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Intergenerational E-Textile Workshops for Engineering and Social-Emotional Learning (Fundamental)

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Conference

2023 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Location

Baltimore , Maryland

Publication Date

June 25, 2023

Start Date

June 25, 2023

End Date

June 28, 2023

Conference Session

Pre-College Engineering Education Division (PCEE) Technical Session 4: Engaging Authentic Engineering Practices

Tagged Division

Pre-College Engineering Education Division (PCEE)

Page Count

9

DOI

10.18260/1-2--43819

Permanent URL

https://peer.asee.org/43819

Download Count

189

Paper Authors

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Emanuel Joseph Louime

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Eunice Yujin Kang

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Emma Anderson Massachusetts Institute of Technology

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Kristin A Searle Utah State University

biography

Avneet Hira Boston College

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Dr. Avneet Hira is an Assistant Professor in the Human-Centered Engineering Program and the Department of Teaching, Curriculum and Society (by courtesy) at Boston College.

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Abstract

INTRODUCTION Considering a connected learning framework (Ito et al., 2013), this fundamental paper shares the findings of a preliminary study conducted March 2022 to investigate the use of XR technology and intergenerational learning workshops as tools to ameliorate the engineering education process and student enthusiasm. CONTEXT Social isolation and the absence of a personal community are growing and pertinent social issues. Social isolation especially holds long and short term potential for negative psychosocial impacts if left unaddressed (Usher et al., 2020). As we navigate these impacts and attempt to prevent the dissolution of critical communities, the development of alternative methods of fostering senses of community and eliciting empathy are necessary. Previous evidence for the strength of augmented reality (AR) technologies when developing robust mental models make them a promising technology for doing so (Earle & Leyva-de la Hiz, 2021).

Additionally, in the context of science and engineering learning, a community that often goes unnoticed is student families. The beliefs and perceptions of family members, especially those that are older, concerning a youth’s ability to do STEM impact students’ beliefs in their own ability to gain and practice STEM knowledge (van Aalderen-Smeets & Walma van der Molen, 2018). Intergenerational learning within a family community provides opportunities to research teaching and learning at the convergence of Western STEM knowledge and community-based knowledge.

PURPOSE OR GOAL The overarching research questions of our study are: RQ1: How do place-based XR experiences contribute to participants’ social-emotional learning by making them feel part of a larger community and communicating their stories to others? RQ2: How and in what ways do participants learn about engineering, physical computing, and craft through participation in this workshop experience? RQ3: What role does intergenerational learning play in youth’s STEM career aspirations?

APPROACH OR METHODOLOGY/METHODS Two parental-youth cohorts were observed throughout the workshop. Participants created E-Textile quilt squares and chose or recorded corresponding sounds. Instruction and assistance were provided by facilitators, but parents and youth were encouraged to collaborate with each other in design and fabrication. Participants' quilt squares are uploaded to a central database used to create an interactive AR quilt where participant's sounds are assigned to their squares. Collected data consists of field observations, video recordings of the workshop, semi structured interviews, the quilt squares, and the resultant AR experience.

CONCLUSIONS/RECOMMENDATIONS/SUMMARY The outcomes of this preliminary study will be utilized to design and refine future intergenerational workshops, inform the development of future AR, XR, and virtual reality (VR) tools for education, and identify the impacts of and best practices for intergenerational learning.

Louime, E. J., & Kang, E. Y., & Anderson, E., & Searle, K. A., & Hira, A. (2023, June), Intergenerational E-Textile Workshops for Engineering and Social-Emotional Learning (Fundamental) Paper presented at 2023 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition, Baltimore , Maryland. 10.18260/1-2--43819

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