This paper is the second part of a three-paper series. It describes a project based approach to STEM enrichment and presents a detailed description of the practical set-ups, the investigations carried out by the students and their experimental findings. The accompanying first paper outlines an introductory gravitational waves based teaching module…

Bilingual and multilingual speakers mix two or more languages for communication, gaining information and sense-making in varieties of contexts. How do bilinguals mix languages and what does the mixing afford for their learning and participation? This study examines these questions, focusing on Korean-English bilingual youths in a community-based…

This study explores the experiences of primarily Latina/o children with learning music in a Music and Arts-Based Program (MABP) the context of a low-income neighborhood on the U.S- Mexico border. This year-long ethnographic study was conducted in an after-school art program in the Rio Grande Elementary School, in a low-income neighborhood located…

The Coalition for Science After School highlights the dual nature of outcomes for science learning during out-of- school time (OST): Learning experiences should not only be positive in the moment, but also position youth for future success. Several frameworks speak to the first set of immediate outcomes--what youth learn, think, and feel as the…

This study is a meta-analysis of the effects of out-of-school time (after school, summer camps, enrichment programs, etc.) on the student interest in STEM. This study was guided by the following research questions: (1) How effective is OST as a means to foster student interest in STEM? (2) How does the effectiveness of OST differ by program and…

Afterschool programs have garnered much attention as promising environments for learning where children can engage in rich science activities. Yet, little is known about the kinds of instructional materials used in typical, large-scale afterschool programs that implement science with diverse populations of children. In this study, we investigated…

In recent years, a substantial surge has occurred in the number of initiatives, events and organizations focused on using sport as a tool for development, peacebuilding and humanitarian efforts. This has created a growing need for educated leaders in the sport-based youth development field as the job market in this field continues to expand. The…

Since the early 1990s, notions about the purpose of physical education (PE) in the United States have increasingly aligned with a public health agenda driven by concerns that youth accrue too little physical activity (PA). In tandem with the shifting tides of thought about PE's purpose, authors have proposed numerous public health-aligned…

Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) disciplines play a pivotal role in societal progress and economic prosperity, in addition to enhancing individual lives. However, U.S. students lack strong STEM performance in an international context. The pool of STEM-proficient workers is thus insufficient to fuel the nation, with females…

In and out-of-school time (OST) experiences are viewed as complementary in contributing to students' interest, engagement, and performance in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). While tools exist to measure quality in general afterschool settings and others to measure structured science classroom experiences, there is a need…

One of the persistent challenges in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) education is increasing interest, learning, and retention, particularly with regard to girls and students in underserved areas. Educational curricula that promote process and content knowledge development as well as interest and engagement in STEM are critical in…

Science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education is a critical component of federal policymakers' agendas. Out-of-school time (OST) programs are designated as an important venue to teach STEM to K-12 students. Using a sample of OST direct staff in Pennsylvania (n = 133), the present analysis examines instructional methods used for…

Physical activity is essential for youth's health, growth, and development; however, only 42% of children in the United States meet physical activity recommendations. Piloted in spring 2016, "WeCook: Fun with Food and Fitness" engaged at-risk youth in physical activity, food preparation, and nutrition education. The objective was to…

This study was conducted for the purpose of determining the impacts of out-of-school learning environments on 6th-grade students' attitudes towards science course. In the study, the quasi-experimental model and pretest-posttest control grouped experimental design was employed. The experimental process step of the study was carried out on 6th-grade…

Recent policies and initiatives emphasized the importance of helping all students acquire Computer Science (CS) knowledge and develop Computational Thinking (CT). This study investigated the impact of a school-university partnership model on school students' CT development in the context of an after-school program. This study also examined the…