Academic Makerspaces in Context: An Exploratory Study of the Experiences of Black Men
Background: In recent years, academic institutions have increasingly integrated makerspaces as extensions of teaching and learning environments for engineering students. However, for Black students, it is unknown whether these spaces serve as mere extensions of what have traditionally been marginali...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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VT Publishing
2025-04-01
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| Series: | Studies in Engineering Education |
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| Online Access: | https://account.seejournal.org/index.php/vt-j-see/article/view/95 |
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| author | Mike Lorenzo Greene Brooke Charae Coley Debalina Maitra |
| author_facet | Mike Lorenzo Greene Brooke Charae Coley Debalina Maitra |
| author_sort | Mike Lorenzo Greene |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Background: In recent years, academic institutions have increasingly integrated makerspaces as extensions of teaching and learning environments for engineering students. However, for Black students, it is unknown whether these spaces serve as mere extensions of what have traditionally been marginalizing environments. Purpose/Hypothesis: This qualitative study addresses two research questions: What do Black male undergraduate engineering students gain from participating in maker spaces? What do the stories of these Black men reveal about the culture of makerspaces as microcosms of the institutions and engineering schools in which they are housed? Design/Method: Using an exploratory case study approach, we examined makerspaces across three different types of institutions: a traditionally White institution (TWI), an Asian American Native American Pacific Islander serving institution (AANAPISI), and a historically Black college and university (HBCU). We focused on the experiences of one Black male student at each institution. Their stories reveal a range of experiences and shed light on the cultural dynamics within these makerspaces as related to the institution types. Results: Our findings suggest makerspaces offer a unique setting where participants are recognized as makers and engineers first. This framing can be particularly empowering for Black male students, providing them with a unique opportunity to foster their engineering identity. However, the collaborative and creative nature of the makerspaces, while conducive for promoting identity, was challenged by extensions of marginalizing norms of engineering culture that resulted in racialized experiences for the Black men makers. Conclusions: Black men benefited from engaging in makerspaces, however such was at a cost to themselves. We acknowledge that makerspaces hold significant potential for fostering and promoting engineering identity among Black male undergraduate students and argue that their culture must be addressed with intentionality for such potential to ever be realized. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-ce0df9943dbd48a0835c7e4385e64c19 |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 2690-5450 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-04-01 |
| publisher | VT Publishing |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Studies in Engineering Education |
| spelling | doaj-art-ce0df9943dbd48a0835c7e4385e64c192025-08-20T02:33:11ZengVT PublishingStudies in Engineering Education2690-54502025-04-016148–6948–6910.21061/see.9534Academic Makerspaces in Context: An Exploratory Study of the Experiences of Black MenMike Lorenzo Greene0Brooke Charae Coley1https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6425-8989Debalina Maitra2https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7667-3285Arizona State UniversityArizona State UniversityArizona State UniversityBackground: In recent years, academic institutions have increasingly integrated makerspaces as extensions of teaching and learning environments for engineering students. However, for Black students, it is unknown whether these spaces serve as mere extensions of what have traditionally been marginalizing environments. Purpose/Hypothesis: This qualitative study addresses two research questions: What do Black male undergraduate engineering students gain from participating in maker spaces? What do the stories of these Black men reveal about the culture of makerspaces as microcosms of the institutions and engineering schools in which they are housed? Design/Method: Using an exploratory case study approach, we examined makerspaces across three different types of institutions: a traditionally White institution (TWI), an Asian American Native American Pacific Islander serving institution (AANAPISI), and a historically Black college and university (HBCU). We focused on the experiences of one Black male student at each institution. Their stories reveal a range of experiences and shed light on the cultural dynamics within these makerspaces as related to the institution types. Results: Our findings suggest makerspaces offer a unique setting where participants are recognized as makers and engineers first. This framing can be particularly empowering for Black male students, providing them with a unique opportunity to foster their engineering identity. However, the collaborative and creative nature of the makerspaces, while conducive for promoting identity, was challenged by extensions of marginalizing norms of engineering culture that resulted in racialized experiences for the Black men makers. Conclusions: Black men benefited from engaging in makerspaces, however such was at a cost to themselves. We acknowledge that makerspaces hold significant potential for fostering and promoting engineering identity among Black male undergraduate students and argue that their culture must be addressed with intentionality for such potential to ever be realized.https://account.seejournal.org/index.php/vt-j-see/article/view/95black men in makerspaceinclusion in engineeringmakerspace experiences of black malesmakerspace for racial equity |
| spellingShingle | Mike Lorenzo Greene Brooke Charae Coley Debalina Maitra Academic Makerspaces in Context: An Exploratory Study of the Experiences of Black Men Studies in Engineering Education black men in makerspace inclusion in engineering makerspace experiences of black males makerspace for racial equity |
| title | Academic Makerspaces in Context: An Exploratory Study of the Experiences of Black Men |
| title_full | Academic Makerspaces in Context: An Exploratory Study of the Experiences of Black Men |
| title_fullStr | Academic Makerspaces in Context: An Exploratory Study of the Experiences of Black Men |
| title_full_unstemmed | Academic Makerspaces in Context: An Exploratory Study of the Experiences of Black Men |
| title_short | Academic Makerspaces in Context: An Exploratory Study of the Experiences of Black Men |
| title_sort | academic makerspaces in context an exploratory study of the experiences of black men |
| topic | black men in makerspace inclusion in engineering makerspace experiences of black males makerspace for racial equity |
| url | https://account.seejournal.org/index.php/vt-j-see/article/view/95 |
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