Online professional development (OPD) is a popular professional learning option, especially for those with monetary and time constraints such as afterschool educators. This study reports on the design, implementation, and evaluation of an OPD on preparing 18 afterschool educators to teach a content-heavy, transmedia, STEM curriculum on cryptology…

This study reports the measured impact of attendance at after school science club (ASSC) on the progress and attainment of Key stages 3 and 4 students in a coeducation academy in the UK. The research was experimental in design and collected data from both a control and an experimental group of participants, 17 and 140 respectively. Data were…

Quality out-of-school reading programs have positive impact on students' academic learning. However, the recruitment and retention of qualified teachers for such programs can be challenging. In this article, we described an out-of-school reading project, the "It Takes a Village Project" (or "Village Project"), that not only…

There has been a surge in the demand for the establishment of high-quality after-school programs (ASP) predicated on professional collaboration between in-school and after-school educators (OECD, 2014). In this validation study, we outline the psychometric properties of the Collaboration Quality Index (CQI) comprised of four predominant scales,…

This paper presents a case study on six elementary school teachers' perceived learning in a professional development program where teachers facilitated an integrated STEM robotics activity in an afterschool setting. Teacher reflections and interviews data were analyzed for themes. The findings revealed teachers' positive growth in the following…

The Texas Afterschool Centers on Education is the program administered through the Texas Education Agency (TEA) for the federally funded 21st Century Community Learning Center (CCLC) grants. The Texas ACE Austin Cycle 9 program is composed of a compilation of activities at 10 AISD campuses that provide a comprehensive range of high quality and…

This pilot study involved fourth and fifth-grade students (N = 25) from two elementary schools that receive the True Goals (TG) small group intervention during an after-school program in one school district in the Midwest region of the United States. A one-group pre-post design was used to assess classroom teachers' perceptions of student learning…

Background: In view of global health concerns about high levels of inactivity and related disease patterns of citizens, Physical Education and Health (PEH) has become an educational priority in many countries, including South Africa. Aim: The research aimed to explore and capture the effects of a multistakeholder physical education (PE) initiative…

This report provides findings from various surveys regarding parent, student, and teacher perceptions of Afterschool Centers on Education (ACE) programs at Austin Independent School District (AISD) campuses. The ACE program was highly rated and thought to help maintain AISD enrollment.

English language learners (ELs) present the fastest growing school population in the southeastern region. Therefore teachers need to be specifically prepared to provide culturally and linguistically appropriate support to ELs using research-evidenced practices. For this purpose, a southeastern university integrated an afterschool academic EL…

The purpose of this study was to determine the effectiveness of a local afterschool program in helping underserved elementary school students improve their reading achievement. The study followed a cohort of students with 28 participants who were low-income, ethnic minority children in the 1st-6th grades between the ages of 6 and 12. Data on…

This article focuses on extended education supported by parents and the community at school and its impacts on schoolteachers' perceptions towards their work in Japan. A national survey using random sampling on elementary schoolteachers was conducted by the author; the results were used to analyze the relationships between the following variables:…

Afterschool programs (ASPs) have become increasingly recognized as a key context to support youth daily physical activity (PA) accrual. Using Self-Determination Theory (SDT) as a framework, this study examined staff perspectives on the strengths and barriers within under-resourced ASPs for establishing a social-motivational climate for encouraging…

This three article dissertation focuses on the teachers' perceptions regarding STEM education. Article 1 consists of a literature review that includes an overview of the type of STEM education that takes place at the secondary level. The review explores what the literature says about after-school STEM programs, diverse students and their…

Partnerships between schools and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) are common in extended education providing students broader choices in after-school programing. This article explores how collaboration between educators teaching in after-school clubs and an international human rights NGO, Invisible Children, mobilized student activism across…