Bringing Up Girls in Science (BUGS) was an afterschool program for 4th and 5th grade girls that provided authentic learning experiences in environmental science as well as valuable female mentoring opportunities in an effort to increase participants' academic achievement in science. BUGS participants demonstrated significantly greater amounts of gain in science knowledge as measured by the Iowa Test of Basic Skills in Science (ITBS-S). The original BUGS participants and contrasts have now completed high school and entered college, allowing researchers to assess the long-term impact of the BUGS
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Tandra Tyler-WoodAmber EllisonOkyoung LimSita Periathiruvadi
In this metalogue we build on the arguments presented by Puvirajah, Verma and Webb to discuss the nature of authentic science learning experiences in context of collaborations between schools and out-of-school time settings. We discuss the role of stakeholders in creating collaborative science learning practices and affordances of out of school time and formal science learning contexts. We contend that authentic science learning experiences are those where science learning happens within a social milieu and advocate for true collaborations between schools and informal settings in ways that
In this paper we report on teachers' and students' participation in authentic science research in out of school time science clubs at elementary schools. In the program four to five teachers worked alongside practicing scientists as part of their research groups. Each teacher facilitated a club with 10-15 students who, by extension, were members of the scientists' research groups. Over the 3 years of the project nearly 30 teachers and over 500 children participated in the clubs. In this paper we present a case study of teachers and children who worked with an analytic chemist at a major
In the fall of 2012, the California Department of Education's After School Division contracted with the California Afterschool Network (CAN) Quality Committee to recommend a set of clearly defined standards of program quality in California. This document outlines the twelve approved quality standards as guidance for California's expanded learning programs.
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California Department of EducationCalifornia Afterschool Network
California's Expanded Learning programs are an integral part of young people's education, engaging them in year-round learning opportunities that prepare them for college, career, and life. This strategic plan was developed by the California Department of Education After School Division (ASD)in collaboration with K-12 educators, program practitioners, and support providers.
This article is an excerpt from the book "Expanding Minds and Opportunities: Leveraging the Power of Afterschool and Summer Learning for Student Success." The authors propose a design for afterschool and summer programs that incorporates youth participation in learning experiences in contrast to current methods of education.
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The Expanded Learning and Afterschool ProjectMichael H. LevineRafi Santo
This checklist provides a step-by-step process for preparing, leading, and ending an after school science project. The document also includes a partner checklist for science coaches and trainers when instructing adult learners.
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National Partnerships for After School Science 2
Conventional wisdom about young people's use of digital technology often equates generational identity with technology identity: today's teens seem constantly plugged in to video games, social networks sites, and text messaging. Yet there is little actual research that investigates the intricate dynamics of youth's social and recreational use of digital media. This book fills that gap, reporting on an ambitious three-year ethnographic investigation into how young people are living and learning with new media in varied settings—at home, in after school programs, and in online spaces. By
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University of California, IrvineMizuko Ito
This issue brief illustrates the power of strong, successful partnerships between afterschool programs and STEM-rich institutions. Additionally, the partnerships described offer promising and innovative models that can have a significant impact on both students and their instructors. Afterschool programs have a long and rich history of leveraging community resources to best meet the needs of the youth they serve. They recognize that STEM-rich institutions -- science centers and museums, universities and colleges, corporations and businesses, and government agencies -- have a lot to offer. All
This technical report summarizes the statistical analyses used to determine how well the Measuring Activation (MA) instrument developed through the Science Learning Activation Lab project gathers appropriate information about the five dimensions of activation. The MA instrument was designed to evaluate the impact of science-learning programs and experiences on activation, and contains a series of survey items organized around five identified dimensions of activation. The five dimensions of activation are: fascination, values, perceived autonomy, competency beliefs, and scientific sensemaking.
SciGirls CONNECT is a broad national outreach effort to encourage educators, both formal and informal, to adopt new, research-based strategies to engage girls in STEM. SciGirls (pbskids.org/scigirls) is an Emmy award-winning television program and outreach program that draws on cutting-edge research about what engages girls in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) learning and careers. The PBS television show, kids' website, and educational outreach program have reached over 14 million girls, educators, and families, making it the most widely accessed girls' STEM program available nationally. SciGirls' videos, interactive website and hands-on activities work together to address a singular but powerful goal: to inspire, enable, and maximize STEM learning and participation for all girls, with an eye toward future STEM careers. The goal of SciGirls is to change how millions of girls think about STEM. SciGirls CONNECT (scigirlsconnect.org) includes 60 partner organizations located in schools, museums, community organizations and universities who host SciGirls clubs, camps and afterschool programs for girls. This number is intended grow to over 100 by the end of the project in 2016. SciGirls CONNECT provides mini-grants, leader training and educational resources to partner organizations. Each partner training session involves educators from a score of regional educational institutions. To date, over 700 educators have received training from over 250 affiliated organizations. The SciGirls CONNECT network is a supportive community of dedicated educators who provide the spark, the excitement and the promise of a new generation of women in STEM careers. Through our partner, the National Girls Collaborative Project, we have networked educational organizations hosting SciGirls programs with dozens of female role models from a variety of STEM fields. The SciGirls CONNECT website hosts monthly webinars, a quarterly newsletter, gender equity resources, SciGirls videos and hands-on activities. SciGirls also promotes the television, website and outreach program to thousands of elementary and middle school girls and their teachers both locally and nationally at various events.
Engineering Adventures (EA) is a free, hands-on, project-based engineering curriculum designed for out-of-school time (OST) programs serving children in grades 3 to 5. The EA curriculum was developed by Engineering is Elementary® (EiE), a project of the National Center for Technological Literacy® at the Museum of Science, Boston. Each Engineering Adventures (EA) curriculum unit features a hands-on "engineering design challenge" based on real-world events that gives children the opportunity to apply and reinforce the science and engineering practices put forth in the Next Generation Science Standards. Every EA unit focuses on a different field of engineering and features 10-12 hours of activities with flexible scheduling options. EA units area available as FREE DOWNLOADS on the project website.