Beyond the Classroom: Exploring Mentor Motivations and Perceptions in an Elementary STEM Outreach Program

• In Event: AERA Roundtable Session Thursday 8:00 a.m. Four Seasons Ballroom 2-3
  In Roundtable Session: Studies of Learning in Preservice Teacher Education (Table 5)

Abstract

This IRB-approved study investigates the motivations of mentors to participate in an elementary STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) mentorship program serving underrepresented students. By analyzing mentor perspectives through the Community Cultural Wealth, CCW, theoretical framework (Yosso, 2014), the study reveals that mentors gain personal fulfillment and insight into their journey to becoming an engineer by participating in STEM mentorship. By exploring the impact of mentorship, this research contributes to developing targeted initiatives to support and increase the participation of underrepresented students in STEM, guiding policymakers and educators in crafting effective educational strategies.

Author

• Renee Serrell Gibert, Purdue University