Service-learning opportunities provide students with valuable professional experience beyond training and practical skills. In a pilot study of Criminal Justice students enrolled in an undergraduate Homeland Security class, student volunteers report opportunities for practicing leadership at an after-school program. Responses were also compared to…

This study identified subgroups of elementary students based on similar patterns of participation in four different types of extended education in Korea. The study also investigated relationships between student patterns of extended education participation and their various demographic and socioeconomic characteristics, including residential…

There are two, related types of college readiness: (a) cognitive--students' test scores and grades and (b) noncognitive--students' academic mind-sets, behaviors, and motivation. This study uses an ethnographic approach to examine how an afterschool program for Latina/o high school youth fosters noncognitive factors of college readiness. Based on…

Recently, the literature has repeatedly reported an interesting decrease in science and technology (S&T) among youngsters, and a drop of students choosing professions related to these knowledge areas. This study pursued to assess the interest of primary and secondary pupils in specific fields of S&T and to relate this interest to their…

Too many of today's children spend too much time indoors, often interacting with screens. They don't get enough physical exercise. Their learning about nature comes from books and teachers rather than from firsthand exploration of natural phenomena. These issues affect most modern American children, but they are particularly prominent among…

Manding for preferred items and activities is a critical skill for young children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). However, little research has evaluated procedures to teach children with ASD to mand with their peers. This study evaluated the effects of a teaching package involving least-to-most prompting to increase peer-directed vocal…

In this arts-based inquiry, we studied how 50 teacher candidates at seven after-school program sites used the arts, along with traditional written reflections, to examine their teaching beliefs and represent their field experiences. Data were collected throughout the 6-week course semester and analyzed using a three-stage process of thematic…

Research has shown that African American girls are interested in science but not as likely to pursue science-related careers as their white or male peers. Although out of school time (OST) science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) programs have been presented as means to address this discrepancy and support scientific identity development…

Kids Creative is a New York City nonprofit that runs afterschool and summer programs with over 1,000 youth each year. The programs they run use this creativity-oriented process to produce original musicals, works of art, videos, dances, and more. When Kids Creative received grant funding, they were able to include more youth and add homework help,…

Background: After-school approaches offer a viable solution to the current challenge of physical inactivity among many adolescents; however, availability, cost, transportation, and interest limit many youths' choices during non-school hours [Roth, Brooks-Gunn, Murray, and Foster 2003. "Youth Development Programs: Risk, Prevention and…

The purpose of this study was to understand how a science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) professional development workshop improved teachers' self-efficacy and motivation to implement STEM in their afterschool programs as well as develop a tool that measures STEM motivation and self-efficacy. Educators' self-efficacy and motivation were…

Regular participation in afterschool programs by elementary students in low income communities may lead to improved college and career readiness. This study found that students who had high levels of participation in the LA's BEST afterschool program over three years were five percent less likely to dropout and six percent more likely to complete…

The Wallace Foundation's Partnerships for Social and Emotional Learning Initiative is a six-year initiative that The Wallace Foundation launched in 2017 to explore whether and how children benefit when schools and their out-of-school-time (OST) programs partner to improve social and emotional learning (SEL), as well as what it takes to do this…

Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, children, families, and educators faced unprecedented challenges that disproportionally impacted racially/ethnically diverse, low-income communities due to long-standing health system, socioeconomic, and educational inequities. With closures of schools, libraries, and child-care centers, many children were disconnected…

Afterschool programs inspire kids to learn, help them make better decisions, and give parents peace of mind. Throughout the pandemic, 21st Century Community Learning Centers have kept kids engaged and learning and met the needs of families nationwide. But the demand for these programs far exceeds the supply. 21st Century Community Learning Centers…