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Ethnography & Evaluation Research (E&ER) is conducting a study to map the U.S. national landscape of science- and technology-focused out-of-school-time (OST) programs. The study targets OST programs for middle- and high-school-aged youth, including after-school programs, camps, workshops, internships, and other models.

Aims of the MOST-Science Study: Mapping Out-of-School-Time Science

This study seeks to build a broad national picture of the extensive activity in out-of-school-time science, technology and engineering programming for young people. Millions of dollars are invested in these programs, and tens of thousands of students participate - yet as a community, we have no truly comprehensive view of the wide variety of formats, audiences, and approaches that are represented by the many active programs.

Where, when, and by whom are these science-rich programs conducted? What types of experiences do they offer to what kinds of students, with what goals? What organizational and experiential factors affect the outcomes for these youth? Ultimately, we wish to understand how these differences in program design are related to youth outcomes such as STEM learning, attitudes and interest, and their later career and educational choices. To answer these questions, we are gathering data through documents, interviews, and the online MOST-Science Questionnaire.

Publications

• Thiry, H., Archie, T., Arreola Peña, M., & Laursen, S. L. (2017).Ìý .Ìý International Journal of Science Education Part B: Communication and Public Engagement,Ìýpublished online 19 Nov 2015.Ìý DOI: 10.1080/21548455.2015.1105397. [Author accepted manuscript]
• Laursen, S. L., Thiry, H., Archie, T., & Crane, R. (2013).Ìý .ÌýAfterschool Matters,Ìý17, 36-49.
• Thiry, H. L., Laursen, S., & Archie, T. (2013). Exploring the out-of-school-time landscape: Characteristics of youth science education programs offered by distinct organization types.ÌýEducation and Poverty: Theory, Research, Policy, and Praxis, 2013 Annual Meeting of the American Educational Research Association, San Francisco, CA, April 27-May 1.
• Thiry, H., Laursen, S., & Archie, T. (2012, October).Ìý  Nuts and Bolts: Organizational and Program Characteristics of Youth Out-of-School-Time Programs Focusing on Science, Engineering, and Technology.Ìý[Report to the Noyce Foundation].Ìý Â鶹ӰԺ, CO: Ethnography & Evaluation Research, Â鶹ӰԺ.ÌýDownload report
• Crane, R., Thiry, H., & Laursen, S. (2011). Broadening the view: First steps toward mapping the national landscape of out-of-school-time science education. Presented at Inciting the Social Imagination: Education Research for the Public Good, 2011 Annual Meeting of the American Educational Research Association, New Orleans, LA, April 8-12.

Participant Information: Archived

We are no longer gathering data for this study. To learn more about the study design, visit the questionnaire start page or the MOST-Science FAQs.

MOST-Science is supported by the Noyce Foundation and by the National Science Foundation under award DRL-1010953.Ìý Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in these reports are those of the researchers, and do not necessarily represent the official views, opinions, or policy of the National Science Foundation or the Noyce Foundation.