How do undergraduate STEM mentors reflect upon their mentoring experiences in an outreach program engaging K-8 youth?

Nelson, Kari; Sabel, Jaime; Forbes, Cory; Grandgenett, Neal; Tapprich, William; Cutucache, Christine

doi:10.1186/s40594-017-0057-4

International Journal of STEM Education

Table 3 Questions administered to NE STEM 4U UG and graduate participants regarding their experience in the program

From: How do undergraduate STEM mentors reflect upon their mentoring experiences in an outreach program engaging K-8 youth?

A. Questions from post-mentoring survey
1. What activity did you participate in and on which date?
2. Did you find this experience to be beneficial to your education?
3. Did you feel a sense of accomplishment with helping community members?
4. What would you do differently next time?
5. What did you like most about the experience?
6. What did you like least about the experience?
7. How do you think this experience most helped the community?
8. Please provide feedback on your K8 students during this lesson in regards to engagement, comprehension, and other observations.
9. Other comments:
B. Questions from 12- and 24-week Time point Interview
1. Rate your organizational skills
2. Rate your preparedness skills
3. Rate your engagement skills (i.e. ability to grab attention through meaningful discussion)
4. Rate your dependability skills
5. Rate your communication skills
6. Can you think of a time recently where you have had to problem solve or think critically in NE STEM? If yes, please describe.
7. What kind of career do you expect to enter?
8. Do you plan to include teaching and/or mentoring in your career?
9. What is one thing that you have liked about the NE STEM 4U program?
10. What is one thing that you have disliked about the NE STEM 4U program?
C. Questions from End of Program Survey
1. Provide your college major(s)
2. Provide your GPA
3. What is your career plan?
4. Do you have an employer or a form of employment already identified?
5. Have you had any job opportunities as a result of the NE STEM 4U program?
6. What was (were) the best experience(s) for you in NE STEM 4U and why?
7. What recommendations do you have to improve NE STEM 4U?
8. Did you feel as though you were adequately prepared to begin a career after completing your UG major at UNO? What, if any, role did NE STEM 4U play in that level of preparedness?
9. What did you feel as though you were missing in your UG career at UNO for career and/or preparation for professional school?
10. Would you be willing to provide feedback about how NE STEM 4U might have helped your career in the next year and in 5 years? If so, please provide the best ongoing contact information for you.

A. Prompts from post-mentoring survey completed by NE STEM mentors after mentoring K-8 youth. B. Prompts from interview administered in person to NE STEM mentors at 12 and 24 weeks into the program. Students were not allowed to see how they had rated themselves prior. Questions 1–5 were on a scale of 1–10, 10 being the highest score. C. Prompts administered to NE STEM mentors graduating from the program (i.e., not returning the following academic year due to graduation). Questions from the end of program survey were administered to students graduating from the program immediately after their separation (±40 days)

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