Developing Students’ Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Talent in Rural After-School Settings: Rural Educators’ Affordances and Barriers

Lori M. Ihrig; Susan G. Assouline; Duhita Mahatmya; Stephanie G. Lynch

doi:10.1177/01623532221123786

Back

Developing Students’ Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Talent in Rural After-School Settings: Rural Educators’ Affordances and Barriers

Journal article

Peer reviewed

Developing Students’ Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Talent in Rural After-School Settings: Rural Educators’ Affordances and Barriers

Lori M. Ihrig, Susan G. Assouline, Duhita Mahatmya and Stephanie G. Lynch

Journal for the education of the gifted, Vol.45(4), pp.381-403

12/2022

DOI: 10.1177/01623532221123786

View Online

Abstract

This study uses a naturalistic inquiry approach to investigate how rural educators navigate the affordances and barriers of implementing an out-of-school program to identify and develop middle school STEM talent in rural communities. At the time of this study, the STEM program was in its fourth year of implementation. Participants included 34 educators and 324 students in Grades 6–8 across 10 school districts in a predominately rural state. We used maximum variation purposive sampling to select 3 of the 10 districts as case study sites. The cross-case analysis resulted in the themes of (a) exercising local control, (b) expanding community for advanced STEM learning, and (c) leveraging the intersectionality of rurality, local agency, and expanded resources. One implication is that when supported with resources, rural educators will leverage the systems of their schools and communities to create robust ecosystems for advanced STEM talent development.

after-school

middle school

rural

science

technology

engineering

and mathematics

talent development

STEM ecosystems

underrepresentation

Details

Title: Subtitle: Developing Students’ Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Talent in Rural After-School Settings: Rural Educators’ Affordances and Barriers
Creators: Lori M. Ihrig - University of Iowa
Susan G. Assouline - University of Iowa
Duhita Mahatmya - University of Iowa
Stephanie G. Lynch - University of Iowa
Resource Type: Journal article
Publication Details: Journal for the education of the gifted, Vol.45(4), pp.381-403
DOI: 10.1177/01623532221123786
ISSN: 0162-3532
eISSN: 2162-9501
Publisher: SAGE Publications
Grant note: 1713123 / Advancing Informal STEM Learning, National Science Foundation
Language: English
Date published: 12/2022
Academic Unit: Iowa Neuroscience Institute; Center for Social Science Innovation; Education Administration; Psychological and Quantitative Foundations
Record Identifier: 9984371095202771

Metrics

14 Record Views

10 Times Cited - Web of Science

See more details