Exploring the science identities and science capital of Let’s Talk Science outreach volunteers in the context of science teacher shortages

This study will consider the extent to which Let’s Talk Science outreach volunteers see themselves, and are seen by others, as science teachers. It will use mixed (quantitative and qualitative) methods to examine science majors’ identities, life histories, their experiences of outreach facilitation with Let’s Talk Science, and their interpretations of these experiences.

Most students in Canada disengage from STEM courses before graduating high school. Let’s Talk Science has now been running for 30 years to change these outcomes; it aims to help prepare youth in Canada for future careers and citizenship demands in a rapidly changing world which is increasingly driven by innovation and STEM related skills. It does this through a number of projects and programs, including an outreach volunteer program lead by STEM majors at universities across Canada. Using this network of more than 3,500 volunteers, the proposed study will use both quantitative and qualitative methods to explore the role of outreach volunteering on the science capital and teacher identities of STEM majors from a variety of backgrounds, institutions and specialisms. These methods will benefit from Let’s Talk Science’s vast network volunteers, and their expertise in conducting surveys for evaluation purposes. At a time of growing science teacher shortages, this project will also extend the potential impact of Let’s Talk Science’s work by developing an understanding of the role of outreach volunteering upon perceptions of, and plans to pursue, science teaching.

Faculty Supervisor:

Allison Gonsalves

Student:

Partner:

Let’s Talk Science

Discipline:

Sociology

Sector:

Education

University:

McGill University

Program: