The role of early career scientists working in the classroom

This study reports on the strategies that regional science teachers found useful when early career scientists--tertiary science students were employed as peer mentors in their science classroom with indigenous and non-indigenous Year 7--10 students. Teachers engaged in a participatory action research to define the role of the early career scientists (ECS) and documented strategies that they found useful in incorporating this third person within their classroom. Data were sourced and triangulated from the teachers and their practice and interviews with students and the ECS. The study has implications for introducing learning support staff and similar mentoring programs into the classroom.