| Presentation Proposal - NACADA Annual Conference |
| Presentation Info and Handouts |
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Code=276
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Conference Year:
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2026
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Session #:
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()
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Title:
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Belonging on The Boundary: Peer Mentoring in Graduate Mathematics Education |
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Lead Presenter:
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Jennie Burel |
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Date:
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December 31, 1969 Time: 6:00 pm - 6:00 pm |
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Room:
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Abstract:
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Graduate students in mathematics departments frequently experience peripheral positioning that inhibits belonging and community integration, yet most departments lack intentional programmatic responses. This presentation reports findings from a phenomenological action research study examining how boundary learning mechanisms transform graduate students' experiences of belonging within a university mathematics department. Grounded in Wenger's (2000) community of practice theory and Akkerman and Bakker's (2011) four boundary learning mechanisms, a five-week peer mentoring workshop engaged nine participants matched deliberately across disciplinary boundaries. Data from weekly reflective surveys, arts-based identity collages, and focus group discussions were analyzed using Braun and Clarke's (2022) thematic analysis framework. Two primary themes emerged: Social Connections (Relating, Interdisciplinary, Belonging) and Sharing and Receiving Experiences (Imparting, Realizing). Findings demonstrate that structured boundary-crossing peer mentoring can actively transform graduate students' sense of belonging and facilitate movement from peripheral to valued community membership. |
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Handouts
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Note: Handouts (if offered for this session) are accessible via the conference app. |
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