Copyright © 2001 [Forum for Youth Investment]. All rights reserved. The Role of Out-of-School Programs as Blurring the Lines for Learning: The Role of Out-of-School Programs as Complements to Formal Learning The Forum for Youth Investment Karen Pittman, Executive Director Harvard University, Graduate School of Education October 3, 2003

Copyright © 2001 [Forum for Youth Investment]. All rights reserved. Framing the Challenge

Copyright © 2001 [Forum for Youth Investment]. All rights reserved. Young people need and deserve supports throughout their waking hours. Young people deserve early and sustained investments throughout the first two decades of life. Young people need investments to help them achieve a broad range of outcomes. What We Know

Copyright © 2001 [Forum for Youth Investment]. All rights reserved. The progress young people make is directly correlated with the quality and quantity of supports, services and opportunities they are offered. These supports are offered not just by families and schools, but by the full range of organizations and individuals who touch children and youth’s lives. What We Know

Copyright © 2001 [Forum for Youth Investment]. All rights reserved. What learning needs to happen ? ?  Cognitive  Social/Emotional  Physical  Cultural  Civic  Vocational  Moral/Spiritual

Copyright © 2001 [Forum for Youth Investment]. All rights reserved. National Research Council: Personal and Social Assets that Facilitate Youth Development  Physical development –health habits, risk management skills  Intellectual development –e.g. life skills, vocational skills, school success, critical thinking, decision-making, navigation  Psychological and emotional development –e.g.good mental health, positive self-regard, self- regulation, coping skills, autonomy, time use  Social development –connectedness, sense of place, attachment to pro- social institutions, navigate cultural contexts, commitment to civic engagement

Copyright © 2001 [Forum for Youth Investment]. All rights reserved. Ages Times of Day Outcome Areas prevention to participation cognitive, social, civic, physical Challenge for All Youth Investors: How Do We Fill the Developmental White Space?

Copyright © 2001 [Forum for Youth Investment]. All rights reserved.  Families  Peer groups  Schools and Training Organizations  Youth-serving organizations  CBOs (Non-profit service providers and associations)  Businesses (jobs, internships, apprenticeships)  Faith-Based organizations  Libraries, Parks, Recreation Departments  Community-based Health and Social Service Agencies Who is Responsible for the Rest? ?

Copyright © 2001 [Forum for Youth Investment]. All rights reserved. Where and when does learning really happen? WHENWHEN WHERE? In the School Building During the School Day Out of School In the Community

Copyright © 2001 [Forum for Youth Investment]. All rights reserved. Where and when does learning really happen? WHENWHEN WHERE? In the School Building During the School Day Out of School In the Community School Classrooms & Spaces Libraries, Museums, Colleges, Businesses School Buildings, Community Schools Families, CBOs, Faith, Parks & Rec, Community Centers

Copyright © 2001 [Forum for Youth Investment]. All rights reserved. Common Assumptions about Learning and Settings WHENWHEN WHERE? In the School Building During the School Day Out of School In the Community Formal Learning Enriched Learning Informal & Applied Learning Extended Learning/ After School

Copyright © 2001 [Forum for Youth Investment]. All rights reserved. What Happens After School? WHENWHEN WHERE? In the School Building During the School Day Out of School In the Community Formal Learning Enriched Learning Informal & Applied Learning ?? Remediation? Enrichment? Supervision? Engagement?

Copyright © 2001 [Forum for Youth Investment]. All rights reserved. How does learning best happen? WHENWHEN WHERE? In the School Building During the School Day Out of School In the Community Formal Learning Enriched Learning Informal & Applied Learning There is increasing evidence that the characteristics of good learning environments are the same across the range of settings where learning happens.

Copyright © 2001 [Forum for Youth Investment]. All rights reserved. NRC Features of Positive Developmental Settings  Physical and psychological safety  Appropriate structure  Supportive relationships  Opportunities to belong  Positive social norms  Support for efficacy and mattering  Opportunities for skill-building  Integration of family, school and community efforts

Copyright © 2001 [Forum for Youth Investment]. All rights reserved. Calling the Question

Copyright © 2001 [Forum for Youth Investment]. All rights reserved. What do we mean by academic achievement? ? Academic  Core Skills  Higher Order Skills  Content Knowledge Achievement  Motivation  Progress  Competence

Copyright © 2001 [Forum for Youth Investment]. All rights reserved. The Impact of After-School Programs on In-School Indicators After-school programs Engagement in Learning Participation in School Academic Achievement “If you want academic effects, you probably have to have academic content” – Karen Walker, Public/Private Ventures

Copyright © 2001 [Forum for Youth Investment]. All rights reserved. Strategies for Infusing Academic Content  Extended (explicit content, traditional delivery)  Explicit (explicit content, innovative delivery)  Embedded (embedded content, innovative delivery)  Enrichment (authentic content, innovative delivery)

Copyright © 2001 [Forum for Youth Investment]. All rights reserved. Learning in Context: Looking at the big picture

Copyright © 2001 [Forum for Youth Investment]. All rights reserved. 21 st Century Skills, Content, Contexts  Core skills – reading, writing, computation  21 st century skills – technology, problem-solving  Personal interest – playing an instrument, etc.  Core content – geography, history, literature  21 st century skills – civic, financial, global awareness  Core context – school-based acquisition  21 st context – community-based applications

Copyright © 2001 [Forum for Youth Investment]. All rights reserved.

Opportunities to Blur the Lines  Curricula and Instructional Aids  Professional Development  Content Alignment  Community Schools  Bridging Staff (building and system level)

Copyright © 2001 [Forum for Youth Investment]. All rights reserved. Shared Funding: Funding for Academic Support by Department (San Fran)

Copyright © 2001 [Forum for Youth Investment]. All rights reserved. “Enrichment” funding by Department (San Francisco)

Copyright © 2001 [Forum for Youth Investment]. All rights reserved. Filling the White Space “Schools are clearly under the gun to show kids are doing better academically. But many believe, including teachers and principals, that the function of after-school programs should be to provide activities kids aren’t getting elsewhere.” –Karen Walker, P/PV