Collaborative Research on Out-of-School-Time Science Programs for Youth: Qualitative Research and Longitudinal Survey Design

该项目将进行一项绘图研究，以描述以科学为重点的校外时间（OST）计划的国家样本的背景，特点和实践，并确定进一步研究的范例计划。 实地研究将通过采访参与者，校友和其他利益相关者以及观察计划活动来寻求有关这些计划的更详细的知识。这些研究的结果将在项目结束时的一次工作会议上提出，以讨论如何开发一种调查工具来衡量OST方案的重要青年成果，并为预期的纵向研究收集基线数据。本研究将为校外科学学习的运作与实践提供新的描述性材料。它将产生一个文献综述，提供校外科学培训的组织名单和未来数据收集的计划。将进行一项定性研究，以回答一些问题，如在何种程度上OST科学经验激发兴趣，更确切地说，培养或维持它，以及这些成果如何适应终身学习和发展的更广泛的背景。这项研究的目的是创建一个新的类型的青年OST科学计划，充分描述区分这些计划的关键特征。

The project will conduct a mapping study to describe the contexts, characteristics and practices of a national sample of science-focused Out-of-School Time (OST) programs and identify exemplar programs for further study. A Field Study will seek more detailed knowledge about these programs by interviewing participants, alumni, and other stakeholders, and observing program activities. The results of these studies will be presented at a working conference at the end of the project to discuss how to develop a survey instrument to measure important youth outcomes from OST programs and collect baseline data for an anticipated longitudinal study. This project will provide new descriptive materials about the operation and practice of the out of school learning of science. It will produce a literature review, a list of organizations that provide out of school science training and a plan for future data collection. A qualitative study will be conducted to answer questions such as to what extent OST science experiences spark interest or rather nurture or sustain it and how these outcomes fit within the broader context of lifelong learning and development. The study is intended to create a new typology of youth OST science programs that sufficiently describe crucial features that differentiate such programs.