Create2Solve DIY Kits Project: An Anti-Deficit Approach to Underrepresented Youth’s Participation in Informal STEAM Learning (Poster 5)

• In Event: (Re)Imagining Different Educational Realities: Anti-Deficit Approaches in Informal Learning Environments Research

Abstract

Objectives

The World Bank (2022) report shows that youth comprise nearly 50 percent of the developing world population. Young people have the potential to be “an investment to their communities” (Udensi et al., 2019, p. 3), potentially leading solutions of “wicked problems” in developing countries. Still, extant literature highlights that youth, specifically under-represented youth of color, are greatly excluded and neglected from research around community development initiatives (Udensi et al., 2019). These young people are often viewed as “problems” and/or ‘problem creators’ and “deficient” (Checkoway & Gutierrez, 2006), constricting their engagement and motivation in important learning activities (Adair et al., 2017) such as informal STEAM learning. To counter this deficit narrative, I present the project of Create2Solve Kits which adopts an asset-based lens to view young people as civic citizens who are both capable and motivated to ‘do STEAM’ for community transformation. Particularly, I ask: In what ways do youth of color in socially and economically disadvantaged communities participate in informal STEAM activities targeted at community development?  



Perspectives

Taking an asset-based approach allows to harness the wealth of rich and powerful knowledge, skills and practices of communities of minoritized groups (Mejia et al., 2018). This is especially relevant and meaningful within informal maker and/or STE(AM) spaces (Brahms & Crowley, 2016), which have historically promoted hegemonic practices. By acknowledging and leveraging individual and collective strengths, strength-based approaches help to reshape the informal learning spaces to become more relevant, empowering and engaging for youth (Freire & Macedo, 2000). 



Methods

In this study, I share the reflective commentary from a community-based research conducted with youth (n=8) in an underdeveloped village of Pakistan. Based on a larger, community-based Create2Solve After-School Program, this study focuses on the ‘DIY STEAM Kits’ project which: a) employs anti-deficit lens to encourage youth in generating local socio-environmentally sustainable actions, and thus, b) promotes interdisciplinary STE(A)M education in informal learning settings. After obtaining informed consent, I collected photographs of youth’s work as well as recorded their reflections about activities in my reflective journal.  



Key Findings and Significance

Through my reflective analysis, observation and youth’s input, I conclude that youth are keen and actively engaged in such informal STEAM activities that use anti-deficit approaches and provide them an opportunity to positively impact or transform the life conditions for themselves and/or the communities they live in (Aliakbari & Faraji, 2011; Mahmoudi et al., 2014). When viewed as resourceful citizens (Checkoway & Gutierrez, 2006; Golombek, 2006) in Create2Solve program, youth created products for the collective community benefit to address some of the community's challenges, including effective waste disposal and frequent power outages. Working with anti-deficit paradigm enabled youth to build up confidence in their own ability to become change agents within their communities, despite initially reporting to have least confidence in what they could achieve or design by participating in Create2Solve STEAM kits. Being able to participate, rather, lead the decision-making process helped youth create this combined boost in self-confidence and tangible leadership and problem-solving skills that can lead to reawakening hope. 

Author

• Midhat Noor Kiyani, McGill University