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Title: Identity Development during STEM Integration for Underrepresented Minority Students
Over the past three decades, research efforts and interventions have been implemented across the United States to increase the persistent underrepresentation of minority (URM) students in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM). This Element systematically compares STEM interventions that offer resources and opportunities related to mentorship, research, and more. We organize the findings of this literature into a multiphase framework of STEM integration and identity development. We propose four distinct phases of STEM integration: Phase 1: High School; Phase 2: Pre-College Summer; Phase 3: College First Year; and Phase 4: College Second Year through Graduation. We combine tenets of theories about social identity, stereotypes and bias, and the five-factor operationalization of identity formation to describe each phase of STEM integration. Findings indicate the importance of exploration through exposure to STEM material, mentorship, and diverse STEM communities. We generalize lessons from STEM interventions to URM students across institutions.  more » « less
Award ID(s):
1909824
PAR ID:
10212818
Author(s) / Creator(s):
; ;
Date Published:
Journal Name:
Elements in applied social psychology
ISSN:
2631-7761
Format(s):
Medium: X
Sponsoring Org:
National Science Foundation
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