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This workshop uses Holland et al.’s (1998) theory of figured worlds and Lönngren and Berge’s (in print) theory of emotional positioning. We explore figured emotional worlds operating in engineering classrooms and imagine possible futures.  

Framing concepts: Figured worlds (FW) are historical, social, and cultural interpretations of practices that constrain actions and interactions and distribute individuals in social roles across landscapes of action. Used as a lens, FWs let us explore past and current practices and imagine possible futures. In this workshop, we transgress disciplinary and theoretical silos and imagine possible FWs of intersecting and transcending spaces where engineering, education, and social justice meet. Importantly, play is a central avenue through which individuals negotiate with, re-imagine, and change FWs. We actualize play through the concept of playful learning (Nørgård, Toft-Nielsen & Whitton 2017). 

Emotional positioning: Positioning describes the process of assigning rights and duties to individuals. Emotional positioning centers 1) using emotions to position self and others and 2) positioning self and others in terms of emotions (Lönngren and Berge in print). 

Workshop Structure: We illustrate framing concepts with examples from our research before using magazine cutouts to construct collages representing current emotional positioning within engineering classrooms and desired future emotional positioning participants wish to create. In groups, we discuss our collages, synthesize ideas, and close by collectively imagining ways moving from the present into possible future. 

Holland, D., Lachicotte, W. J., Skinner, D., & Cain, C. (1998). Identity and agency in cultural worlds. Harvard University Press.  

Lönngren, J., & Berge, J. (in print). Positioning, Emotions, and Emotional Positioning. In M. McVee et al. (Eds.), Routledge International Handbook of Positioning Theory (pp. 1–17). Routledge. 

Nørgård, R. T., Toft-Nielsen, C., & Whitton, N. (2017). Playful learning in higher education: developing a signature pedagogy. International Journal of Play, 6(3), 272-282.