The Providence Children’s Museum’s MuseumCorps developed and implemented the afterschool program, Learning Clubs, to extend the play-based mission of the Museum out into the community of Providence, Rhode Island. This program’s mission is to ensure children have access to the learning that happens at the Museum. The Learning Clubs use STEAM activities and play-based learning to strengthen kids’ number sense and measurement skills.
Study Goals:
The goal of this study was to examine the effectiveness of members’ training to learn if the training successfully prepared members to implement play-based learning strategies within their Learning Club programs, thereby improving their likelihood to affect positive child outcomes.
Research Questions:
The research questions were:
- To what extent are members receiving the required training to effectively implement play-based learning theory in their programs?
- To what extent is the Learning Club curriculum, which includes play-based learning, being implemented at each site with the intended program beneficiaries at the intended dosage?
- To what extent has the Learning Club experience improved children’s mathematics skills/understanding?
Findings:
The findings that were found include:
- Surveys show that both before and after training, all but one member had a high understanding of play-based learning when asked to categorize the descriptors on the survey (e.g., is open-ended, has multiple entry points, etc.). As a result, no knowledge development was documented by this measurement.
- There was an increase of words associated with a conceptual and practical understanding of play and play-based learning from pre to post survey – with child-directed (play) and child-centered (play-based learning) vocabulary demonstrating the most growth.
- Questions that showed limited growth were members’ comfort in working with 2nd-4th graders, the ease of bringing play-based learning into a formal learning environment, and their confidence in facilitating play-based learning lessons.
- Though pre/post development was not quantified through the categorization of play-based learning descriptors, growth was clear in members’ written definitions of play and play-based learning. Their definitions showed a richer, more articulate understanding of the Museum’s play theory.
- Overall, members demonstrated growth in their Learning Club implementation from their first to second observation.
For more information, download the full report.
Full report
Further information
Program/Intervention
Providence Children's Museum STEAM TEAM 2020-2023
Implementing Organization
Providence Children's Museum
Intermediary(s)
Providence Children's Museum
AmeriCorps Program(s)
AmeriCorps State and National
Age(s) Studied
6-12 (Childhood)
Focus Population(s)/Community(s)
Low Income
Outcome Category
K-12 success
Study Type(s)
Implementation
Study Design(s)
Non-Experimental
Level of Evidence
Pre-preliminary
Researcher/Evaluator
Providence Children's Museum
Published Year
2019
Study Site Location (State)
Rhode Island