Positionality practices and dimensions of impact on equity research: A collaborative inquiry and call to the community

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dc.contributor.authorSecules, Stephenen
dc.contributor.authorMcCall, Cassandraen
dc.contributor.authorMejia, Joel Alejandroen
dc.contributor.authorBeebe, Chanelen
dc.contributor.authorMasters, Adam S.en
dc.contributor.authorSanchez-Pena, Matilde L.en
dc.contributor.authorSvyantek, Martinaen
dc.date.accessioned2021-05-21T15:00:53Zen
dc.date.available2021-05-21T15:00:53Zen
dc.date.issued2021-01en
dc.description.abstractBackground Many engineering education researchers acknowledge that their positionality impacts their research. Practices for reporting positionality vary widely and rarely incorporate a nuanced discussion of the impact of demographic identities on research. Researchers holding marginalized or relatively hidden identities must navigate additional layers regarding transparency of their positionality. Purpose We identify ways in which positionality impacts research, with a particular emphasis on demographic identity dimensions. We note that whether identities are relatively marginalized, privileged, hidden, or apparent in a research context creates complexities for conceptualizing, practicing, and disclosing one's positionality. Method In a collaborative inquiry informed by autoethnography, we assemble positionality reflections of current engineering education researchers to demonstrate the primary ways in which positionality impacts research. Results We find that positionality impacts six fundamental aspects of research: research topic, epistemology, ontology, methodology, relation to participants, and communication. These aspects of research delve deeper than conceptions of positionality as a methodological limitation, a measure to prevent bias, or a requirement for research quality. Conclusion The impact of positionality on research is complex, particularly when researchers occupy minoritized identities and for research topics that interrogate power relations between identity groups. By demonstrating the practices of interrogating and representing positionality, we hope to encourage more researchers to represent positionality transparently, thus making researchers' transparency safer for all. We argue that positionality is an important tool for reflecting on and dislocating privilege, particularly when working on equity research.en
dc.description.notesPartially supported by National Science Foundation, Grant/Award Number: 1826354en
dc.description.sponsorshipNational Science FoundationNational Science Foundation (NSF) [1826354]en
dc.format.mimetypeapplication/pdfen
dc.identifier.doihttps://doi.org/10.1002/jee.20377en
dc.identifier.eissn2168-9830en
dc.identifier.issn1069-4730en
dc.identifier.issue1en
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/10919/103429en
dc.identifier.volume110en
dc.language.isoenen
dc.rightsCreative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 4.0 Internationalen
dc.rights.urihttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/en
dc.subjectepistemologyen
dc.subjectequityen
dc.subjectidentityen
dc.subjectintersectionalityen
dc.subjectpositionalityen
dc.subjectresearch methodsen
dc.titlePositionality practices and dimensions of impact on equity research: A collaborative inquiry and call to the communityen
dc.title.serialJournal of Engineering Educationen
dc.typeArticle - Refereeden
dc.type.dcmitypeTexten
dc.type.dcmitypeStillImageen

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