IAP || Series || Current Issues in Out-of-School Time

IAP BOOK SERIES

Current Issues in Out-of-School Time

About the Book Series
The Current Issues in Out-of-School Time (OST) series, published by Information Age Publishing, promotes and disseminates original theoretical and empirical research, promising practices, and policy perspectives from practitioners to further grow and develop the OST field.

The Current Issues in Out-of-School Time book series bridges research and practice by stimulating discussion about: research-informed practice and practice-informed research; emerging, innovative strategies in the field; groundbreaking research that is deepening our understanding of the what, why, and how of OST; and areas left unexplored or issues that demand our urgent attention in order to improve the equity, access, quality, and diverse outcomes for all children and youth.

The first book in the series, The Growing Out-of-School Time Field: Past, Present, and Future (2017) lays the foundation on which the series rests. Social and Emotional Learning in Out-Of-School-Time: Foundations and Futures (2018) offers a clear framing of SEL in relation to other OST concepts and initiatives. Our third book, Changemakers! Practitioners Advance Equity and Access in Out-of-School Time Programs (2019), addresses through an equity lens considerations organizations, programs, and OST professionals should hold when engaging traditionally underserved young people and their communities. At Our Best: Building Youth-Adult Partnerships in Out-of-School Time Settings (2020) brings together the voices of over 50 adults and youth to explore both the promises and challenges of intergenerational work in out-of-school time (OST) programs. Fifth (Measure, Use, Improve!) and sixth (It Takes an Ecosystem) books are in production.

The audience for this book series is wide-ranging, including: teachers and youth-serving professionals, school districts, education and youth development leaders at all levels (including intermediaries, direct-service national/regional/local organization, membership organizations), college students and faculty, evaluators and researchers, funders, and other decision-makers and policy influencers. We look for book volumes that offer diverse perspectives on cross-cutting issues in the OST field.

About the Call for Book Volume Ideas
The call for edited book volumes will be open from October 1 to December 1, 2020. The series welcomes ideas for book topics that bring a multi-disciplinary approach, illuminate relevant issues in the field, and would appeal to a broad range of audiences both within the OST field and beyond. We are looking for individuals and/or editorial teams who bring diverse perspectives. Book editors should have expertise in the subject matter proposed in their book.

Please note: Although a more complete proposal is helpful for the review process, applicants do not need to specify every detail for a successful proposal. For example, although the submission requirements below ask for an exploratory table of contents, you do not need to contact or have confirmation from every chapter author before submitting a proposal. A managing editor and the Publication Board for the series will work closely with book editor(s) throughout the process to further develop ideas and assist to identify chapter authors.

We welcome fresh, innovative book topic ideas from scholars and practitioners alike. Ideas that are covered by previous published or forthcoming books in this series will not be considered. We also do not accept proposals that are outside of the OST field or are too narrow and niche. Below is a list of principles and a sample list of broad topics that we designed to stimulate ideas and is in no way exhaustive:

Guiding Principles for the Books in this Series:

• Includes a focus on diversity, equity, inclusion, and culture
• Bridges and includes chapters on research, policy, and practice
• Appeals to a variety of OST audiences – including researchers, practitioners, policymakers, and philanthropy
• Elevates youth voices
• Is intended to spark cross-sectoral conversations and collaborations

Topic Idea Suggestions (not an exhaustive list):

1. The role of OST in reaching and supporting youth and families, particularly in times of crisis and uncertainty (such as Covid-19 pandemic, racial injustice)

2. Investigations of OST programs’ impact across diverse outcomes (e.g., school performance, educational attainment, youth development, health)

3. Analysis of content-based learning in OST programs (e.g., STE[A]M, arts, college and career preparation, civic education)

4. The role of OST in prevention and supporting healthy lifestyles

5. Research and strategies supporting OST staff learning and development

6. Research on factors influencing anytime, anywhere learning (e.g., the role of technology in rural contexts or digital divide in the times of crisis)

7. Leveraging public/private/philanthropic dollars to support OST programs and systems

8. Diverse global voices and cultural perspectives on OST

Submission Requirements
To submit your book idea, please provide the following:

1. A tentative title (subtitles allowed; no more than 15 words total)

2. Overview/summary of the proposed book volume (250-word max)Analysis of content-based learning in OST programs (e.g., STE[A]M, arts, college and career preparation, civic education)

3. Rationale (up to 2 double-spaced page)
   a. Purposes and objectives
   b. Theoretical framework/guiding literature
   c. Significance – How does the book expand current knowledge in the OST field?
   d. Contribution to all the outlined guiding principles

4. An exploratory, annotated table of contents (up to 6 double-spaced pages). A list of proposed chapter titles with 100-word brief description of each chapter titles with 100-word brief description of each chapter (suggested authors for each chapter are welcome if known). The number of chapters will vary by volume; most books will be between 200-300 print pages.

5. 250-word biographies of book proposal editors emphasizing subject matter expertise and experience working on collaborative projects.

6. Please tell us how you heard about this call (1-3 sentences).

Please adhere to the page limits. Use 1” margins, 12-point Times New Roman font. All proposals will undergo a peer review process. Feedback on the proposals will be available by the end of February 2021.

Deadline for submission is December 1, 2020. Please email your submission as one Word Document attachment (file name structure: IAP_OST_Book_Proposal_) to currentissuesinost@icloud.com.

Frequently Asked Questions

• Are there topics of particular interest or topics that are not likely to be selected? The list of topics included in the call is meant to stimulate your thinking but is not exhaustive. Our emphasis is on pressing topics for the OST field broadly. Please consider the timeliness of your topic, relevance, and applicability across the OST field, and whether it is likely to remain timely given the length of the publication process. Proposals that duplicate topics from the series’ volumes, as well as niche topics or those outside of the OST field, will not be considered.

• What are the primary review criteria for proposals? Book proposals will be reviewed on: a) the overall fit and quality; b) theoretical framework and approach(es) the bridge between research and practice; c) intentional connection to the guiding principles; d) clear outline of goals and objectives; e) timeliness, relevance, and significance of the topic to the OST field; f) clear description of the annotated table of contents.

• What credentials do authors need? How do I know if I am qualified to propose a volume? There are no right or wrong authors or editors for these volumes. The goal is to represent a wide cross-section of research and practice for the OST field. Our hope is that authors will represent both those who study OST and those who work in the field.

• If my proposal is not selected for publication, are there other avenues to publish my work/ideas? There are a variety of options for practitioners and researchers to publish. The journals Afterschool Matters, the Journal of Youth Development, and School Community Journal are peer-reviewed journals accepting articles at least once a year. The National Afterschool Association, the Afterschool Alliance, and the National Summer Learning Association, for instance, also have regular newsletters and occasionally seek contributors. There may also be opportunities to contribute a chapter for another book in the series.

• What kind of editorial support is available to editors and authors? The Editorial Review Committee will engage in a peer review process, and the Committee chair will send the peer review summary to the editors of the selected volume. A managing editor will be appointed by the Committee to work with the book volume co-editors through the publication process. The publisher offers typesetting services; however, editors and authors are responsible for editing, copyright clearances, and indexing. All editorial responsibilities and duties will be articulated within the book contract and the accompanying Memorandum of Understanding. For more information from IAP about developing a manuscript, see their general manuscript guidelines.

• How often will calls be released for book proposals? A call for proposals will be released annually in the fall, with a submission window starting Oct. 1st and concluding Dec. 1st.

• What is the general timeline for publishing a book? The books in the series will be spaced out to release one edited volume annually. Books will be selected by late winter. Book contract and associated paperwork will be executed by early to mid-Spring. Volume editors will work over the summer to engage in outreach of authors, inviting first drafts in early fall, final drafts in the winter, and submitting the full manuscript into production to the publisher in early spring, roughly one year from being selected. The book production takes six months from submission to the publisher till release (slated for roughly October 1st each year). The series is currently looking to identify books that could be released in the Fall of 2022.

• How/where will the book be sold and marketed? The books are sold through Information Age Publishing and their digital distribution partners. The Publisher offers broad domestic and international marketing and promotional services through its website. It markets and promotes materials to librarians, professors, and professionals throughout the world. The Publisher also has prominent presence at major professional conferences in the field. The book series’ Publications Board, alongside in-kind marketing partners, will promote individual books via diverse channels. Potential book launch opportunities could include: Twitter chats, webinars, author and editor interviews, exposure at professional conferences and via e-newsletters of major membership organizations in the out-of-school time field.

Questions/More Information
For questions about this book series, please contact currentissuesinost@icloud.com.

ADVISORY BOARD: Dr. Helen Janc Malone (Series Editor), Vice President for Research and Innovation, Institute for Educational Leadership. Dr. Dale Blyth (Chair), Extension Professor Emeritus, College of Education and Human Development, University of Minnesota. Dr. Nickki Dawes, Director, Center for Community-Based Learning and Internship Programs and Associate Professor of Psychology, Lasell College. Ayeola Fortune, Senior Director, Impact and Global Results, United Way Worldwide. Ellen Gannett, Senior Strategist, National Institute on Out-of-School Time. Priscilla Little, Evaluation and Strategy Consultant. Dr. Deborah Moroney, Managing Director, American Institutes for Research. Dr. Gil Noam, Founder and Director of the Program in Education, Afterschool & Resiliency (PEAR), Harvard University; Associate Professor, Harvard Medical School and McLean Hospital. Dr. Mavis Sanders, Professor of Education, Department of Education, University of Maryland, Baltimore County. Dr. Deborah Vandell, Professor, School of Education, University of California, Irvine. Gina Warner, CEO, The National AfterSchool Association.

EDITORIAL REVIEW BOARD: Dr. Helen Janc Malone (Series Editor), Vice President for Research and Innovation, Institute for Educational Leadership. Brenda McLaughlin (Co-Chair), Chief Impact Officer, bellxcel. Dr. Femi Vance (Co-Chair), Researcher, American Institutes for Research. Dr. Thomas Akiva, Associate Professor, School of Education, University of Pittsburgh. Dr. Ken Anthony, Director of Professional Development, Connecticut After School Network. Dr. Corey Bower, Program Officer, Cullen Foundation. Dr. Katie Brohawn, Associate Director of Research and Evaluation, The RP Group. Jessica Donner, Director, Every Hour Counts. Dr. Nia Imani Fields, Assistant Director, 4-H Youth Development, University of Maryland Extension. Dr. Aisha Griffith, Assistant Professor of Educational Psychology, University of Illinois at Chicago. Sarah Lohnes, Writer and Consultant for Social Causes, Sarah Lohnes Writer & Consultant. Dr. Sabrina Mitsuko Kataoka, Managing Editor, School of Education, University of California, Irvine. Dr. Kolbrún Þ. Pálsdóttir, Dean, School of Education, University of Iceland. Chris Smith, President & Executive Director, Boston After School & Beyond. Dr. Deepa Vasudevan, Lecturer, Wellesley College.

FOUNDING BOARD MEMBERS: Dr. Jennifer P. Agans, Assistant Professor, Department of Recreation, Park, and Tourism Management, Pennsylvania State University. Dr. Karl Alexander, John Dewey Professor Emeritus Sociology Academy Professor, Johns Hopkins University. Dr. Kimberley Boyer, Evaluation Supervisor, Western Governors University. Elizabeth Devaney, Director, Whole Child Education, The Children’s Institute, Rochester, NY. Dr. Jacquelynne Sue Eccles, Distinguished Professor of Education, University of California, Irvine. Dr. Robert Halpern, Professor Emeritus, Erikson Institute. Dr. Sara Hill, Sara Hill Consulting. Dr. Reed Larson, Professor Emeritus, Family Ecology, Department of Human and Community Development, University of Illinois. Dr. Milbrey McLaughlin, Professor Emerita, Stanford University. Karen Pittman, Co-Founder, President and CEO, The Forum for Youth Investment. Bela Shah Spooner, Program Director, Afterschool, National League of Cities. Dr. Roger Weissberg, Board Vice Chair and Chief Knowledge Officer, CASEL.