Flash On: Capturing Minoritized Engineering Students’ Persistence through Photovoice Research

Abstract

Background: The attrition of engineering students remains an issue, and even more so for historically marginalized students at some institutions. This study aimed to investigate the challenges minoritized students face in engineering and the ways they navigate toward success. Method: We used photovoice, a methodology where participants take pictures in response to a prompt, and collectively identify the strengths and weaknesses of their community. The final aspect of photovoice is a collective sustainable change, such as policy change. We used thematic analysis of focus group interview transcripts triangulated with results from a pre-survey, photos and their associated hashtags, and written descriptions of photographs as sources of data. Results: Two themes emerged, financial constraints and engineering stress culture, as barriers to student success, while social networks (e.g., student organizations, faculty, and family), finding balance, and positive reassurance were determined to be facilitators to their success. Conclusions: While underrepresented, engineering students continue to face challenges; their collective reflection and discussion initiated by photovoice served as psychosocial support. As institutions grapple with how to support students better, the power of photovoice as a sustainable practice has implications for the teaching, research, and service that can improve student success.