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Evaluating the Influence of OST STEM Participation Pathways on Student Outcomes

Principal Investigator

Mimi Ito and Kylie Peppler – UCI

Project Description

This study evaluates how cumulative exposure to out-of-school-time (OST) STEM programs influences students’ STEM identity, motivation, and long-term outcomes such as advanced coursework and career aspirations. Using a longitudinal cohort design, the study will track students in grades four through 12 across multiple districts and OST programs over a 12-month period. The study integrates participation data from program providers, administrative school records, surveys, and Experience Sampling Methods to capture both real-time engagement and longer-term outcomes. The research will develop and apply a Learner Pathways Analysis framework to identify patterns in students’ participation across programs, including dosage, sequence, and duration, and to examine how these pathways relate to student outcomes across diverse contexts.

Research Questions

  • How do patterns of OST STEM participation (dosage, sequence, and duration) predict students’ STEM engagement, motivation, and long-term outcomes such as course-taking and career aspirations?
  • What distinct participation trajectories emerge across OST STEM ecosystems, and which trajectories are most strongly associated with positive student outcomes?
  • How do the effects of OST STEM participation vary across student subgroups, including differences by demographics and community context?

Status

In Progress

Study Type

Mixed-Methods Longitudinal Study

Grantee

University of California, Irvine (UCI) Connected Learning Lab

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Courtesy of TalkingPoints

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