Identity Stories Told by Undergraduate Preceptors in a Biology Laboratory Course

Abstract

Preceptors, also referred to as learning assistants or undergraduate assistants, play a crucial role in supporting university courses across many college campuses and disciplines. Research on students' experiences serving as preceptors indicates many positive outcomes, including gaining a deeper understanding of course material, developing skills applicable to future careers, and an increased understanding of the learning needs of both themselves and their peers. Studies of the impact of the preceptor experience on student identity in STEM disciplines have found that the experience results in substantial growth in STEM professional identity and disciplinary identity, specifically physics identity. This study builds on previous research regarding the interplay between preceptor experience and identity by exploring the significance of other types of identity in shaping the learning experience of ten preceptors in an introductory biology laboratory course. In this study, I use a framework in which identity is operationalized as a collection of reifying, significant, and endorsable stories to explore the various identities told by preceptors. I then consider the significance of these different identities by examining the relationship between identity, goals, and learning to build a deeper understanding of the preceptor experience. Preceptor identity stories were collected through written autobiographies, reflections, and in-person interviews. Using qualitative methods, I analyzed these stories to determine which various identities the preceptors told and how these identities shaped their learning. The findings from this study indicate that preceptors told three distinct types of identities and that these different identities uniquely shaped the goals and learning of preceptors with those identities. These identities were scientist, teacher, and helper. Preceptors who told a scientist identity focused on their desire to discover new knowledge and enjoyment of the challenges and uncertainty inherent to doing science. Preceptors with this identity had goals centered on doing and learning more science during their time as preceptors. Interestingly, they accomplished these goals but also learned their role as preceptors was more about assisting students in the course than giving preceptors a chance to do more science. Both learning outcomes reinforced their scientist identities. Preceptors with a teacher identity emphasized past experiences teaching, a desire to facilitate student learning, and growth as a teacher during their preceptor experience. They centered their goals for their preceptor experience around improving their teaching skills and a deep interest in student learning. They experienced learning during their preceptor experience that was consistent with these goals, and their teacher identity was reinforced. Finally, preceptors with a helper or service identity expressed empathy for students and told stories centered on care for students' emotional well-being and empowerment. Their goals for their preceptor experience were to ease the emotional burden that a laboratory class can often cause and help empower students through science. They learned their preceptor role made this possible, reinforcing their service identities. These findings demonstrate the vital role of identities beyond disciplinary identities in shaping the preceptor experience. They also illustrate a relationship between identity, goals, and learning that helps explain the variety of learning outcomes observed for the preceptors in this study. This research has implications for informing the approaches of instructors who work with preceptors by considering how different identities can be leveraged to serve both preceptors and the students they work with.