Undergraduate students are a critical resource for university-community programs that provide enriching learning opportunities for school-age youth who have limited exposure to science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM). Many universities offer afterschool outreach programs that enable youth to interact with science faculty, and many such…

A skilled workforce is critical in high-quality out-of-school time (OST) programs. However, the workshops commonly used to train OST staff are not adequately preparing practitioners to deliver quality programs that can benefit youth. Professional learning communities (PLCs) are a practice-focused alternative that has a track record of improving…

October 6, 2012: 109 adults simultaneously threw their heads back and shouted "I discovered!" at the top of their lungs. Slightly mangled bright-green paper helicopters littered the floor. The class was six minutes into a daylong journey of discovery, during which this group of volunteer trainers would learn to facilitate a curriculum…

Both employer expectations and education standards, including the Common Core State Standards and Next Generation Science Standards, are shifting the focus of learning from knowledge and discrete skills to the ability to think critically and creatively. This paper describes the process of translating an existing teacher-led STEM curriculum to fit…

Once a motley mix of afterschool, before-school, summer, and weekend programs, the out-of-school-time (OST) field is fast consolidating. As in other emerging fields, efforts to professionalize are gaining momentum; the field now boasts several professional certificates as well as degree programs. Strong emphasis has been placed on in-service…

All of us are aware that young people today are facing challenges far greater than the ones we ourselves faced growing up. Now more than ever, the music, television, and film industries are busy parenting their young consumers at an alarming rate and with a fierce intensity. The products of these industries are, for the most part, stripped of any…