Abstract
At the front of every STEM classroom, teachers hold more than just textbooks, they hold the potential to shape students’ aspirations, confidence, and perceptions of what is possible in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). Beyond teaching content, they nurture problem-solving skills and position STEM careers as attainable (Dare et al., 2021). Career counselors complement this work by providing career-related information, exposing students to STEM professions, and guiding them through academic pathways (Rottinghaus et al., 2018). Together, these educators form an essential support system influencing students’ early career awareness (Murcia et al., 2020). This ongoing qualitative study examines how teachers and career counselors jointly or disjointly influence middle school students’ interest in pursuing STEM careers.
Document Type
Brief
DOI
10.5703/1288284318500
Recommended Citation
Ayokanmi, Damilola and Asunda, Paul, "The Influence of Teachers and Career Counselors of Middle School Students' Interest in Pursuing STEM Careers" (2026). Indiana STEM Education Conference. 1.
https://docs.lib.purdue.edu/instemed/2026/briefs/1
Included in
The Influence of Teachers and Career Counselors of Middle School Students' Interest in Pursuing STEM Careers
At the front of every STEM classroom, teachers hold more than just textbooks, they hold the potential to shape students’ aspirations, confidence, and perceptions of what is possible in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). Beyond teaching content, they nurture problem-solving skills and position STEM careers as attainable (Dare et al., 2021). Career counselors complement this work by providing career-related information, exposing students to STEM professions, and guiding them through academic pathways (Rottinghaus et al., 2018). Together, these educators form an essential support system influencing students’ early career awareness (Murcia et al., 2020). This ongoing qualitative study examines how teachers and career counselors jointly or disjointly influence middle school students’ interest in pursuing STEM careers.