Rethinking Measurement and Evaluation to Incentivize Stronger Coordination Between In- and Out-of-School STEM programs (Poster 2)

• In Event: Advancing Methods, Theories, and Conceptualizations of Infrastructuring in the Learning Sciences

Abstract

This study proposes a paradigm shift in the measurement and evaluation of in- and out-of-school time (OST) STEM programs to drive the development of robust infrastructures that help youth make fluid transitions between STEM programs and experiences. Historically, OST STEM experiences have been instrumental in sparking interest and nurturing future STEM careers. However, increasing accountability pressures in formal education have led OST organizations to align more closely with in-school standards and practices, potentially compromising the unique models of informal STEM learning. Additionally, funding models that prioritize enrollment goals contribute to a siloed and competitive environment among OST providers, discouraging collaboration and hindering the creation of cohesive learning pathways for youth.
This study advocates for adopting a connected learning lens to address these challenges. Connected learning is an educational approach that emphasizes learning experiences that are socially embedded, interest-driven, and oriented toward educational, economic, or civic opportunity (Ito et al., 2013; 2020). It advocates for linking learning environments across contexts, including home, school, peer culture, and community, to create more meaningful and engaging learning experiences that connect to real-world opportunities (Dahn, Peppler & Ito, 2023). This article advocates for the knitting together of the strengths of various in-school and out-of-school STEM programs to create high-quality learning ecosystems that prioritize youth development over time, rather than attendance and retention in specific programs or organizations. By shifting from program-centric to youth-centric evaluation metrics, this article focuses on documenting the choices that youth make between programs, and the practices and infrastructure needed to support those connections, in order to foster a more holistic and effective STEM education landscape.
Situated within the context of the nationally-recognized STEM Next 50-State Network, this research presents a reevaluation of the measurement approaches used in OST STEM, with implications for current policy and funding models. Highlighting four successful STEM ecosystems’ collaborative practices that connect their programs to homes, communities, schools, and other OST providers, this article empowers stakeholders—including policymakers, funders, schools, and OST organizations—with the tools to redesign measurement and evaluation systems that promote coordination and collaboration rather than competition. We provide a draft of evaluation metrics that document the transitions that youth make, surface new practices emerging to support youth’s transitions between programs and providers, offer recommendations to help OST programs track students' interest-driven learning journeys, and discuss implications for both in-school and OST STEM program leaders.

Authors

• Seth Corrigan, University of California - Irvine

• Maggie Dahn, University of California - Irvine

• Mizuko Ito, University of California - Irvine

• Kylie A. Peppler, University of California - Irvine