Building on previous research that demonstrates the association of youth experiences in afterschool science and higher science identities, this paper presents a network study of 421 middle school students that examines afterschool science participation, friendship ties, and science identities. Participation in afterschool science clubs is…

In the context of an afterschool program in which students explore relatively large authentic datasets, we investigated how 11- to 14-year old students worked with categorical variables. During the program, students learned to use the Common Online Data Analysis Platform (CODAP), a statistical analysis platform specifically designed for middle and…

This article details the development of a physical activity curriculum used in an after-school program for youths. The program, Get Fit! With Math & Lit, employed culturally relevant pedagogies as its guiding framework and the Teaching Personal and Social Responsibility Model to structure its content. This multifaceted framework of the…

This study explores the conditions that provide new opportunities for youth of color to develop civic agency, paving the way to enact change in their schools and communities. This article shares findings from a qualitative study of an after-school program designed and implemented by the authors, in which 15 middle school-aged youth--including a…

The problem in the 21st Century Community Learning Center (CCLC) afterschool program was that 40% of the students enrolled performed below the proficiency level in reading on the state assessed exams during the past 3 school years. This was of great concern for the teachers and administrators in this Title I middle school, Grades 6-8. This…

Using Octavia Butler's prophetic writing, specifically, passages from her "Parable" series, as a conceptual lens, this article will explore the ways one Black girl uses multimodal literacies to imagine new worlds that center and celebrate her Black girlhood. An exploration of her multimodal literacies shows how she simultaneously…

Background: Students make many errors in visual programming. In order to learn from these, it is important that students regulate their emotions and view errors as learning opportunities. Aims: This study aimed to explore to what extent momentary emotions, specifically enjoyment, anxiety and boredom, as well as the error learning orientation of…

To broaden participation in robotics education, a free, after-school robotics program has been designed and developed at a public university. As part of a longitudinal study, this paper reports the first iteration of the program, offered to 12 students from Grades 3 through 7 in spring 2022. Three preservice teachers were trained as…

BoSTEM, implemented by United Way of Massachusetts Bay and Merrimack Valley and Boston Afterschool and Beyond, is a network of STEM-focused after school programs in the Boston area that provide high-quality science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) opportunities to Boston middle school students. Through an innovative citywide coalition of…

With the large influx of Russian-speaking migrant workers and their children to South Korea, there is a growing need to explore the language and literacy practices of emerging multilingual learners. Specifically, as the Korean language is predominantly used in South Korean contexts, including school, Russian-speaking children face enormous…

This study was an action research analysis of a competitive, after-school robotics program in the Woodland Hills School District. A longitudinal quantitative analysis was used to measure the effects of the after-school program on academic achievement and student engagement in school. Grade Point Average was measured before the program began and…

In the wake of current sociopolitical movements, research on the lives of Black girls and women is gaining momentum. However, studies providing Black girls space to voice their experiences within learning and afterschool environments remain a crucial--and often ignored--component of this conversation. This study had three primary objectives. The…

Background: For years, physical activity settings had portrayed a discourse that does not allow to add new and different elements in its practice. This discourse established a status quo that has affected in many ways the structure, the pedagogy and practice of physical activity settings. This is the case of out-school programs. Purpose: The…

Authorizing student voice to examine what facilitates motivation, interests, and learning has shown potential for supporting students in taking ownership of their educational contexts. This study was conducted as participatory action research to co-construct an after-school middle school dance club in a southwest border town. The purpose of this…

Purpose: To explore undergraduate students' experiences leading and facilitating an out-of-school-time (OST) physical activity program for middle school girls. Method: Five female undergraduate students (N = 4 Black or African American) participated in semistructured individual interviews and submitted weekly reflections during their time leading…