Mentoring: Helping Youth Make a Difference in STEM

Year 2019, Volume: 5 Issue: 1, 1 - 11, 15.01.2019

Angelia Reid-griffin

https://doi.org/10.21891/jeseh.478308

Abstract

Mentoring is a life-long approach to building positive,
supportive relationships, confidence and increasing academic performance that
is designed to engage youth in increasing interests in STEM, Healthcare, and
Teacher education.  In this article, I
present how the role of mentoring has the potential to help youth build
confidence and interests in STEM through the use of a Vertical Mentoring
model.  An
exploratory case study approach was used to gain insight into how the model
affected youths’ interactions in learning about STEM concepts, healthcare and
teacher education during a summer program. 
Middle school participants completed a self-efficacy scale and career
inventory of perceptions, learning and academic interests. Middle school youth
and program mentors, randomly selected, provide personal insight on their
attitudes, interests and overall satisfaction about the program experiences
during group interviews.  Findings were interpreted
based on the tenets of positive youth development implemented within mentoring
model and program activities.  The findings
also provide an anchor for more research on the implementation of this
mentoring model in informal programs such as this summer camp

Keywords

stem, stem education

References

• Reid-Griffin, A. (2019). Mentoring: Helping youth make a difference in STEM. Journal of Education in Science, Environment and Health (JESEH), 5(1), 1-11. DOI:10.21891/jeseh.478308