EAGER: MAKER: Promoting "Culturally Relevant Making" and Utilitarian Scientific Literacy to Increase Student Retention in Technology Rich Disciplines Brian Lawrence (PI), Lycurgus

Morehouse College, Atlanta GA

Investigators

Abstract

Culturally-relevant experiences prove invaluable to the recruitment and retention of undergraduates from underrepresented groups in STEM disciplines, and likewise, can encourage and provide students with the requisite skills for science and engineering beyond college. Despite this, best practices do not exist for the development of culturally-relevant programing, be it formal or informal, in the emergent field of "Making." This project is designed to meet this need through the creation of a MakerSpace culture that confers culturally-relevant utilitarian scientific literacy skills necessary for student success in STEM. This goal will be achieved, in part, by creating an online module ("Literacy in Ideation, Design, and Making") that is culturally relevant to underrepresented STEM populations and widely available through the Internet for use by anyone (e.g. individual, high school, institution of higher education etc.) interested in engaging in the rapidly expanding Maker Movement. This module will introduce undergraduates to MakerSpace Culture and Technology through important elements of Making such as Ideation, Creativity, Design Thinking, Innovation and Entrepreneurship. The approach is expected to lead to an appreciation for the intrinsic value of Making (as opposed to "tinkering") that helps better prepare underrepresented students for a career in science and engineering. It is expected that by improving student learning through Making, the attendant increase in recruitment and retention of underrepresented students in STEM will serve as a key step toward ensuring the future diversity and preparedness of the nation's science and technology workforce.