STEMentor: A Mentorship Typology for Supporting Effective Youth-Mentor Interactions in Rural Communities

• In Event: Saturday Roundtable 7:45 am
  In Roundtable Session: Understanding Support and Success for Rural Children (Table 9)

Abstract

Rural youth need more opportunities to participate in enriching STEM experiences and career pathways compared to their peers in urban areas. This study explores local mentors' role in shaping these pathways and addressing challenges related to STEM mentoring for rural youth. Through a three-year STEM program incorporating programmable sensor and 3D printing technology curricula, we establish a typology of mentors and examine their interactions with middle school youth. Analyzing recorded youth-mentor interactions, we identified several practical mentoring approaches. Our findings highlight the crucial contribution of mentors in the rural STEM learning ecosystem, as they foster possibilities and open avenues for disadvantaged youth to envision bright futures and dream of exciting opportunities in STEM.

Authors

• Srinjita Bhaduri, University of Colorado - Boulder

• Quentin Biddy, University of Colorado - Boulder