Cultivating interspecies awareness: Exploring learners’ recognition and perception of mycelium as an agent in biomaking

Biomaking as a genre of maker education, offers unexplored avenues for enhancing our comprehension of interspecies relations. This paper explores how novice biomarkers perceive and acknowledge the presence and agency of other organisms in their creative processes. Analyzing the processes of 12-year-old children building mycelium sculptures, the study identifies pivotal moments of realization or transformation using video data from three making sessions. Employing a time-based analysis, the dynamic interactions between students, organisms, and materials were coded emphasizing both human and non-human material contributions to creative production. Findings reveal that neither the duration nor manner of engagement significantly influenced students' perception of mycelium as an active participant in the creative process. Instead, shifts occurred during events where the organism played a central role catalyzing intense sensory reactions among students and altering their perception of mycelium's agency. The study emphasizes the importance of centering biomaking practices around non-human agency, highlighting opportunities for collaborative co-creation and interspecies learning.