The impact of after-school programs on K-12 students’ creativity: a meta-analysis

In recent years, there was a significant increase in empirical research on fostering student creativity in after-school settings; however, there was no systematic review of the impact of after-school programs (ASP) on student creativity. The aim of this study was to systematically interpret the impact of ASP on student creativity with meta-analysis. This study brought together 25 experimental or quasi-experimental studies and 33 effect sizes. The findings suggested that ASP have a moderate positive impact on K-12 students’ creativity (Hedge’s = 0.674, 95% CI: 0.513–0.836). Subgroup analyses found that interventions of 0–7 days and 3–5 months had the best effects, with similar best effects in preschool and mixed ASP; the effects were similar across gender and time frame. On this basis, we analyzed the mechanisms or causes of the moderating variables affecting K-12 students’ creativity and discussed measures to enhance students’ creativity by constructing a blended ASP curriculum, optimizing the design of the project time, and focusing on creativity development of students in the lower grades.