“This is So Cool” Exploring Identity Development and Roles for Middle School Girls of Color Within a STE(A)M-focused Summer Camp

This pilot study analyzes the ways in which students’ self-perceptions and roles impact how they interact within a STE(A)M maker workshop. It is centered on a case study of two teenage girls of color, who participated in a 1-week summer enrichment opportunity focused around digital and physical coding, making, arts and design in 2019. The students that participated were rising ninth graders enrolled in an inaugural Upward Bound summer extension program aimed at providing STEM learning opportunities for younger learners. We utilized interaction analysis to understand learners’ interactions and self-expressions as they worked separately with other students on some of the initial learning activities, and then later together as a team to design a project of their own ideation and negotiation. Findings support key changes in their self-perceptions as well as their own sense of identity around STEM and computing. We discuss these findings in light of relevant theories and frameworks in the field, and explore the potential for future directions with this work.