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Building the Capacity of STEM Graduate Students to Mentor in an Informal Afterschool Program
Author(s) -
Matias Audeliz,
Ortiz Phillip,
Elphick Gwendolyn F,
DuncanPoitier Johanna,
Lansing Jill,
Groome Meghan,
Breton Kristian
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.30.1_supplement.885.4
Subject(s) - curriculum , medical education , focus group , psychology , medicine , pedagogy , sociology , anthropology
The United States is facing a crisis: Not enough students are being trained in the areas of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) to support and foster economic growth. In response, during 2013–2015, the State University of New York (SUNY) and the New York Academy of Sciences (NYAS) trained over 100 SUNY graduate students and post‐doctoral fellows to deliver STEM content and mentor underserved middle‐school students in an afterschool program funded by the National Science Foundation. Many studies have examined how students are positively impacted through this kind of program, however, the impact of mentoring on the mentors themselves is not well documented. Program training included teaching the graduate students and post‐doctoral fellows the pedagogy and skills necessary to teach STEM content through a 15‐week online course developed at SUNY Empire State College. The mentors also participated in weekly interactions with on‐campus program coordinators and were supplied curricula materials from NYAS. Mentors were then placed at a local school participating of the program where they mentor the middle‐school students. Follow up interviews and focus groups showed a positive impact of the program on the mentors. Specifically, mentors referenced increased confidence in their teaching skills and ability, as well as applicability of these skills in other areas of their lives. Furthermore, mentors felt they had a positive impact on the students in the areas of STEM learning and in motivating them to become STEMists after high school. Mentors’ attitudes about the value of mentoring experiences for themselves in future career choices and employment also increased. Additionally, mentors stated that this experience would increase their employment opportunities in STEM fields. Support or Funding Information This program was supported by the National Science Foundation under the collaborative awards NSF‐1223531, NSF‐1223303, and NSF‐1223284.