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Year Published: 2017
A total of 1,599 students participating in afterschool programs with a STEM focus in grades 4-12 from 11 states completed retrospective self-report surveys measuring STEM-related attitudes and 21st century skills. Facilitators completed a survey about their experiences leading afterschool STEM, and the programs’ STEM activities were observed and evaluated to establish levels of quality. The evaluation found that students that participated in STEM-focused afterschool programs led to positive changes in students’ attitudes toward science, STEM interest, STEM identity, STEM career interest, career knowledge, 21st century skills, and critical thinking. Larger effects were seen in students who participated in programs for a minimum of four weeks. Higher quality STEM programs reported more positive gains than lower quality programs.
Scope of the Evaluation: National, Multi-city
Program Type: Afterschool
Community Type: Rural, Urban, Suburban
Grade level: Elementary School, Middle School, High School
A total of 1,599 students (733 female, 866 male) in Grades 4–12 completed the Common Instrument Suite (CIS) self-report survey measuring STEM-related attitudes and 21st century skills. The sample was diverse and included groups that are traditionally underrepresented in STEM. Specifically, students identified as American Indian (1.83%) or Alaska Native (0.21%), African American/Black (25.05%), Asian/Asian American (3.11%), Latino or Hispanic (13.90%), Middle Eastern/North African (0.42%), Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander (0.71%), and more than one group (10.44%). About 10.5% of students preferred not to answer. In addition, approximately one third of students speak a language other than English at home (29.9%).