UC Irvine

Latinx adolescents face inequities in their math education that place them at a disadvantage for future STEM pursuits, where only 6% of math-related bachelor’s degrees are earned by Latinx individuals. However, organized afterschool activities have the potential to serve as institutional supports to provide Latinx adolescents with high-quality science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) enrichment learning opportunities. Despite research suggesting that afterschool activities are linked with positive outcomes, meta-analyses have shown that not all afterschool programs are effective, especially for under-represented adolescents. In fact, only high-quality STEM afterschool programs are associated with positive outcomes for under-represented adolescents. Scholars argue that the two key indicators for program quality are youth-staff relationships and program activities. This three paper dissertation focuses on a high-quality math afterschool activity, Math CEO, as an exemplar to learn more about these two key aspects of high-quality programs and best practices utilized by frontline staff. Using quantitative data, Study 1 examined changes in Latinx adolescents’ math motivational beliefs and the extent to which adolescents’ motivational beliefs were associated with their perceptions of culturally responsive practices. Results from multilevel models indicated that adolescents’ math ability self-concept increased over the course of one year and their math interest and importance remained stable. Moreover, adolescents’ perceptions of culturally responsive practices predicted their math ability self-concept and importance at the end of the school year, but did not predict changes over the course of a year. In Study 2, the aim was to qualitatively explore a wide range of adolescent outcomes and how specific aspects of program quality promoted these outcomes. Through Latinx adolescent interviews, findings revealed that adolescents perceived changes in their math-specific outcomes, future STEM pathways, and social-emotional skills. Findings also revealed that youth-staff relationships and program activities are important elements in supporting those changes, such that, incorporating advanced math concepts, engaging in collaborative learning, engaging in campus tours, having informal conversations, and using culturally responsive practices promoted specific adolescent outcomes. For Study 3, the aim was to better understand how to support high-quality frontline staff practices by describing their experiences, particularly the challenges they experienced and how they responded to those challenges. Interview findings from college student mentors, serving as frontline staff, suggested that mentors experienced specific challenges, such as difficulty with teaching math content, promoting motivation, navigating group instruction, developing connections with adolescents from diverse sociocultural backgrounds, and establishing authority and gaining respect. In response to the challenges, findings revealed that mentors leveraged support from other experienced mentors, attended weekly trainings, engaged in collaborative learning, utilized real-world examples in their teaching, provided non-math activities, engaged in informal and structured conversations, and leveraged adolescents’ sociocultural assets. Given that frontline staff are the key to improving program quality, it is important to consider their perspectives and strengthen the quality of programs by designing staff trainings that will better support frontline staff and all that they do. In order to support afterschool programs’ efforts to serve under-represented adolescents, it is important to consider both adolescents’ and frontline staff’s perspectives. Together, this three paper dissertation provides evidence-based recommendations for how afterschool advocates, practitioners, and researchers can continue to design, implement, and improve afterschool program quality by understanding the key program elements and best practices that promote positive adolescent experiences and outcomes, specifically among under-represented adolescents.

Keywords. Latinx, adolescents, frontline staff, STEM, afterschool programs, outcomes