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A Case Study of Understanding Family Frustrations in Online Engineering Programs for Children and Caregivers at Rural Libraries (Fundamental)

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Conference

2025 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Location

Montreal, Quebec, Canada

Publication Date

June 22, 2025

Start Date

June 22, 2025

End Date

August 15, 2025

Conference Session

Inclusive and Reflective Practices in Pre-College Engineering Education

Tagged Division

Pre-College Engineering Education Division (PCEE)

Tagged Topic

Diversity

Page Count

19

Permanent URL

https://peer.asee.org/55337

Paper Authors

biography

Ju Hui Kang University of Cincinnati

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Ju Hui Kang is a PhD student in Instructional Design and Technology at the University of Cincinnati. She has a previous background in human-computer interaction and communications, and her research interests include informal/online learning, as well as education in digital literacy and the use of social media for learning.

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biography

Soo Hyeon Kim Indiana University Indianapolis Orcid 16x16 orcid.org/0000-0001-5154-8381

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Soo Hyeon Kim is an Assistant Professor of Library and Information Science in the Luddy School of Informatics, Computing, and Engineering at Indiana University Indianapolis. As an information and learning scientist, her research agenda has focused on transforming rural libraries as facilitators for children’s engineering learning by expanding the benefits of makerspace and online space. She received her Ph.D. from Learning, Design, and Technology program at the Pennsylvania State University.

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biography

Gi Woong Choi University of Cincinnati

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Gi Woong Choi, Ph.D. is an Assistant Professor of Instructional Design and Technology. Dr. Choi received his Ph.D. in Learning, Design, and Technology from Penn State University and has a background in human-computer interaction and user experience. His current research interests include AI in Education, informal STEM learning, problem-solving, makerspaces, and educational affordances of technologies.

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Mansi Rajendra Kasar Indiana University, Indianapolis Orcid 16x16 orcid.org/0000-0002-7018-9078

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Abstract

Online engineering programs offered by public libraries hold great potential for families and children in rural areas, where access to engineering learning resources is often limited. However, these programs can present challenges for librarians in providing support to families needing assistance, as online environments restrict their ability to directly observe and provide just-in-time support. Guided by sociocultural perspectives of learning, we conduct a case study of four caregiver-child groups to examine the type of frustrations families experience in online engineering programs and identify strategies to enhance participation of online engineering programs for children and caregivers. Findings demonstrate that the source of frustration influences the level of participation of the child and caregiver in the engineering design process. This study illustrates four types of frustrations experienced by children—difficulties in solution planning, material handling, achieving desired outcomes, and time constraints—as well as caregivers’ frustrations that stemmed from planning and collaborating during the making challenge with the child. Findings highlight different strategies that caregivers used to mitigate their frustrations, such as providing suggestions, assistance, and emotional support, which helped maintain the child’s engagement and motivation to complete the engineering challenge. Our findings provide insights on how to effectively design online engineering programs that guide and support rural families to develop positive attitudes toward engineering.

Kang, J. H., & Kim, S. H., & Choi, G. W., & Kasar, M. R. (2025, June), A Case Study of Understanding Family Frustrations in Online Engineering Programs for Children and Caregivers at Rural Libraries (Fundamental) Paper presented at 2025 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition , Montreal, Quebec, Canada . https://peer.asee.org/55337

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