Learner Pathway Analysis: Tracking and Improving STEM Persistence

This study examines how participation in out-of-school-time (OST) programs relates to students’ motivation, engagement, and educational pathways in STEM over time. Although OST STEM programs are widely implemented, prior research has largely focused on single programs or cross-sectional designs when examining their impacts on youth development, falling short of capturing the broader ecological context and long-term effects of OST participation. To address this gap, we examine how patterns of participation in multiple OST programs shape developmental trajectories in motivation, engagement, course-taking, and STEM career choices across adolescence (Grades 4–12). The overarching goal of this study is to develop and apply a Learner Pathways Analysis framework to examine how characteristics (e.g., dosage, sequence, and duration) and patterns (e.g., sustained engagers, program hoppers) of OST STEM participation are associated with students’ STEM motivational beliefs, as well as their academic and career outcomes.