BSTiE: A Proposed Conceptual Framework for Black Student Thriving in Engineering

Stephanie Damas; Lisa Benson

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Conference: 2022 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition
Location: Minneapolis, MN
Publication Date: August 23, 2022
Start Date: June 26, 2022
End Date: June 29, 2022
Conference Session: ERM: Identity Impacts (Identity Part 2)
Page Count: 17
DOI: 10.18260/1-2--41100
Permanent URL: https://peer.asee.org/41100
Download Count: 606

Paper Authors

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Stephanie Damas Clemson University orcid.org/0000-0001-5397-7577

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Stephanie Ashley Damas is currently a National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellow at Clemson University studying to get her Ph.D. in Engineering and Science Education. Her area of interest is Diversity and Inclusion in Engineering. She holds a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from Florida State University.

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Lisa Benson Clemson University

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Lisa Benson is a Professor of Engineering and Science Education at Clemson University, and the Editor of the Journal of Engineering Education. Her research focuses on the interactions between student motivation and their learning experiences. Her projects include studies of student attitudes towards becoming engineers and scientists, and their development of problem solving skills, self-regulated learning practices, and beliefs about knowledge in their field. Dr. Benson is an American Society for Engineering Education (ASEE) Fellow, a member of the European Society for Engineering Education (SEFI), American Educational Research Association (AERA) and Tau Beta Pi, and the 2018 recipient of the Clemson University Class of ’39 Award for Faculty Excellence. She earned a B.S. in Bioengineering (1978) from the University of Vermont, and M.S. (1986) and Ph.D. (2002) in Bioengineering from Clemson University.

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Abstract

Motivation & Background Studies of Black students’ experiences and journeys to success at Predominantly White Institutions (PWIs) show that the experiences of Black students are uniquely complex and need to be examined through a lens that can capture the distinct intersectionality of Black students in engineering programs. In a previous pilot study, we explored the experiences of two Black students at a PWI. That study captured their stories in which they described elements of engineering thriving and engineering identity that need to be further explored. There are currently no existing theories that explain Black student thriving in engineering. In this paper, we present a new framework, Black Student Thriving in Engineering (BSTiE, pronounced “bestie”), that combines the tenets of Engineering Thriving by Juliana Ge, Engineering Identity by Allison Godwin, and Black Student science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) Identity by Kristina Collins. We aim to show that at the intersection of these three frameworks there exists a unique space that can be used to capture the experiences of Black student thriving in engineering.

Theoretical Frameworks & Sources Engineering Thriving Engineering thriving (ET) is seen as an output of achieving high measures of competency in the engineering culture and leans on the studies of thriving from a psychological context to support the need to achieve holistic growth. Engineering thriving is defined as the optimization of academic and personal competencies strengthened in the engineering culture that is then used for engineering success. Engineering Identity Engineering identity (EI) encompasses the way that students identify with the role of engineer. This theory pulls from broader role identity theory and situates itself within the culture of engineering. A student’s EI comprises three components: interest in the subject, perceived recognition by others, and performance/competence beliefs, and in some cases a fourth component, self-awareness. Black Student STEM Identity Black student STEM identity (BSSI) is situated within the context of the external and internal environments where Black STEM students perceive their reflective identity (how they view themselves), their competence and ability, their values and interests, and their assimilation into STEM culture. These four perception components are influenced by Black students’ gender-based racial identity.

Significance Drawing from existing literature, we seek to identify overlapping elements in ET, EI, and BSSI. We are developing a culturally relevant theory of Black Student Thriving in Engineering (BSTiE, pronounced “bestie”) situated at the cross-section of the aforementioned theories. In this paper, we aim to provide an overview of the origins of the theories to lay the foundation for their application in our context of interest. It is our belief that researchers can use BSTiE to understand how Black students thrive in engineering, with results that can give students a working model for how they can integrate their own individual culture to feel good, achieve holistic growth, and function well in engineering cultures at PWIs.

Citation
Format

Damas, S., & Benson, L. (2022, August), BSTiE: A Proposed Conceptual Framework for Black Student Thriving in Engineering Paper presented at 2022 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition, Minneapolis, MN. 10.18260/1-2--41100

TY  - CPAPER
AB  - Motivation & Background
Studies of Black students’ experiences and journeys to success at Predominantly White Institutions (PWIs) show that the experiences of Black students are uniquely complex and need to be examined through a lens that can capture the distinct intersectionality of Black students in engineering programs. In a previous pilot study, we explored the experiences of two Black students at a PWI. That study captured their stories in which they described elements of engineering thriving and engineering identity that need to be further explored. There are currently no existing theories that explain Black student thriving in engineering. In this paper, we present a new framework, Black Student Thriving in Engineering (BSTiE, pronounced “bestie”), that combines the tenets of Engineering Thriving by Juliana Ge, Engineering Identity by Allison Godwin, and Black Student science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) Identity by Kristina Collins. We aim to show that at the intersection of these three frameworks there exists a unique space that can be used to capture the experiences of Black student thriving in engineering. 

Theoretical Frameworks & Sources
Engineering Thriving
Engineering thriving (ET) is seen as an output of achieving high measures of competency in the engineering culture and leans on the studies of thriving from a psychological context to support the need to achieve holistic growth. Engineering thriving is defined as the optimization of academic and personal competencies strengthened in the engineering culture that is then used for engineering success. 
Engineering Identity
Engineering identity (EI) encompasses the way that students identify with the role of engineer. This theory pulls from broader role identity theory and situates itself within the culture of engineering. A student’s EI comprises three components: interest in the subject, perceived recognition by others, and performance/competence beliefs, and in some cases a fourth component, self-awareness.
Black Student STEM Identity
Black student STEM identity (BSSI) is situated within the context of the external and internal environments where Black STEM students perceive their reflective identity (how they view themselves), their competence and ability, their values and interests, and their assimilation into STEM culture. These four perception components are influenced by Black students’ gender-based racial identity.

Significance
Drawing from existing literature, we seek to identify overlapping elements in ET, EI, and BSSI. We are developing a culturally relevant theory of Black Student Thriving in Engineering (BSTiE, pronounced “bestie”) situated at the cross-section of the aforementioned theories. In this paper, we aim to provide an overview of the origins of the theories to lay the foundation for their application in our context of interest. It is our belief that researchers can use BSTiE to understand how Black students thrive in engineering, with results that can give students a working model for how they can integrate their own individual culture to feel good, achieve holistic growth, and function well in engineering cultures at PWIs.
AU  - Stephanie Damas
AU  - Lisa Benson
CY  - Minneapolis, MN
DA  - 2022/08/23
PB  - ASEE Conferences
TI  - BSTiE: A Proposed Conceptual Framework for Black Student Thriving in Engineering
UR  - https://peer.asee.org/41100
DO  - 10.18260/1-2--41100
ER  -