Paper short abstract:

Drawing from our work with community college STEM faculty, we articulate a funds of labor knowledge (FoLK) framework. FoLK sees labor histories as sources of funds of knowledge and funds of identity that colleges can leverage to connect student experiences to their college journeys and careers.

Paper long abstract:

Funds of knowledge (FK) recognizes the rich cultural knowledge households utilize for survival and functioning. Early FK scholars articulated how labor histories and workplace skills provide important knowledge for household well-being. Similarly, recent FK scholarship in higher education has discussed how FK can be used to understand college students’ labor experiences and college/career aspirations. Building on previous scholarship, we conceptualize funds of labor knowledge (FoLK) to understand work as a source of FK and a component of students’ funds of identity. Work plays an essential role in college life, informing students’ knowledge, skills, and self-understanding. Drawing upon FK’s anthropology, education, and sociology origins, we extend FK work and praxis to higher education. FoLK operationalizes work beyond a traditional 9-5 pm job and sees work as a labor history that teaches skills and an understanding of positionality in society. FoLK includes labor knowledge learned from experiences with jobs/careers, households, and communities. Given that many community college students spend significant time in the workplace, we contextualize FoLK utilizing our work with a local community college. In our partnership, we work with STEM faculty to develop pedagogical strategies that identify and leverage students’ labor histories. FoLK is useful for (re)imagining pedagogical practices and success in higher education, but it also challenges deficit thinking concerning the career decision-making processes and persistence of racially/ethnically minoritized and underserved students. By identifying and leveraging FoLK, colleges will be better equipped to connect labor skills and knowledge to students’ educational learning and career paths.