For Immediate Release: April 6, 2012
WELLESLEY, MA – The newest edition of Afterschool Matters, the national, peer-reviewed journal dedicated to promoting professionalism, scholarship, and consciousness in the field of afterschool education, highlights 4-H programming in public libraries and the unique experiences and skills these afterschool programs can offer youth. The issue also features articles on healthy eating in out-of-school time (OST) programs; positive behavior support strategies in summer programs; action-research strategies for youth worker supervisors; student benefits from day-school teachers’ collaboration with afterschool programs; effective learning environments for afterschool programs; and a citywide implementation of project-based learning in Philadelphia.
“Libraries, along with other community organizations, can be important contributors to and partners in the out-of-school time program arena,” says Georgia Hall, managing editor of Afterschool Matters and senior research scientist at the National Institute on Out-of-School Time (NIOST) at the Wellesley Centers for Women (WCW). “With libraries come some major ingredients for supporting community and youth development -- facilities, youth participants, and, and above all, librarians…it’s a perfect time to explore partnership and make some noise…in your local branch.”
Articles included in the current issue include “Systemwide Implementation of Project-based Learning: The Philadelphia Approach,” “Healthy Eating in Out-of-School Time: The Promise and the Challenge,” “Dealing with Behavior Problems: The Use of Positive Behavior Support Strategies in Summer Programs,” “Engaging Library Partners in 4-H Programming,” “Empowering Youth work Supervisors with Action Research Strategies,” “A New Approach to Accountability: Creating Effective Learning Environments for Programs,” “Collaboration between Afterschool Practitioners and In-school Teachers,” and a book review, “University Community Partnership.”
Afterschool Matters is published by NIOST with support from the Robert Bowne Foundation, and serves those involved in developing and managing programs for youth during the out-of-school time hours, in addition to those engaged in research and in shaping youth development policy.
For more than 30 years, the National Institute on Out-of-School Time has been dedicated to moving the afterschool field forward through its research, education and training, consultation, and field-building. Much of NIOST’s work has encompassed projects of national scope and influence, several representing “firsts” for the field and many focusing on building out-of-school time systems. NIOST is a program of the Wellesley Centers for Women. Since 1974, scholars at WCW have helped shape a better world through their social science research projects and training programs.
More information about Afterschool Matters, including links to the current and past issues of the journal, is available at www.niost.org/Publications/afterschool-matters-journal.
