Out-of-classroom activities can help cultivate interest and literacy in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) subjects. To determine how a week-long out-of-classroom experience might impact STEM interest in adolescents, a free summer camp was offered to students entering grades 6-8. During this time, students participated in…

Control-value theory suggests that students' control and value appraisals mediate the relation between contextual supports and student emotions in formal learning settings; however, this theory has not been tested in informal learning contexts. Understanding mechanisms for instructional support in informal learning contexts can inform the design…

This study investigated changes in students' achievement goals as a result of their participation in academic summer programs for advanced learners. Researchers examined whether the type of classes, assigning grades, student gender, classroom autonomy support, and instructor's implicit theories of intelligence (mindset) moderated student change…

This paper examines the relation between children's summer activities before fourth through sixth grade and their vocabulary knowledge in fifth grade and at age fifteen using the NICHD SECCYD dataset (N = 1,009). We used OLS regression and propensity score analyses to understand how children's summer reading, library visits, participation in…

The purpose of this report was to measure the effect of the Baylor College of Medicine Summer Science Institute (BCMSSI) on science performance of students whose teachers participated in the program during summer 2013. Paired t-test results showed statistically significant increases in the BCM students' Stanford 10 science performance at the…

The purpose of this study was to measure the effect of the Baylor College of Medicine Summer Science Institute (BCMSSI) on teacher science content knowledge and students' science performance. The analysis of the effect of participation showed an increase of 253 scale score points on the 2015 State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness,…

The present study examined the impact of the Simultaneous Multisensory Institute for Language Arts (SMILA) approach on the reading proficiency of 39 students between the ages of 7-11 participating in a summer reading program. The summer reading clinic draws students from the surrounding community which is located in a large urban district in the…

This article investigated possible gender associations with world music instruments by secondary school-age music students from the USA. Specific questions included: (1) Do the primary instruments played by the students influence gender associations of world music instruments? (2) Does age influence possible gender associations with world music…

The transfer of leadership to younger generations is an important factor in agricultural communities and is likely one reason developing leaders is a central mission of many youth organizations, including 4-H and FFA. In adults, researchers have extensively explored the relationship between personality traits and leadership (Judge, Bono, Ilies,…

Social coping and self-concept were explored among Irish (n = 115) and American (n = 134) grades 3-8 students. Denying one's giftedness or the impact it has on peer relationships were associated with poor self-concept in both samples. Among Irish students, denying giftedness was associated with more positive self-concept when paired with a high…

The purpose of this evaluation was to measure the impact of the Baylor College of Medicine (BCM) Summer Institute on science performance of students whose teachers participated during the summers of 2011 and 2012. Paired t-tests revealed statistically significant increases in a sample of elementary students' Stanford 10 science scores at 3rd…

This study is based on a 2-year evaluation of the Pathways Partnership, a precollege preparation program involving one school district, multiple colleges and universities, and several major businesses in a Midwestern metropolitan area. The week-long summer program cultivates youth leadership and the exploration of higher education through various…

Robotics provide the opportunity for students to bring their individual interests, perspectives and areas of expertise together in order to work collaboratively on real-world science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) problems. This paper examines the nature of collaboration that manifests in groups of elementary and middle school…

Educators have been looking for a solution to increasing yearly student achievement while at the same time ensuring that the achievement gap between students of high and low socioeconomic status does not continue to widen each year. Many studies examined show that students experience summer learning loss if not in school during the months of June…