2023 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Board 236: Children’s Identity Conception in Engineering Activities in the Home Environment

Presented at NSF Grantees Poster Session

Identity is a concept that has been examined and defined in a variety of ways. Bilgrami (2006) made a distinction between a subjective and an objective aspect of identity, where the former is about how you view yourself, while the latter is about how others view you. However, Renninger (2009) linked the two together, where identity refers to a person’s general sense of self with reference to groups (e.g., engineers) or particular content or processes. Having this relationship with a larger group, links identity to interactions, which in turn can result in changes to one’s identity (Gee, 2000). The purpose of this study was to understand children’s perception of their identity as an engineer at the conclusion of an engineering program focused on engaging in engineering design processes and practices in their home environments.
The methodology for data collection was through post-program participation interviews with children. The interviews were conducted with 14 children between the ages of five and ten, who completed at least four researcher-developed engineering tasks. The time engaged in each kit ranged from approximately 30 minutes to 3 hours. The interview questions revolved around how these children viewed engineers, engineering, as well as how they viewed themselves and how the program changed their views and interests. The length of the interviews were about 20 minutes.
The preliminary results suggest that participation in an engineering program in home environments has changed these children’s sense of identity in a variety of ways; how they viewed their abilities differently as being able to carry engineering activities, and their potential career trajectories; how they viewed engineering as a field; and how the program affected their interactions with their parents. The significance of this study points to the benefits of introducing engineering tasks with children at a young age.

Authors

Ms. Sawsan Werfelli State University of New York, Binghamton [biography]

Sawsan Werfelli received her undergraduate degree in English from Tripoli University, Libya and her Master’s degree in Linguistics as a Fulbright scholar from Florida International University. She decided on pursuing her EdD after having worked in the field of education for 8 years. She is interested in social justice issues and inclusivity of education.
Amber Simpson http://orcid.org/https://0000-0001-5467-4885 State University of New York, Binghamton [biography]

Amber Simpson is an Associate Professor of Mathematics Education in the Teaching, Leaming and Educational Leadership Department at Binghamton University. Her research interests include (1) examining individual's identity(ies) in one or more STEM disciplines, (2) understanding the role of making a.11d tinkering in formal and informal learning environments, and (3) investigating family engagement in and interactions around STEM-related activities. Before joining BU, she completed a post-doctoral fellowship at Indiana University-Bloomington. She earned a Ph.D. in mathematics education from Clemson University.
Dr. Peter N. Knox University of Vermont [biography]

Dr. Peter Knox is a postdoctoral associate with Project CORE at the University of Vermont. His areas of interest and research include family engagement, social/familial capital, public education/school policy, school-community partnerships, and community-based organization involvement in schools, as well as equity/social justice in education. Originally from Montana, he has a strong interest in and experience working with and in rural, under-resourced communities and with policy implementation and evaluation methods using quantitative, qualitative, and mixed-methods data collection and analysis.
Dr. Kelli Paul http://orcid.org/0000-0003-2322-7542 Indiana University, Bloomington [biography]

Dr. Kelli Paul is an Assistant Research Scientist at the Center for Research on Learning and Technology at Indiana University where her research focuses on the development of STEM interests, identity, and career aspirations in children and adolescents.
Dr. Adam Maltese http://orcid.org/0000-0001-8422-9395 Indiana University, Bloomington [biography]

Professor of Science Education

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