Exploring Non-Normative Forms of Capital, Wealth and Knowledge Used by Engineering Students

Clemson University, Clemson SC

Investigators

Abstract

Uncovering the Assets that Diverse Students Bring to Engineering Higher Education The culture of today's engineering higher education has been influenced by its historical and sociological roots as a dominantly male, middle-to-upper class profession. As a result, there is often the assumption that there is a single "normal" student experience. However, students from underrepresented or socially marginalized groups often have educational experiences that that are distinct from the mainstream engineering culture. Generally speaking, engineering curricula and individual courses are designed and often taught in traditional ways that do not take into account the many assets that diverse students bring to their engineering studies. The current system of education does not readily recognize and leverage these experiences in producing new ways of teaching and learning engineering or developing different ways of thinking about how engineers create processes and products for today's diverse society. This project contributes to diversifying the field of engineering by illuminating the distinct experiences of students from socially marginalized groups. The project's goal is to help educators recognize and value a variety of distinct experiences, making the field of engineering more inclusive. The objective of this project is to answer the research question: "In the varying experiences of students who are underrepresented and/or socially marginalized, what forms of capital, wealth, and knowledge are identified as significant?" Using a testimonial interview method, the researchers qualitatively investigate recent engineering graduates' experiences of "unearned advantages" and "unearned disadvantages," and the relationship of these unearned traits to engineering higher education. The qualitative research approach allows the collection of rich descriptions of participants' experiences to discover if/how differences from the engineering cultural norm may result in models of success that help students persist and succeed. Phenomenographic data analysis and asset-based theoretical frameworks including Community Cultural Wealth (CCW) and Funds of Knowledge (FoK) are used to discover variations in the way that participants experience their engineering education. Through leveraging the expertise of an advisory panel, the project develops the capacity and research infrastructure to develop scaleable mechanisms that can facilitate validation of "non-traditional" or "unexpected" forms of wealth among engineering educators.