Impacts on College and Graduate Student Mentors from Guiding Secondary Students in a Community-based Climate Change Outreach Program
Journal Article
Overview
abstract
Mentorship experience can be transformational for college and graduate; students as they learn how to talk about their science field, articulate; their work, learn how to listen, and step away from the focus on their; own work. The Lens on Climate Change (LOCC) program engaged secondary; students in place-based, environmental science in an informal learning; environment. Small groups of students worked together, with the guidance; of graduate student science and community college film mentors, to; produce a film about climate change, as they perceived it to be relevant; to their local communities. The majority of student participants came; from historically underserved communities, and the program aimed to; provide students with opportunities to engage with science and; technology in ways that differ from opportunities available in; traditional schooling. The graduate student science mentors and; community college film mentors played a critical role in supporting; students in their exploration of the topic and learning about local; climate change. This presentation explores the impacts on mentors and; how the LOCC program influenced their experiences and interests in; science education and outreach. Using a qualitative case study approach; we examine mentor responses to questions about their mentorship; experiences. These responses were collected before and after their; experiences in the program, as well as through follow up interviews; after the program had ended. Mentors fell into several categories based; on how the LOCC program influenced them. Some mentors experienced a; transformational impact, where the LOCC program played an influential; role in their future career goals. Others felt the program helped them; cement their career interests and plans. Several mentors did not; experience as much impact on their career trajectory. We examine these; relationships in the context of the project to consider how their; experiences prior to and through LOCC may have influenced these; outcomes.
