2025 Collaborative Network for Engineering & Computing Diversity (CoNECD)

Keywords: pre-college, race/ethnicity, engineering

The concept of transgressive humor (re)positions humor and as an intentionally disruptive tool used to interrogate structures of power [1]. While this type of humor is often described as ‘punching up’ (marginalized folks challenging oppressive people and systems), it can also be used to ‘punch down’ (those with power maintaining oppression). Humor has been analyzed in various learning spaces, such as environmental education [2], mathematics [3], and English Language Arts [4]. With respect to the field of engineering, though, there is a scarcity of work interrogating humor, especially relating to racialized power dynamics between students and teachers. Additionally, there is little research specifically investigating identity and belonging for Black students in K-12 engineering classrooms [5].

The present study pulls from observational and interview data in an engineering classroom at a predominantly Black high school. The purpose of this study is to analyze how students and their teacher (who is White) use humor in the classroom and what implications this may have for Black students’ identity and belonging. Considering the power differentials that exist within this classroom (e.g. race, age, class), two main findings have emerged in the initial analysis. First, observational data show that the teacher uses humor primarily in the form of sarcasm to ridicule and criticize students (punching down); for example, for being ‘off task’ or not paying attention. Second, humor in the interview data show examples of students critiquing teacher practices and classroom structure (punching up), as well as endearing critiques of one another. Analyzed through the lens of racialized identities [6], these findings can point to differences in enactments of humor based on the histories of oppression of Black students in classroom spaces and push back on deficit perspectives of students.

Looking closely at interactions such as these can create opportunities to better understand the complex and multidimensional forces contributing to the marginalization of students in engineering spaces. Humor has been shown to have positive benefits on student learning, engagement, and belonging when used supportively [7]; however, if used negatively, humor may serve as yet another device to further oppress students. This study aims highlights specific discursive classroom practices that may reify deficit-based notions of Black students. Through in-depth analysis of interactions such as these, we can work to change classroom practices and, ideally, learn to use humor in ways that uplift and support students.

References
1. Low, D. E. (2024). Transgressive Humor in Classrooms: Punching Up, Punching Down, and Critical Literacy Practices. Routledge.
2. Spörk, A., Martinuzzi, A., Findler, F., & Vogel-Pöschl, H. (2023). When students write comedy scripts: Humor as an experiential learning method in environmental education. Environmental Education Research, 29(4), 552–568. https://doi.org/10.1080/13504622.2022.2136626
3. Bishara, S. (2023). Humor, motivation and achievements in mathematics in students with learning disabilities. Cogent Education, 10(1), 1–16. https://doi.org/10.1080/2331186X.2022.2162694
4. Schey, R. (2020). Youths’ Literacy Disidentifications in a Secondary Classroom: Contesting Transphobia through Humor in Role-Playing. Teachers College Record: The Voice of Scholarship in Education, 122(7), 1–42. https://doi.org/10.1177/016146812012200712
5. Henderson, J., Rangel, V. S., Holly, J., Greer, R., & Manuel, M. (2021). Enhancing Engineering Identity Among Boys of Color. Journal of Pre-College Engineering Education Research (J-PEER), 11(2). https://doi.org/10.7771/2157-9288.1311
6. Nasir, N. (2011). Racialized identities: Race and achievement among African American youth. Stanford University Press.
7. St-Amand, J., Smith, J., & Goulet, M. (2024). Is teacher humor an asset in classroom management? Examining its association with students’ well-being, sense of school belonging, and engagement. Current Psychology, 43(3), 2499–2514. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12144-023-04481-9