This study presents the interpretations and perceptions of Black girls who participated in I AM STEM--a community-based informal science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) program. Using narrative inquiry, participants generated detailed accounts of their informal and formal STEM learning experiences. Critical race methodology…

This interdisciplinary research examines how Informal Digital Learning of English (IDLE) and the L2 Motivational Self System (consisting of "the ideal L2 self" and "the ought-to L2 self") are linked with Foreign Language Enjoyment (FLE). Together, these are flourishing research areas in computer-assisted language learning,…

How can youth become leaders in their communities' resilience efforts? The Lentes en Cambio Climático (LECC) filmmaking program aimed to empower students to investigate how a changing climate affects their lives and use their own findings to inspire local resilience. Secondary students in LECC created films that explore the experiences of…

Research has demonstrated the importance of the learning support roles adults play to help youth navigate into areas of interest and career pathways. This study focuses on brokering which involves connecting youth to people, resources, programs, and other learning opportunities. We examined mentor practices in a 10-week out-of-school STEM program…

In this work, we examine whether repeated participation in an after-school computing program influenced student learning of computational thinking concepts, practices, and perspectives. We also examine gender differences in learning outcomes. The program was developed through a school-university partnership. Data were collected from 138 students…

This design case describes the development of three analog games intended to introduce middle school-age girls to core computer science (CS) concepts. We describe the learning objectives, game mechanics, and narrative elements of each game, and some key problems and decisions that we confronted during the design process. Our design process was…

This paper examines the differences and challenges encountered when trying to create informal blended (virtual and hands-on) engineering design STEM activities. It contrasts the creation of STEM activities for formal and informal learning environments, stressing that the differences extend far beyond the length of the activity or depth of any…

This study investigates the impact of an informal science outreach programme built around theories of identity formation and self-efficacy on middle school girls' science affinities. A lottery-based, randomised control trial was used to identify programme effects on four science affinity outcomes: science interests, efficacy with science, science…

The next generation of STEM professionals needs to understand interconnections between human and Earth systems to be able to address complex, multifaceted, emerging global environmental issues. Interest in STEM fields and professions can begin in middle school. To educate and connect middle school students to Earth systems and STEM fields, we…

The "Playground Physics" program combines informal, play-based, embodied learning experiences to support middle school students' engagement with and motivation to learn about complex and abstract physics concepts. This experimental design study examines the impact of "Playground Physics" on students' science motivation,…

The national COVID-19 lockdown during school Term 1 and continuing in Term 2 2020, provided a unique context to investigate?children's experiences of informal, everyday learning in their household bubble. In Terms 3 and 4, 178?children in Years 4-8 from 10 primary schools agreed to participate in a group art-making activity and?an individual…

Reform to the Chilean educational system seeks to improve public education, adapting the school curriculum to new technologies and the information revolution. Our study focused on highlighting potential issues with environmental and technological education, offering opportunities to complement the current Chilean curriculum with an…

Parents and caregivers are a child's first teachers. The Families Learning Across Boundaries (FamLAB) Project surveyed 407 library professionals, 1,550 parents, and 600 pre-K through grade 8 teachers in the United States about how they support 3-12-year-old children's learning in their communities. This two-page tipsheet provides some…

This mixed-methods study examined the technology integration learning activities of four teachers throughout one year using weekly quantitative surveys and a series of three qualitative individual interviews. Through the teachers' own voices an illustration of their learning processes is presented, and the gap between what is supported by their…

Middle school (G5-8) students' cognitive engagement, motivation, and future aspirations in science were quantified within informal contexts (week-long summer camps) with self-reported measures of cognitive strategies, self-regulation, value, self-efficacy, and future aspirations over the course of two phases (N = 152, N =140). The participating…