Publications & Research

Full STEM Ahead: Afterschool Programs Step Up as Key Partners in STEM Education (Sept 2015)

This report provides the first national look at access to afterschool STEM programs and parental attitudes towards such programs by outlining survey findings, identifying current challenges, and providing recommendations to improve afterschool STEM programming in the future. Full STEM Ahead is presented as part of the third edition of America After 3PM, which spans a decade of household survey data chronicling how children spend the hours between 3 and 6 p.m.

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Examining the impact of afterschool STEM programs (July 2014)

Authors: Anita Krishnamurthi (Afterschool Alliance), Melissa Ballard (Afterschool Alliance), and Gil Noam (Program in Education, Afterschool and Resilency at Harvard University)

Afterschool programs that provide strong STEM learning experiences are making an impact on participating youth not only become excited and engaged in these fields but develop STEM skills and proficiencies, come to value these fields and their contributions to society, and -- significantly -- begin to see themselves as potential contributors to the STEM enterprise. This paper summarizes evaluation data from a selection of strong afterschool STEM programs, providing a snapshot of the types of substantive impacts afterschool programs are having on youth.

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What afterschool STEM does best: How stakeholders describe youth learning outcomes (Fall 2013)

Authors:  Anita Krishnamurthi (Afterschool Alliance), Bronwyn Bevan (Exploratorium), Jen Rinehart (Afterschool Alliance), & Vicky Ragan Coulon (Evaluation & Research Associates)

An articulation of how afterschool programs contribute to STEM interest, capacity and values in youth participants. From the Fall 2013 issue of Afterschool Matters.

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Computing & engineering in afterschool (December 2013)

The number of jobs requiring proficiency in the science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) fields is projected to grow by 17 percent between 2008 and 2018, which is almost double the growth of non-STEM occupations. Computing and engineering represent a majority of these STEM jobs, and it is important that students are prepared to take advantage of these opportunities. Afterschool programs represent an avenue to provide robust learning experiences in computing and engineering, especially as schools are under many constraints and pressures that might prevent them from offering these topics. This issue brief provides background on some of the challenges within K-12 education and highlights several afterschool programs that are doing an exemplary job of engaging kids in computing and engineering.

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Partnerships with STEM-rich institutions (November 2013)

Afterschool programs have long partnered with other youth-serving and community organizations to better meet the needs of their students. As interest and momentum grows around STEM programming in afterschool , partnerships become increasingly important in offering high-quality, hands-on STEM experiences for youth. This issue brief demonstrates several models of how afterschool programs are partnering with STEM-rich institutions like science centers and museums, universities and colleges, business and industry, and government agencies. The brief highlights the strengths of each type of STEM-rich partner and describes the potential contributions to afterschool programs.

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STEM learning in afterschool and summer programming: An essential strategy for STEM education reform (2013)

Authors: Anita Krishnamurthi (Afterschool Alliance), Ron Ottinger (The Noyce Foundation), & Tessie Topol (Time Warner Cable)

This book chapter compiles research and best practices that demonstrate the positive impacts of afterschool and summer learning.  It provides a brief summary of some of the current trends in afterschool STEM programming and recommendations for how afterschool can become an essential partner in STEM education. In T. K. Peterson (Ed.), Expanding minds and opportunities: Leveraging the power of afterschool and summer learning for student success (pp. 133-139).

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Digital Media & Learning in Afterschool (February 2013)

The Afterschool Alliance, in partnership with MetLife Foundation, is proud to present the last of four issue briefs in our fifth series examining critical issues facing middle school youth and the vital role afterschool programs play in addressing these issues. This brief discusses the growing importance of digital media and technology in education, the "digital divide" between high- and low-income communities, and the many opportunities and challenges the afterschool field faces with implementing equitable digital learning.

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Defining youth outcomes for STEM learning in afterschool (January 2013)

This report presents the results of a study to obtain consensus from afterschool experts on appropriate and feasible youth outcomes for STEM learning in afterschool. It presents a compelling set of developmental outcomes, indicators of progress toward these outcomes, and types of evidence that could be collected to demonstrate the impact of STEM programming in afterschool.

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Informal science learning and education: Definition and goals (2012)

Authors: Anita Krishnamurthi (Afterschool Alliance) & Leonie J. Rennie (Curtin University)

This paper relates informal science education to afterschool learning environments, comparing the goals of each space, and makes the case for an articulated set of outcomes for afterschool STEM learning. It is a commissioned paper from the National Academies, Board on Science Education's June 2012 summit on the assessment of informal and afterschool science education. 

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STEM learning in afterschool: Ready to soar (July/August 2012)

Authors: Anita Krishnamurthi & Ramya Sankar (Afterschool Alliance)

This article appeared originally in Association of Science-Technology Center’s (ASTC) Dimensions magazine. Reposted with permission from ASTC.

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