ABSTRACT
The essay presents an innovative approach to the evaluation of out-of-school time (OST) STEM programs called Data Narratives for Action (DNA). Designed by the Partnerships in Education and Resilience (PEAR) and incubated at Harvard, Mass General Brigham, and McLean Hospital, this approach uses the same aggregate data for three distinct purposes: program management and improvement, systematic program evaluation, and policy initiatives. The system is designed to connect research to practice by speaking a common language around data for continuous improvement. The assessments in this system include a validated measure of STEM engagement and social emotional/21st century and a validated screening tool to understand the social emotional strengths and challenges of youth. The perspectives of students, educators, and observers are integrated into dynamic dashboards. PEAR's database includes over 300,000 students, educators, and parents, with student voice data comprising a considerable majority of responses. National norms are tied to the census and allow for comparisons across communities. The essay concludes with the challenges that hinder evaluation and assessment of OST STEM learning: the burden of data management, a dearth of common measures for OST STEM learning assessment, a limited capacity to implement data collection and reporting processes, and feelings of suspicion toward collecting data on student academic performance.
