In this article we propose that the grammar of schooling [Tyack, D., & Tobin, W. (1994). "The 'grammar' of schooling: Why has it been so hard to change?" "American Educational Research Journal, 31"(3), 453-479.] is responsible not only for the well-known and world-wide difficulties in integrating ICT into formal educational settings, but also for…

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of teaching the Test-Taking Strategy to high-functioning adolescents with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) through an intensive after-school program. Four secondary students participated in the study (i.e., one 11th, one 10th, one 8th, and one 6th grader). A multiple-probe design with four…

In this article, the author describes an after-school project he reactivated at RHAM Middle School. The author embarked on the Mural Project, which he hoped would engaged students in a year-long cycle to depict just what the seven pillars mean to the social and academic well-being of the school community. What emerged from the project was a…

This article describes a mathematics session in which students explored a challenging combinatorics task, a topic shown to be difficult for students when taught traditionally. The students developed a progression of personal representations, increasingly symbolic and abstract, which they used to find a solution and justification. (Contains 8…

While most research on the benefits of afterschool programs has shown positive behavioral outcomes, the results on academic outcomes have been mixed. This study focused on academic outcomes to further explore whether students who regularly attended a school-based afterschool program showed greater academic gains than students who did not attend.…

The purpose of this Executive Position Paper is to examine the ways in which teachers learn to implement a new mathematics curriculum. The four case study teachers described in this paper were in their first and second year of teaching the "Investigations" curriculum. In the course of learning to teach with "Investigations," the teachers were…

This study describes how staff qualifications, decisions on staffing procedures, and professional development opportunities support the recruitment and retention of quality staff members. Four high-functioning programs were identified. Qualitative procedures and instruments were designed to capture staff and parents' academic perspectives about…

Hole-in-the-Wall as a concept has attracted worldwide attention. It involves providing unconditional access to computer-equipped kiosks in playgrounds and out-of-school settings, children taking ownership of their learning and learning driven by the children's natural curiosity. It is posited that this approach, which is being used in India,…

This report, the third installment in the "New England After 3 PM" series, discusses after-school programs and support in Rhode Island. The Afterschool Alliance worked with the Rhode Island Afterschool Plus Alliance to survey mayors and other officials in each of the state's 39 cities and towns. The survey, distributed via the Internet…

In this brief, a program evaluation is defined, address common concerns program managers and practitioners have regarding evaluation, and outline five major reasons why conducting a program evaluation can benefit an out-of-school time program. Program evaluation is a valuable tool for program managers who are seeking to strengthen the quality of…

REL Appalachia conducted a systematic review of the research evidence on the effects of increased learning time. After screening more than 7,000 studies, REL Appalachia identified 30 that met the most rigorous standards for research. A review of those 30 studies found that increased learning time does not always produce positive results. However,…

The U.S. has set as a national goal the narrowing of the achievement gap between lower income and middle-class students, and that between racial and ethnic groups. This is a key purpose of the No Child Left Behind act, which relies primarily on assessment to promote changes within schools to accomplish that goal. However, out-of-school factors…

Quality afterschool programs are improving and transforming the lives of children and youth across the nation. Research shows that afterschool programs keep kids safe, inspire them to learn and help working parents. They give children opportunities to see new worlds, put school lessons into practice, discover their talents and explore career…

Extended learning opportunities (ELOs) provide safe, structured learning environments for students outside the traditional school day. ELOs include afterschool and summer learning programs as well as before-school, evening, and weekend programs. ELOs come in many forms and can include tutoring, volunteering, academic support, community service,…

This study is about a community computing lab established by a U.S. Department of Commerce grant to bridge the Digital Divide in a rural Arizona American Indian community, a project called "Native Connection" (a pseudonym). This paper describes the process of integrating new literacies associated with a high-tech computer lab into the…