The Impact of Enseña por México on Alumni's Professional Trajectories and Mindsets

• In Event: Developing Collective Leadership in Teach For All: Examples of Peru, Nigeria, Mexico, and the United States

Abstract

Objectives: Evaluate the impact of Enseña por México (ExM) on the leadership development of individuals who completed their two-year teaching fellowship (also referred to as alumni): i) strengthened their commitment to combat educational inequity and contribute to social movements; ii) develop skills to enhance their professional career in organizations and roles aligned with these objectives.
Perspective(s) or theoretical framework: This study was conducted based on the Theory of Change of ExM. The hypothesis is that, as a result of the training and support offered by ExM, the fellows (PEM) become familiar with the different realities of the Mexican educational system so that they collaborate actively and directly with the educational communities. The program intends to have a long term, positive impact on alumni’s commitment to combat educational inequity and that they continue to contribute with social and educational improvements from the different areas in which they work.
Methods: The study uses propensity score matching (PSM) to construct a comparison group among non-alumni that are similar to EPM alumni from available recruitment and selection data. For the data analysis, the research used both a simple comparison method of percentages, as well as a binomial distribution model for the professional development and work sector related questions. For the self-reported measures of interpersonal abilities, a comparison of distributions of both groups was employed to identify statistically significant differences in the median. This analysis was complemented by using linear regression models.
Data: Several web-based surveys were administered to collect demographic and professional information, interests and activities. Interpersonal abilities were assessed using measurement scales such as the general self-efficacy scale developed by Padilla, Acosta, Guevara, Gómez & González (2006) and the entrepreneurial self-efficacy scale developed by DeNoble Jung & Ehrlich (1999).
Results: Results show that 79% of alumni pursue careers in educational, social and governmental sectors, compared to 53% of similar applicants who were not admitted to the program; 72% of alumni are working in the public sector and nonprofit sector, compared to 51% of similar non-alumni; 52% of alumni work in a field related to their academic background, compared to 67% of similar non-alumni. Moreover, the level of leadership and entrepreneurial self-efficacy were similar between the two groups, with no statistically significant difference. In terms of personal interests, 80% of alumni think it’s very important for their work to be connected with serving society, compared to 66% of non-alumni. Similar results were found in the expression of interest in educational public policy, with 80% of alumni versus 68% of non-alumni. Finally, 45% of alumni reported supporting an education related NGO in the previous year, compared to 28% of similar non-alumni.
Scientific or scholarly significance of the study or work: The results of this study show how an intervention like the one implemented by ExM can strengthen the commitment, skills and possibilities of alumni in the long run and contribute to combat educational inequity.

Authors

• Andrés Peña Peralta, Enseña por México
  Presenting Author

• Nayeli Melisa Rodríguez Leonardo
  Non-Presenting Author