racial Triangulation

Comment (Please answer one of the following): What are your opinions or experiences with the Black-White paradigm? How can communities promote interracial solidarity? Analyze the different racializations of Latinx and Asian American students in the Black-White paradigm.

Make an update: Describe an application of racial triangulation and make either a text, infographic, or video update. Who or what benefits from the racialization?

Instructor

Relevant learning outcomes:

SS.9-12.H.3. Evaluate the methods used to promote change and the effects and outcomes of these methods on diverse groups of people.
SS.9-12.H.5. Analyze the factors and historical context, including overarching movements, that influenced the perspectives of people during different historical eras.
SS.9-12.H.7. Identify and analyze the role of individuals, groups, and institutions in people's struggle for safety, freedom, equality, and justice.
SS.9-12.H.8. Analyze key historical events and contributions of individuals through a variety of perspectives, including those of historically underrepresented groups.
SS.9-12.H.10. Identify and analyze ways in which marginalized communities are represented in historical sources and seek out sources created by historically oppressed peoples.
SS.9-12.H.11. Analyze primary and secondary historical sources from multiple vantage points and perspectives to identify and explain dominant narratives and counternarratives of historical events.
SS.9-12.H.13. Analyze multiple and complex causes and effects of events in the past.
SS.9-12.H.14. Analyze the geographic and cultural forces that have resulted in conflict and cooperation. Identify the cause and effects of imperialism and colonization.

Students this week will learn about the dangers of racial triangulation perpetuated by stereotypes that compare racial minorities. They will be asked to apply racial triangulation to a historical event and relate it to the experiences of people of different cultures in America. It is important to teach this to help students identify how narratives can be used to pit people against each other and frame the importance of understanding diverse cultures and interracial solidarity. Instructors can use the graphic below to prompt students to think about the positionality of Asian Americans in American culture and use the video to provide the context on how racial triangulation can impact interracial solidarity.

Potential Learning Activities

  1. Constructivist Approach: Students give a presentation about their update and have a discussion about the points that they brought up.
  2. Social Cognitivist Approach: Role-playing activity where students come up with a scenario where minority groups are racially triangulated and discuss ways that it is perpetuated in society and can be dispelled. Make sure students are respectful in their representations of different people and try to provide a safe environment to discuss the choices in the portrayal and the learning from the activity. See the video below of an example in the history of racial triangulation.

Relevant Graphic

Asian American racial triangulation (Lee, 1999, p. 108)

Relevant Video

Media embedded November 20, 2022

Racial triangulation between Korean and Black communities during LA riot (NBC News, 2017)

Update 5: Affirmative Action

Student

Media embedded November 19, 2022

Video explaining the growing sentiment within certain parts of the Asian American community that affirmative action is disadvantaging them (CNBC Make It, 2022).
​

Affirmative Action

Pak et al. (2014) explain that affirmative action was first introduced in Executive Order 10925 in 1961 by President Kennedy to take into account racial considerations for equity in employment. It was later expanded to address institutional discrimination from racial disparities, which hampers socioeconomic mobility with minority students. Four US Supreme Court cases have set the precedent of current affirmative action practices that is used in about 20%-30% of institutions: Regents of the University of California v. Bakke (1978), Gratz v. Bollinger (2003), Grutter v. Bollinger (2003), and Fisher v. University of Texas (2013) (Pak et al., 2014). 

Negative Action

Pak et al. (2014) state that negative action refers to the belief that affirmative action is disadvantaging Asian Americans. They explain, "Negative action is distinct from affirmative action policies as 'plus factors' are provided to some African American, Latina/o, and American Indian applicants...Negative action then occurs when a 'minus factor' is applied to AAPI candidates in relation to their White counterparts" (Pak et al., 2014, p. 57). Thus, supporters of the negative action perspective believe current affirmative action is actively hurting Asian American admission to selective institutions based on race and instead support the race-blind admissions process which does not consider race (Pak et al., 2014). Two current Supreme Court cases are arguing this position: 

  • Students for Fair Admissions, Inc. v. President and Fellows of Harvard College
  • Students for Fair Admissions, Inc. v. University of North Carolina

Outlawing affirmative action could potentially exacerbate existing racial disparities in education and wealth. Within the Asian American community, subgroups like Southeast Asian students that experience socioeconomic and educational barriers (Lee et al., 2017) may experience greater challenges in admission to selective institutions

Required Reading

Asian Americans and Affirmative Action

Comment (Please answer one of the following): What are your opinions on Asian American concerns over negative action? How is negative action related to the model minority myth and stereotypes used with other minority students? Explain the different Asian American perspectives on affirmative action.

Make an update: Explore a Supreme Court case regarding affirmative action and make either a text, infographic, or video update. What precedence did the court's ruling have for Asian Americans?

Instructor

Relevant learning outcomes:

SS.9-12.H.3. Evaluate the methods used to promote change and the effects and outcomes of these methods on diverse groups of people.
SS.9-12.H.5. Analyze the factors and historical context, including overarching movements, that influenced the perspectives of people during different historical eras.
SS.9-12.H.6. Analyze the concept and pursuit of the "American Dream" and identify the factors that could promote or present barriers to the pursuit of the "American Dream" for multiple groups of people.
SS.9-12.H.7. Identify and analyze the role of individuals, groups, and institutions in people's struggle for safety, freedom, equality, and justice.
SS.9-12.H.8. Analyze key historical events and contributions of individuals through a variety of perspectives, including those of historically underrepresented groups.
SS.9-12.H.10. Identify and analyze ways in which marginalized communities are represented in historical sources and seek out sources created by historically oppressed peoples.
SS.9-12.H.11. Analyze primary and secondary historical sources from multiple vantage points and perspectives to identify and explain dominant narratives and counternarratives of historical events.
SS.9-12.H.13. Analyze multiple and complex causes and effects of events in the past.
SS.9-12.H.14. Analyze the geographic and cultural forces that have resulted in conflict and cooperation. Identify the cause and effects of imperialism and colonization.

Students this week will learn about the complexities of affirmative action within the Asian American community. They will be asked to apply the effects of stereotypes on affirmative action and explore the different viewpoints in the affirmative action debate and how it has shaped previous Supreme Court cases in America. It is important to teach this to help students learn about the complexities of the issues surrounding the affirmative action debate, which has resulted in 2 current Asian American Supreme Court cases. Instructors can use the reading below to inform discussion or design activities such as a mock trial for students to share arguments regarding holistic and affirmative action versus race-blind admissions for students of diverse backgrounds.

Potential Learning Activities

  1. Constructivist Approach: Students give a presentation about their update and have a discussion about the points that they brought up.
  2. Social Cognitivist Approach: Role-playing activity where students act as college admissions officers and are given institutional priorities and student applications with diverse demographics and essays. Students should discuss the difficulties of balancing institutional priorities, student qualifications, and a student's ability to grow and change the institution. 

Relevant Reading

Interviews with Asian Americans regarding affirmative action

Update 6: COVID-19 and Anti-Asian American Discrimination

Student

Fig. 1: Mental disorders from survey comparing Asian Americans, Asian immigrants, and White Americans as understanding of COVID-19 progressed (Wu et al., 2021, p. 826).
Fig. 2: Acute discrimination from survey comparing Asian Americans, Asian immigrants, and White Americans as understanding of COVID-19 progressed (Wu et al., 2021, p. 828).

COVID-19 and Asian Americans

Although everyone was affected by COVID-19, Asian Americans were disproportionally targeted with discrimination and as a result developed levels of mental disorders (Wu et al., 2021). Figure 1 shows that on the 4-question Patient Health Questionnaire Asian Americans and Asian immigrants reported higher levels of anxiety and depression. Figure 2 shows that from a survey Asian Americans and Asian immigrants also had more experiences of acute discrimination during COVID-19. In a study, Ermis-Demirtas et al. (2022) surveyed 116 AAPI high schoolers and found 73.3% experienced and 81.9% witnessed COVID-19-related discrimination. 

Media embedded November 19, 2022

 

Please watch the video above that explains COVID-19-fueled anti-Asian discrimination and the role of media in perpetuating harmful narratives (ABC News, 2020).

Comment (Please answer one of the following): What supports are needed to help students dealing with COVID-19 academic or mental health issues? 

Make an update: Explore an event covered in the media related to COVID-19 and Asian Americans and make either a text, infographic, or video update. How are the narratives similar/different from previous characterizations we learned about in the course?

Instructor

Relevant learning outcomes:


SS.9-12.H.5. Analyze the factors and historical context, including overarching movements, that influenced the perspectives of people during different historical eras.
SS.9-12.H.7. Identify and analyze the role of individuals, groups, and institutions in people's struggle for safety, freedom, equality, and justice.
SS.9-12.H.8. Analyze key historical events and contributions of individuals through a variety of perspectives, including those of historically underrepresented groups.
SS.9-12.H.10. Identify and analyze ways in which marginalized communities are represented in historical sources and seek out sources created by historically oppressed peoples.
SS.9-12.H.11. Analyze primary and secondary historical sources from multiple vantage points and perspectives to identify and explain dominant narratives and counternarratives of historical events.
SS.9-12.H.13. Analyze multiple and complex causes and effects of events in the past.

Students this week will learn about COVID-19 and the impact it has had on the Asian American community. They will be asked to apply the effects of stereotypes on current narratives and discrimination and brainstorm interventions that can help students navigate the difficult times. It is important to teach this to help connect the influence of media and stereotypes on current characterizations of Asian Americans. Instructors can use the readings and link below to inform discussion and frame the importance of mental health, personal identity, and seeking help.

Potential Learning Activities

  1. Constructivist Approach: Students give a presentation about their update and have a discussion about the points that they brought up.
  2. Social Cognitivist Approach: Group activity when students all take on the perspective of an Asian American in America during early COVID-19. They discuss potential ways media affects daily life, ways to correct misconceptions regarding the virus, and ways to seek help regarding mental health and anti-Asian discrimination. The content in this activity can be especially sensitive, making sure students feel safe. Students do not need to participate if they do not wish to but make sure that the class has access to the link for COVID-related assistance below.

Relevant Reading

Impact of COVID-19 on Asian American mental health gap
COVID-19, Discrimination, and importance of educational counseling

Link for COVID-related Assistance

 

 

Peer-Reviewed Asian American Identity Project

Student

Throughout the learning module, you have learned about various aspects of the Asian American identity. One of the goals of the course is to learn about how these concepts can help students develop their own identities and connect experiences to people with diverse backgrounds. The goal of this project is to find a topic that is relevant to their life that they would like to do a deeper analysis of and provide an analysis of why the topic is important to them.

Students will write an essay or make a video. Then they will engage with peer-reviews where peers can provide feedback based on their personal experiences and connect the topic to their lives. After receiving peer reviews, students will revise and resubmit the essay to the instructor to receive a final grade.

There are two options for essays or video:

  • Choose an important figure in Asian American history
  • Choose an Asian American event

Describe the contribution to the field of Asian American history and three related concepts learned in the course. How do they relate to your personal experiences? How does learning about them shape your personal identity? (~1500-2000 words for an essay or ~8-10 minutes for video)

Rubric for Peer Grading

Students will grade peer works on 3 main criteria: topic, connection to the course, and connection to the student. Under each bullet for the criteria is a description of what content would constitute each specific score. 

  • Topic (Linear Scale: 1-3)

  1. Does not identify an important person or event in Asian American history 

  2. Clearly identifies an important person or event in Asian American history 

  3. Clearly identifies important person/event and describes the contribution to the field of Asian American history 

  • Connection to the Course (Linear Scale: 1-4)

  1. Does not relate person/event to concepts in the course 
  2. Clearly relates person/event to 1 concept in the course 
  3. Clearly relates person/event to 2 concept in the course 

  4. Clearly relates person/event to 3 concept in the course 

  • Connection to the Student (Linear Scale: 1-3)
  1. Does not relate work to personal experience or identity 
  2. Clearly relates work to personal experiences or identity 
  3. Clearly relates work to both personal experiences and identity 

Rubric for Final Grading

After revisions, teachers will assign a total of 80 points for the essay or video, the total points for each criteria is also shown below:

  • Topic (20 points)

  1. Does not identify an important person or event in Asian American history (0 points)

  2. Clearly identifies an important person or event in Asian American history (10 points)

  3. Clearly identifies important person/event and describes the contribution to the field of Asian American history (20 points)

  • Connection to the Course (30 points)

  1. Does not relate person/event to concepts in the course (0 points)

  2. Clearly relates person/event to 1 concept in the course (10 points)

  3. Clearly relates person/event to 2 concept in the course (20 points)

  4. Clearly relates person/event to 3 concept in the course (30 points)

  • Connection to the Student (20 points)
  1. Does not relate work to personal experience or identity (0 points)
  2. Clearly relates work to personal experiences or identity (10 points)
  3. Clearly relates work to both personal experiences and identity (20 points)

  • Meeting minimum requirements for word/time length (10 points)

  1. Does not meet minimum word/time requirements (0 points)

  2. Exceeds minimum word/time requirements (10 points)

Instructor

Students will have two separate choices for their peer-reviewed essays. Although each essay or video will be different, students should connect their chosen topic to concepts in the course and relate it to their own lives. The project is designed to be constructive, students should write quality peer-reviews and take into account their peers perspectives from peer-reviews and use them to revise their final draft. Instructors should award students with 5 points for each peer review if their review meets the word count and a 0 if they do not. When assigning the peer reviews, randomly assign the students so they can hopefully experience a diverse array of topics. 

Rubric for Final Grading

After revisions, teachers will assign a total of 80 points for the essay or video, the total points for each criteria is also shown below:

  • Topic (20 points)

  1. Does not identify an important person or event in Asian American history (0 points)

  2. Clearly identifies an important person or event in Asian American history (10 points)

  3. Clearly identifies important person/event and describes the contribution to the field of Asian American history (20 points)

  • Connection to the Course (30 points)

  1. Does not relate person/event to concepts in the course (0 points)

  2. Clearly relates person/event to 1 concept in the course (10 points)

  3. Clearly relates person/event to 2 concept in the course (20 points)

  4. Clearly relates person/event to 3 concept in the course (30 points)

  • Connection to the Student (20 points)
  1. Does not relate work to personal experience or identity (0 points)
  2. Clearly relates work to personal experiences or identity (10 points)
  3. Clearly relates work to both personal experiences and identity (20 points)
  • Meeting minimum requirements for word/time length (10 points)
  1. Does not meet minimum word/time requirements (0 points)
  2. Exceeds minimum word/time requirements (10 points)

Students will submit the essay or video after week 3 and receive peer feedback during week 4. Students will resubmit their essays or videos based on feedback in week 5 and they will be graded by instructors after peer reviews in week 6. 

Identity Formation Information Survey

Student

We have learned about various historical events and characterizations of Asian Americans.

Please complete the Google survey below to assess your attitudes towards the content in the course. You will be asked questions about the learning outcomes and student development goals of the learning module, it should take less than 10 minutes. You will be graded on the completion of the survey, please answer the question as true to your experience as possible your answers will determine the success of the learning module. 

Post-Learning Module Survey

Instructor

Students will receive a full 25 points for the completion of the Google survey and a 0 if they did not complete it. The success and measurement of learning in the learning module will be assessed by averaging the student's responses to the survey. Each question on the survey is on a Likert scale (1-6). For questions 1-3, students are asked about how confident they are with the material after taking the course (1 = not at all or no confidence, 2 = close to no confidence, 3 = some confidence, 4 = confident, 5 = above average confidence, 6 = very confident). For questions 4-5, students are asked about how successful the module was (1 = module was not successful, 2 = module had little success, 3 = module was somewhat successful, 4 = module was successful, 5 = module had above average success, 6 = module was very successful).

If the average rating of the student experience on the learning module is above 4 on questions 1-3, the course can be deemed successful in teaching learning outcomes. In addition, if it is above 4 on questions 4-5, we determine that the course is successful in student identity development. If the average for either is below 4 we determine that the course was not successful.

References

ABC News. (2020, March 20). Asian Americans face discrimination in the wake of the coronavirus [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t_IyTxRNUYk

Act2endracism Network. (2021, June 9). Perpetual foreigner [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j4briswirhQ

AJ+. (2017, October 8). Why do we call Asian Americans the model minority? | AJ+ [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PrDbvSSbxk8

CNBC Make It. (2022, May 21). How Asian Americans became the center of the affirmative action debate [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uUnX4bqDkfo

Ermis-Demirtas, H., Luo, Y., & Huang, Y. J. (2022). The Trauma of COVID-19–Fueled Discrimination: Posttraumatic Stress in Asian American Adolescents. Professional School Counseling, 26(1b), 2156759X221106814.

Generasian. (2017, May 6). Asian American history In 4 minutes [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ymUz_4kXU5M

Huynh, Q. L., Devos, T., & Smalarz, L. (2011). Perpetual foreigner in one’s own land: Potential implications for identity and psychological adjustment. Journal of social and clinical psychology, 30(2), 133.

Kim, C. J. (1999). The racial triangulation of Asian Americans. Politics & society, 27(1), 105-138.

Lee, D. M., Duesbery, L., Han, P. P., Tashi, T., Her, C. S., & Ooka Pang, V. (2017). Academic needs and family factors in the education of Southeast Asian American students: Dismantling the model minority myth. Journal of Southeast Asian American Education and Advancement, 12(2), 2.

Lee, S. S. H. (2013). A new history of Asian America. Routledge.

NBC News. (2017, April 28). Korean businesses targeted during LA Riots | NBC Nightly News [Video]. YouTube. https://youtu.be/8Dvwn4aXE8s

NBC News. (2018,May 2). Can VR Teach Racial Empathy? | Mach | NBC News [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N5Ya9F28ks4

Pak, Y.K., Maramba, D.C., & Hernandez, X. J. (2014). Asian Americans in higher education: Charting New Realities. Wiley Periodicals.

Poon, O. A., Segoshi, M. S., Tang, L., Surla, K. L., Nguyen, C., & Squire, D. D. (2019). Asian Americans, affirmative action, and the political economy of racism: A multidimensional model of raceclass frames. Harvard Educational Review, 89(2), 201-226.

Shengxiao "Sole" at Nectar. (2022, March 20). Asian American racial triangulation: A 5 minute explainer [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mpK-QM-V9TU

Wing, J. Y. (2007). Beyond black and white: The model minority myth and the invisibility of Asian American students. The Urban Review, 39(4), 455-487.

Wollenberg, C. M. (2014). “Yellow Peril” in the Schools (I and II). In The Asian American Educational Experience (pp. 23-49). Routledge.

Wu, C., Qian, Y., & Wilkes, R. (2021). Anti-Asian discrimination and the Asian-white mental health gap during COVID-19. Ethnic and Racial Studies, 44(5), 819-835.

Yi, S. H., & Hoston, W. T. (2020). Demystifying Americanness: The model minority myth and the black-Korean relationship. Journal of Ethnic and Cultural Studies, 7(2), 68-89.