Hero Elementary Playlist Pilot Study in After-school Programs

In spring 2019, WestEd conducted a pilot study using five playlists to understand the feasibility of implementing the playlists in afterschool programs and to discuss the potential impact of the playlists on student science learning. The research questions were: 1) How are the playlists implemented in after-school programs? 2) What is the potential impact of playlists on student science knowledge and skills? Student science knowledge was measured using the ScienceQuest test, and attitudes towards science were measured by the Emerging STEM Learning Activation Survey. Data were analyzed using a multivariate regression model to determine the effects of the playlists. The results showed that educators successfully integrated the playlists into their after-school programs. Students enjoyed playing the science-based digital games, and teachers felt the playlists impacted students’ science attitudes. Students’ knowledge of science was maintained at the same level, as measured by ScienceQuest. Additional finding suggested that educators would benefit from further training on the playlists' contents, their implementation, and technology troubleshooting, as well as classroom management and ways to modify activities, which may have, in turn, impacted student outcomes. These findings had implications for further content and outreach development.