Research: Asset-based Practices in Engineering Design (APRENDE): Formation of Engineers through a Funds of Knowledge Approach

The Latinx (a gender-neutral term for Latinas/Latinos) population is a severely underrepresented group in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) careers. As a result of this persistent underrepresentation, Latinx K-12 students lack role models with careers in these fields -- especially in engineering. In addition, sometimes engineering in K-12 education is not presented in a way that excites the interests of students from a variety of ethnic and cultural backgrounds.

Having full representation from all groups that make up the rich and diverse talent in the U.S. is crucial to reach our full potential for advancement in the STEM fields. Therefore, it is important to understand how all students can be encouraged to pursue STEM degrees, particularly Latinx students in middle school. The purpose of this project is to explore how teachers, as immediate role models, can serve as mediators and agents of positive change for Latinx middle school students.

Teachers can become agents of positive change when they learn how to integrate the knowledge, skills and experiences (also known as "funds of knowledge") that students bring into the classroom to engineering content. It is important for teachers to understand how engineering connects with the realities of Latinx students' lived experiences at home and at their communities to provide students with better opportunities to engage in engineering.

This study seeks to build teacher capacity to help students link these in-school and out-of-school experiences. Doing so provides a foundation for students to get excited and feel empowered to become future engineers. By building a more inclusive learning environment for engineering education, teachers of K-12 students, including their Latinx students, can contribute to diversifying and increasing the numbers of students prepared to pursue careers in engineering.

Currently, there is little research around how to develop teachers' capacity to integrate funds of knowledge with engineering, or the impact of such integration on students. The goal of this project, therefore, is (1) to explore how and to what extent the integration of funds of knowledge with engineering design can facilitate Latinx students' interest in engineering, and (2) how to develop teachers' capacities for activating and acknowledging students' funds of knowledge.

The project focuses on middle school students and teachers in a predominantly Latinx area in the U.S.-Mexico border with a high ELL population. It (1) offers teachers the opportunities, structure, and support to recognize, value, and activate Latinx students' funds of knowledge in relation to engineering; and (2) creates a structure and culture that helps Latinx students cultivate their own awareness of their funds of knowledge, as well as their interest in and knowledge of engineering.

The sample includes eight middle school mathematics and science teachers, and one engineering teacher. Each teacher is expected to contribute to the development and implementation of curricula that integrate funds of knowledge in engineering contexts with at least one class of 25 students, totaling 225 students per year of implementation. This mixed methods study uses data from observations, interviews, digital logs, focus groups, artifacts and surveys, as well as both quantitative and qualitative analyses methods, to study how the integration of funds of knowledge and engineering occurs.

The study addresses the need to promote a more equitable formation of engineers where diverse voices are acknowledged. Thus, the knowledge generated in this study is essential for creating future engineers and culturally responsive teachers. Most importantly, this study explores what teachers and schools can do to support engineering learning, excite students, and motivate them to become outstanding, creative, and productive engineers.

This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.