Understanding factors that influence students' sense of belonging and engagement in a career exploration program: A mixed methods study

The Talent Identification and Career Exploration (TICE) program, funded by a Jacob K. Javits grant, focuses on increasing underrepresented students' participation in gifted and talented programs. Early identification for gifted and talented programs expands student learning experiences, and when students from marginalized groups are not identified, they are denied equal opportunity to maximize their potential and enter the appropriate career path. This study focused on sixth- and seventh-grade students from a predominantly rural midwestern state who participated in TICE from 2020 to 2022. Students engaged in four modules focused on sensemaking of their strengths and potential future career matches. This mixed-methods study used student feedback to understand the relationship between students' feelings of belonging and learning format on student enjoyment of the modules. Results show that students' sense of belonging was a significant predictor of student enjoyment for two of the four modules, and learning format was not a significant predictor of student enjoyment. Qualitative data revealed students valued working with each other and learned about themselves and careers for which they would be a potential match. Findings from the study can be applied to inform the development, implementation, and evaluation of school-based career interventions for talented student populations.