"I Can Express Myself With Computer Games!" Identity Resources Leveraged for Elementary Latinas' Science Self-Authoring

• In Event: 52.047 - Critical Intersections of Pedagogies and Research Methodologies to Value Youths' Whole Lives in STEM Engagement

Abstract

The purpose is to understand how young elementary Latina girls come to see herself(s) in science.

Grounded in social practice theory (Holland et al., 1998) and drawing upon the notion of identity work (Calabrese-Barton et al, 2013), we view identity work as ongoing and cumulative. In this study, we attend to leveraging of identity resources which are any forms of assets that assist one’s authoring of self upon their social interactions. The research questions that guide the analyses are: (a) What are the types and nature of resources that girls leverage to author herself(s)? (b) How, if it all, do 5th grade Latinas leverage identity resources from school science, after school science activities, and at home in science-related activities? (c) How, and under which conditions, does the identity resources support girls to author herself(s) in science?

Employing an ethnographic case study approach, we followed three fifth grade Latinas for 4 months across science classrooms, an afterschool computer science club, and family school events. All three girls attended the same elementary school in Southern California with a 98.9% low income Hispanic student population. Their teacher ran an afterschool computer science club and strongly advocated the girls’ access and learning of science and engineering.

Data includes a) field notes from 51 hours of observation, b) videos from the science classroom, c) audio taped interviews with the girls and teachers, d) informal conversations with parents, and e) science identity artifacts and surveys. Critical events were identified and analyzed focusing on a) types and source of resources leveraged for identity work b) mechanism of legitimization and action of resources in identity work.

The analyses show different types of identity resources including the girls’ home-based experiences (e.g., playing with computers, drawing), school science activities (e.g., online quizzes), public recognition (e.g., reading awards). Girls’ experiences in one setting became identity resources in another setting as they engaged in activities that are relatable (Fig1-2).

For example, Juanita, who expressed a strong science identity, actively engaged in her after school computer science club that was organized around literacy and science. She leveraged her love of reading and computers to code an animation. Juanita was recognized by the teacher who positioned Juanita as “someone who know much more than I do.”

In contrast, Alma, who was recognized as one of two top science students by the teacher, neither enjoyed learning science nor liked science lessons. Alma, a top reader, aspired to be a cartoon animator. She spends her afterschool time drawing cartoon characters. Despite her love of reading and technology, the analyses show that Alma had limited access to science other than school sciences and experiences never become her identity resources.

This study contributes to the identity literature by articulating what identity resource is, and when and how it becomes resources for girls’ authoring herself(s). The findings will provide insights into designing learning environments that maximizes a non-White girl’s opportunity to engage in productive identity work.

Authors

• David Da Wei Liu, University of California - Irvine

• Hosun Kang, University of California - Irvine