1 / 14

Science Mentoring Program Hughes STEM High School

Science Mentoring Program Hughes STEM High School. Community Partnership Experiences February 7, 2012. Kent Buckingham, Ph.D., Program Coordinator. Science Mentoring Program Overview. Initiated 2010-11 at Hughes STEM High School Involved 80 ninth grade students and 33 adult mentors

errin
Download Presentation

Science Mentoring Program Hughes STEM High School

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. Science Mentoring ProgramHughes STEM High School Community Partnership Experiences February 7, 2012 Kent Buckingham, Ph.D., Program Coordinator

  2. Science Mentoring Program Overview • Initiated 2010-11 at Hughes STEM High School • Involved 80 ninth grade students and 33 adult mentors • Sessions held 1-hour/week, fall term and spring term • Focus on 9th grade curriculum, and on core skills • Critical thinking and problem solving • Reading comprehension (scientific) and analyzing data • Goal: to help students excel in the sciences and feel motivated to pursue college degrees and careers in STEM-related fields

  3. Partners in Science Mentoring • Ninth grade science students • Primarily minority, prevalent economic disadvantage • About one-third of ninth grade class • Adult STEM professionals • Diverse cohort of volunteers from the community • Commit 1 hr./week, most for more than 1 school term (fall, spring) • Science teachers • Select students for the program, and set expectations for students • Develop weekly hands-on activities, and post on mentor website • Program coordinator • Recruit mentors, training, background check, logistics, mentor feedback • Track metrics, and lead continuous quality improvement (CQI)

  4. Partners in the Development ofthe Science Mentoring Program • Hughes STEM High School • Manager for STEM Curriculum • Passion for students; Focus on teaching, student engagement • University of Cincinnati • OSLN Asst. Director, College of Education • Passion for teaching principles; Focus on information sharing • Industry Scientist from the Community • Volunteer, retired scientist/manager (P&G) • Passion for science; Focus on mentors, metrics, CQI

  5. Two Unique Elements ofScience Mentoring Program • First: positive interaction between students and adult STEM professionals • Student/mentor pairings are sustained for term • Discuss cultural backgrounds, learning styles • Involves tutoring (re; STEM subjects and concepts) • Involves mentoring (re; STEM college education and STEM career opportunities) • Mentors share personal “STEM Stories” • Students see real-world STEM career opportunities

  6. Mentor Diversity (33 Volunteers)Hughes STEM School Year 2010 – 2011 42% 58% 30% 36% 33% 21% 33% 36% 39% 61% 79% 30%

  7. Partners in the Recruiting of AdultSTEM Professionals as Mentors • Professional Scientific Societies • Local Industrial Companies • Local Scientific Staffing Companies • Local Nonprofit Organizations • Government Scientific Agencies • Local Universities/Colleges

  8. Partners in the Recruiting of AdultSTEM Professionals as MentorsRecruiting Efforts = 39 • Professional Scientific Societies – 10 • Local Industrial Companies – 6 • Local Scientific Staffing Companies – 3 • Local Nonprofit Organizations – 7 • Government Scientific Agencies – 2 • Local Universities/Colleges – 11

  9. Partners in the Recruiting of AdultSTEM Professionals as MentorsMentors Recruited = 47 • Professional Scientific Societies – 8 • Local Industrial Companies – 0 • Local Scientific Staffing Companies – 19 • Local Nonprofit Organizations – 0 • Government Scientific Agencies – 1 • Local Universities/Colleges – 19

  10. Two Unique Elements of Science Mentoring Program (Cont’d) • Second: a rigorous metrics plan to evaluate the impact of student participation in the program during the 2011 – 2012 school year • Student academic performance (grades, test scores) • Student attitudes (science, college, STEM careers)

  11. Metrics Plan Methodology • Criteria for student selection (120 students) • Middle of “bell curve” for performance • Desire to participate and improve performance • Randomization for test vs. control cohorts • Test Group A (40 students mentored fall 2011) • Test Group B (40 students mentored spring 2012) • Control Group (40 students not mentored)

  12. Measurement of Student Attitudes • Attitudes assessed via survey • Pre-Attitude Survey (Oct 2011) • Post-Attitude Survey (May 2012) • Students can select their survey responses from: • Strongly disagree • Disagree • Somewhat disagree • Somewhat agree • Agree • Strongly agree

  13. Six Survey Statementsabout Student STEM Attitudes • I am planning to continue my education after I graduate from high school • I am interested in pursuing a STEM related career • I am interested in learning more about STEM careers • I enjoy learning about science • I have the skills and abilities to learn science • Adults in this school want me to succeed

  14. Multiple Partners for Metrics Plan • Implementation Partners for Metrics Plan • Cincinnati Public School District (Director of Research) • Hughes STEM High School (Teachers, Pre-Attitude Survey) • Strive Partnership (Learning Partner Dashboard – Grades) • Industry (Data Analysis – Grades and Attitudes) • Program Coordinator (Overall Leadership) • Perspective about Partners • Motivation (what’s in it for them) • Expertise (who does what) • Leadership (who, how to interact and to track progress)

More Related