Holmes Scholar Mayra Marquez-Mendez, Ph.D., (Educational Psychology, Leadership, and Higher Education) and Tina Vo, Ph.D., (Teaching and Learning) presented their work titled, “Understanding Science Teachers’ Support Needs: Assessing the Reliability of a Support-Seeking Instrument,” at the 2025 Annual American Educational Research Association (AERA) conference.
Their research evaluates the reliability of a newly developed support-seeking instrument designed specifically for science teachers. This timely study addresses urgent mentorship needs within the education system, particularly in light of challenges posed by COVID-19 and persistent educational inequalities. Focusing on elementary and middle school science teachers in a diverse urban school district, the research involved 115 participants engaged in a professional development program.
Marquez-Mendez brings her expertise in mentorship dynamics, support-seeking behaviors, and motivation in academic contexts to this collaborative research. Her work examines how targeted support initiatives can create transformative educational experiences for teachers navigating complex educational environments.
Their findings reveal that the 20-item Likert-scale survey demonstrated strong internal consistency with a Cronbach’s α of 0.838, indicating the instrument effectively captures support-seeking behaviors among science teachers. This validation represents a significant step forward in developing targeted mentorship programs that could potentially address educational disparities, enhance teacher retention and well-being, and promote professional growth.
This important research aligns with AERA’s mission to improve educational outcomes and advance equity in education through evidence-based approaches and innovative assessment tools.
