Counterspace Games for BIWOC STEM Students

Abstract

Black, Indigenous, and other Women of Color (BIWOC) studying STEM are underrepresented in STEM and subject to its “chilly” climate; it is unsurprising that BIWOC STEM students report weaker senses of belonging and higher rates of attrition. Counterspaces, or spaces for mutual support for BIWOC at the margins of STEM, have long combated dominant STEM culture to support BIWOC to thrive and persist in STEM. Digital game design and playful interactions to counter oppression can be leveraged to create digital games that function as counterspaces for BIWOC STEM students to playfully cultivate their belonging and persistence. Our exploratory game design research aims to co-design counterspaces games with BIWOC STEM students, and here we present our initial focus group designs centered on exploring existing BIWOC counterspace practices, preliminary data and insights, and promising directions for developing game design strategies to support BIWOC belonging and persistence in STEM.