Engineering Belonging: How a Robotics Program Fostered STEM Identity Through Social Influence

• In Event: AERA Roundtable Session Sunday 7:45 am - Gold 2
  In Roundtable Session: Places and Possibilities for Equity, Justice, and Belonging

Abstract

This study explores how an afterschool robotics-based pre-engineering STEM program supported African American high school student’ persistence, identity, and belonging in STEM. Grounded in Kelman’s (2006) social influence theory and the social processes of compliance, identification, and internalization, the study analyzed focus group interviews and fieldnotes from a long running pre-engineering program. Results indicate that students initially grappled with deficit narratives and stereotypes about STEM participation but later developed confidence and purpose through the course of the program. The findings indicate that environments can function as counterpaces that reshape students’ self-concept in STEM. This study illuminates how psychological mechanisms within supportive learning environments promote equity, engagement, and identity formation in underrepresented youth.

Authors

• Shikhar Kashyap, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University

• Brenda R. Brand, Virginia Tech

• Lezly Taylor, Virginia Tech