Understanding the “why” of STEM faculty mentors and how they engage in high context teaching strategies

This study explores STEM faculty mentors’ use of multicontext teaching and mentoring strategies to increase underrepresented minority (URM) STEM participation through a guided research program at a Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI). Results of narrative research show most faculty mentors in the program engaged in high-context learning activities, and they value the program for the intrinsic satisfaction of mentoring underrepresented students, their commitment to increasing minority participation in STEM, and the mutually beneficial research collaborations. Examples of high context strategies employed included real-world experiences, hands-on experiences, and multi-academic learning styles—allowing faculty and students to make more connections in the learning process.