“Identity in the Making” in an adolescent new media Maker

experience: The role of interest, figured worlds and use of authentic

tools and practicesJennifer Wyld2 June 2015

Why Make?

STEM Interests Over Time

1

2

3

4

5

5th grade 6th grade 7th grade 8th grade

Earth/space science

Human biology

Technology/engineering

Like a lot

Dislike a lot

Neither

Like a little

Dislike a little

Source: SYNERGIES data

Make may play a role in the development of STEM interests, identity development and in the case of new media, transform youths’ relationships to and with technology

Why Gaming?

Physical access to technology is becoming less of an issue

New technology gap for youth and families in under-resourced communities is around opportunities to build technological literacy and computational thinking

As well as help youth become empowered producers of technology

New Media Literacy

Hidi & Renninger’s Four Phases of

Interest Development

Ito et al.’s Genres of Participation

Place-Centered Lens

Figured Worlds

Theoretical Framework

PersonalContext

PhysicalContext

Socio-CulturalContext

4 Phases of interest dev.

Genres of Participation

Place Centered

LensFigured Worlds

Overall question: Is there evidence that a 9-

week Make program for youth in an under-

resourced community contributed to their

STEM interest development, STEM identity

exploration, and understanding of technology

and technology careers?

Research Questions

In what ways did participating in the program contribute to youths’ interest in STEM, particularly technology?

STEM interest questionnaire PMM artifacts and interviews Observations

Findings

In what ways did participating in this program contribute to youths’ understanding about technology and technology careers?

PMM artifacts and interviews Weekly observations

In what ways did participating in this program contribute to youths’ understanding about technology and technology careers?

PMM artifacts and interviews Weekly observations

Focused on observing the social and active qualities of individual engagement with media

Emphasizes participation, as opposed to consumption or internalization; presupposing an active role for the youth

Considers whether participation is friendship-driven or interest-driven

Describes different modes of participation, rather than categories of individuals

Creating a setting in which youth could try on identities and ‘Figure out” their relationship to and with technology

Genres of Participation & Figured Worlds

Strand 1: Experience excitement, interest, and motivation to learn about phenomena in the natural and physical world

Strand 3: Manipulate, test, explore, predict, question, observe, and make sense of the natural and physical world

Implications

Strand 5: Participate in scientific activities and learning practices with others, using scientific language and tools

Strand 6: Think about themselves as science learners and develop an identity as someone who knows about, uses, and sometimes contributes to science

Identity in the Making & Interest exploration

Authentic practices & tools

Figured Worlds& Increased social capital around

technology

A Space for Identity in the Making

Youth Maker

s

The Pixel Arts new media Maker

experience, a space that provided

authentic tools and practices for game

design, was a place for making more

than just games- it was a space for

identity in the Making.

Conclusion

Hidi, S., & Renninger, K. A. (2006). The four-phase model of interest development. Educational Psychologist, 41(2), 111-127.

Hutchins, E. (1995). Cognition in the wild. Cambridge, Mass.: MIT Press. Ito, M., Horst, H., Bittani, M., boyd, d., Herr-Stephenson, B. , Lange, P., … Tripp,

L. (2008). Living and Learning with New Media: Summary of Findings from the Digital Youth Project. Chicago: John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation.

Ito, M., Baumer, S., Bittanti, M., boyd, d., Cody, R., Herr-Stephenson, B., … Yardi, S. (2013). Hanging out, messing around, and geeking out: Kids living and learning with new media. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press.

National Research Council. (2009). Learning science in informal environments: People, places, and pursuits. Washington, DC: National Academies Press.

Thomas, D., & Seely Brown, J. (2011). A new culture of learning: Cultivating the imagination for a world of constant change. Lexington, KY: CreateSpace.

Worsley, M. & Blikstein, P. (2012). A framework for characterizing changes in student identity during constructionist learning activities. Paper presented at Constructionism 2012, Athens, Greece.

References