Reframing the Problem and Reworking the Design: Learning from Youth Engineering Design Experiences

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine how to develop meaningful engineering experiences for youth that might counter decontextualized, building-centered, and often exclusionary approaches. I argue that engineering design with young people could be a very youth-centered space, addressing the concerns of young people through engineering design practice. However, youth are often not invited into real-world, flexible, front-end engineering design work. By inviting youth into these often-obscured practices, we might better imagine engineering design spaces that are meaningful to youth and cognizant of the ways the engineering field historically and currently excludes so many. This dissertation study explores the experiences and discussions of youth engaging in defining, exploring, and ideating design directions that matter to them. Drawing on critical sociocultural learning theories and critical science and technology studies (STS) of design, I examined seven focal youths’ engagement in and discussion of the particular ways engineering design practices were adapted in the context of a community engagement program, entitled Sensors in a Shoebox (henceforth, Sensors). This qualitative study was informed by design-based research methods that center participants’ experience as crucial data for informing design. Across three years of interview, observation, and video data, I asked: 1. In what ways do youth engage in the design practices of the Sensors program? 2. How do youth talk about their engineering design experiences? I analyzed the data using constant comparative analysis, moving between the specific data and major assertions. Seeking to contribute to the design of meaningful engineering experiences, I sought to learn from youth about who they are, their experiences, and center them as stakeholders in their learning. From my analysis of the data, I assert that design work in Sensors created opportunities for youth to engage in increasingly recognizable design practice and move design toward more liberatory directions. Focal youth drew upon their experiences and personal knowledges as important assets to engaging in skilled design work. In this, youth also engaged in moments of liberatory design possibility that moved design toward more just directions. Together, each youth saw moments of their design work as personally meaningful and imagined new meanings for design in their lives. As youth reflected on their experiences in the Sensors program, they discussed distinctions between the front-end design work and building-focused or technocentric activities. They shared these practices were meaningful to them in different ways. These discussions also revealed how youth experienced other engineering design spaces as heavily math and science-dependent and potentially raced, gendered, or classed. Taking youths’ engagement and discussions together, the findings imply a need to center youth as critical stakeholders in their engineering education. This reframe requires an expansion of “what counts” as engineering design work with youth. Creating opportunities for youth to engage in flexible, people-focused design work invited youths’ experiences, interests, and voices more explicitly into design practice and supported informed, liberatory participation in the designed world. For developing meaningful engineering learning environments, engaging youth in problem framing and exploration may create opportunities to build critical skills and see design work and the designed world as personally meaningful.