Diverse STEM experts in the middle school classroom

Abstract

How does bringing in a diverse group of science, technology, engineering, and math professionals impact student perceptions of what people in these fields look like and do for a living? By interviewing women and people of color in these careers and showing recorded and edited versions of the interviews to students, some students showed growth in tests like the Draw-A-Scientist-Test, proving that they learned anyone could be a scientist. Additionally, results from the Thinking about My Future Survey showed that students also had a change in attitude regarding their beliefs that they would be capable of having a career in one of these many fields. Class discussions also indicated that students had started to understand that no one in any of the jobs we discussed had to look a certain way or fit a specific mold. Many stereotypes were removed from student perceptions, but some were difficult for students to move away from mentally.