Findings

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ASN Findings

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ASN Findings

Science Learning Opportunities

  • A large majority of sites offered science (87%), but popular activities like arts, sports, or tutoring were provided more often
  • About half of sites (48%) offered science weekly or more, while about another half offered science less than weekly
  • Opportunities for youth to explore their worlds and answer their own questions using science inquiry were uncommon Science and Site Characteristics
  • Four site characteristics were associated with more frequent science, more inquiry practices, connecting to youth’s interests, and opportunities for youth choice and leadership:
    • Having a partner who supported science programs
    • Having a staff member responsible for science
    • Having staff members with knowledge of science
    • Having staff members with knowledge of the nature of afterschool activities

Partnerships

  • Most sites (63%) had a partner who supported science programming – most often community-based organizations or school districts
  • Partners most often provided training, resources, or directly led science programming
  • Most sites with partners (95%) had one partner supporting their science offerings (5% had more than one partner)
  • Across the state, sites reported that most partners were local (within 50 miles)

Network

  • Networks of support were not centralized or extensive
  • The network was generally made up of 1:1 connections, with some signs of nascent network components

Instructional Materials

  • Sites selected materials that were fun, easy to use, and had support features to help staff lead activities, such as discussion questions
  • Sites mostly used materials from the Internet and activity books, though curriculum materials had more support features for staff members
  • Sites planned one session at a time – even when they used curriculum
  • Sites are constrained by time and staff’s lack of science background

 
SRI Education

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This project is funded by the National Science Foundation under NSF grant number DRL-0917536.