Creating a Sense of Belonging through an Extended Service-Learning Experience for Pre-Service STEM Educators.
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| Title: | Creating a Sense of Belonging through an Extended Service-Learning Experience for Pre-Service STEM Educators. |
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| Authors: | Dentzau, Michael W.1, Shaw, Kimberly1, Conway IV, Basil1, Martin, Nicole2, Garbrecht, Lisa2 |
| Source: | Critical Questions in Education. Summer2026, Vol. 17 Issue 2, p119-134. 16p. |
| Subject Terms: | *Service learning, *Teacher education, *Professional education, *Education research, *STEM education, *Student teachers, *Disadvantaged schools |
| Abstract: | This research focused on unpacking the perceptions of preservice and early career science and mathematics teachers of a service-learning experience embedded within an undergraduate teacher preparation program. Participants completed 30 hours in a high-need school setting for multiple semesters, designed to provide an opportunity to deeply understand the context of these settings and the populations they serve. In these placements, participants were encouraged to go beyond observation and instruction and attend faculty meetings, parent-teacher conferences, and student extracurricular activities. Supplementing this service, seminars were designed to bring together participants, graduates, faculty, and mentor teachers to consider issues relevant to teaching. Data analyzed included Likert-scale questions and open-ended prompts from the external evaluators focusing on the value of interacting with the students, faculty, administration, and high-need settings. The project team also used semi-structured interviews with ten Noyce graduates focusing on the service-learning component. Review of Likert-scale questions in the annual surveys indicated that all the participants found the service-learning component to be valuable or extremely valuable for them with respect to their future careers. The open-ended prompts and the interviews were open coded inductively, yielding four emergent themes--gaining perspectives, relationships, confidence, and transformational experiences, and scholarship funding. Evidence supporting these themes and the implications of the service-learning experience for the participants is discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
| Copyright of Critical Questions in Education is the property of Academy for Educational Studies and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.) | |
| Database: | Education Research Complete |
| FullText | Links: – Type: pdflink Text: Availability: 0 |
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| Header | DbId: ehh DbLabel: Education Research Complete An: 194670822 AccessLevel: 6 PubType: Academic Journal PubTypeId: academicJournal PreciseRelevancyScore: 0 |
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| Items | – Name: Title Label: Title Group: Ti Data: Creating a Sense of Belonging through an Extended Service-Learning Experience for Pre-Service STEM Educators. – Name: Author Label: Authors Group: Au Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Dentzau%2C+Michael+W%2E%22">Dentzau, Michael W.</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Shaw%2C+Kimberly%22">Shaw, Kimberly</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Conway+IV%2C+Basil%22">Conway IV, Basil</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Martin%2C+Nicole%22">Martin, Nicole</searchLink><relatesTo>2</relatesTo><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Garbrecht%2C+Lisa%22">Garbrecht, Lisa</searchLink><relatesTo>2</relatesTo> – Name: TitleSource Label: Source Group: Src Data: <searchLink fieldCode="JN" term="%22Critical+Questions+in+Education%22">Critical Questions in Education</searchLink>. Summer2026, Vol. 17 Issue 2, p119-134. 16p. – Name: Subject Label: Subject Terms Group: Su Data: *<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Service+learning%22">Service learning</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Teacher+education%22">Teacher education</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Professional+education%22">Professional education</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Education+research%22">Education research</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22STEM+education%22">STEM education</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Student+teachers%22">Student teachers</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Disadvantaged+schools%22">Disadvantaged schools</searchLink> – Name: Abstract Label: Abstract Group: Ab Data: This research focused on unpacking the perceptions of preservice and early career science and mathematics teachers of a service-learning experience embedded within an undergraduate teacher preparation program. Participants completed 30 hours in a high-need school setting for multiple semesters, designed to provide an opportunity to deeply understand the context of these settings and the populations they serve. In these placements, participants were encouraged to go beyond observation and instruction and attend faculty meetings, parent-teacher conferences, and student extracurricular activities. Supplementing this service, seminars were designed to bring together participants, graduates, faculty, and mentor teachers to consider issues relevant to teaching. Data analyzed included Likert-scale questions and open-ended prompts from the external evaluators focusing on the value of interacting with the students, faculty, administration, and high-need settings. The project team also used semi-structured interviews with ten Noyce graduates focusing on the service-learning component. Review of Likert-scale questions in the annual surveys indicated that all the participants found the service-learning component to be valuable or extremely valuable for them with respect to their future careers. The open-ended prompts and the interviews were open coded inductively, yielding four emergent themes--gaining perspectives, relationships, confidence, and transformational experiences, and scholarship funding. Evidence supporting these themes and the implications of the service-learning experience for the participants is discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] – Name: AbstractSuppliedCopyright Label: Group: Ab Data: <i>Copyright of Critical Questions in Education is the property of Academy for Educational Studies and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract.</i> (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.) |
| PLink | https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=ehh&AN=194670822 |
| RecordInfo | BibRecord: BibEntity: Languages: – Code: eng Text: English PhysicalDescription: Pagination: PageCount: 16 StartPage: 119 Subjects: – SubjectFull: Service learning Type: general – SubjectFull: Teacher education Type: general – SubjectFull: Professional education Type: general – SubjectFull: Education research Type: general – SubjectFull: STEM education Type: general – SubjectFull: Student teachers Type: general – SubjectFull: Disadvantaged schools Type: general Titles: – TitleFull: Creating a Sense of Belonging through an Extended Service-Learning Experience for Pre-Service STEM Educators. Type: main BibRelationships: HasContributorRelationships: – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Dentzau, Michael W. – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Shaw, Kimberly – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Conway IV, Basil – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Martin, Nicole – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Garbrecht, Lisa IsPartOfRelationships: – BibEntity: Dates: – D: 01 M: 07 Text: Summer2026 Type: published Y: 2026 Identifiers: – Type: issn-print Value: 23273607 Numbering: – Type: volume Value: 17 – Type: issue Value: 2 Titles: – TitleFull: Critical Questions in Education Type: main |
| ResultId | 1 |
