Developing Professional Learning Experiences in Engineering for High School Counselors

Arizona State University, Scottsdale AZ

Investigators

Abstract

High school counselors play an integral role in supporting student trajectories toward science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) careers. Many professional learning experiences for counselors have not focused specifically on developing awareness of a broad array of STEM careers and the corresponding high school activities and coursework that can establish student trajectories toward these careers. This project addresses this gap in practice by developing year-long professional learning experiences focused on engineering-related careers, with and for high school counselors. The professional learning experiences will highlight numerous characteristics of engineering and underscore strengths that all students can offer to engineering fields to address future workforce needs. Research will explore whether and how the professional learning experiences influence the participant dispositions and practices of engineering-related counseling. The project will broaden participation in engineering through a research-based approach to professional learning for high school counselors, such that they can effectively encourage more students to consider and pursue trajectories and careers in engineering-related fields. In this exploratory project, three cohorts of high school counselors from rural, urban, and suburban schools will participate in a year-long professional learning experience focused on advancing engineering counseling practices. Research will explore whether and how the counselors develop efficacy and dispositions of engineering career counseling, and put into practice.. The research team will conduct analyses and triangulation of the following data sources: transcripts from interviews and focus groups with the counselors; artifacts collected from the professional learning experience; and pre- and post-surveys. The educational materials associated with the professional learning experience will be disseminated widely via professional networks of school counselors, while the empirical results will be shared through various counseling and educational research venues. The project contributes to the capacity-building of school counselors who play an important role in building interests in engineering careers. Long-term broader impacts include - strengthening and expanding our nation's engineering workforce. The Discovery Research preK-12 program (DRK-12) is an applied research program that seeks to significantly enhance the learning and teaching of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) by preK-12 students and teachers. Projects in the DRK-12 program build on fundamental research in STEM education and prior research and development efforts that provide theoretical and empirical justification for funded projects. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.