The Role of Youth Sports in STEM Learning, Psychological Development, and Social-Emotional Learning

Dear Colleagues,

This Special Issue explores the intersection of youth sports, STEM education, psychological development, and social-emotional learning (SEL), with a particular focus on children aged 6 to 12. Our objective is to examine how structured athletic programs—whether integrated into school curricula, after-school programs, or summer camps—enhance cognitive and academic performance, foster SEL, and support psychological resilience in young learners.

Focus, Scope, and Purpose

Focus: This Special Issue will investigate the role of youth sports as a mechanism for advancing broader educational outcomes, particularly in STEM learning and psychological development. We seek to understand how sports-based interventions promote cognitive engagement, problem-solving, teamwork, and resilience in school-aged children.

Scope: We welcome empirical research, theoretical discussions, and case studies exploring cross-curricular efforts linking sports with STEM education, SEL, and psychological well-being. Contributions may focus on in-school, after-school, or summer programs that integrate athletic activities with academic instruction.

Purpose: By bringing together diverse perspectives, this Special Issue aims to provide evidence-based insights into how youth sports can serve as a vehicle for academic success, emotional regulation, and social development. We strive to highlight best practices and innovative strategies that enhance learning outcomes through sports-based pedagogy.

Contribution to the Existing Literature

Current research recognizes the cognitive and social benefits of youth sports, but further exploration is needed to understand its direct connection to STEM learning and psychological resilience in children aged 6 to 12. This Special Issue will expand upon the existing literature by:

• Showcasing interdisciplinary approaches that merge sports with STEM and SEL initiatives;
• Highlighting the role of structured sports programs in improving focus, motivation, and self-efficacy in young learners;
• Providing policy recommendations for educators, coaches, and administrators to implement integrated sports-based educational models.

Research indicates that engagement in STEM activities begins to wane between ages 10 and 11 (Bennett & Hogarth, 2009; Gottfried et al., 2009; Potvin & Hasni, 2014), making this an essential period for interventions that sustain interest. Additionally, informal learning programs, including sports-based approaches, have been shown to improve engagement and academic success (Allen et al., 2019; Maltese & Tai, 2010).

From a psychological perspective, participation in structured sports programs has been linked to improved self-regulation and emotional resilience, particularly for children in this age group (Bassok & Reardon, 2013; Dee & Sievertsen, 2015). Furthermore, research suggests that youth sports can serve as a protective factor against socioemotional difficulties by fostering self-discipline, teamwork, and problem-solving skills (Datar, 2006; Wang & Zhou, 2022).

Aligned with the mission of the journal Education Sciences to advance high-quality, inclusive, and globally relevant research, this Special Issue will contribute to the broader discourse on integrating physical activity with academic and psychological development. Through this Special Issue, we aim to inform education policy and practice by synthesizing interdisciplinary research on sports, STEM, and SEL for young learners.

References:

• Allen, P. J., Chang, R., Gorrall, B. K., Waggenspack, L., Fukuda, E., Little, T. D., & Noam, G. G. (2019). From quality to outcomes: A national study of afterschool STEM programming. International Journal of STEM Education, 6(1), 1-21.
• Bassok, D., & Reardon, S. F. (2013). "Academic redshirting" in kindergarten: Prevalence, patterns, and implications. Educational Evaluation and Policy Analysis, 35(3), 283-297.
• Bennett, J., & Hogarth, S. (2009). Would you want to talk to a scientist at a party? International Journal of Science Education, 31(14), 1975-1998.
• Datar, A. (2006). Does delaying kindergarten entrance give children a head start? Economics of Education Review, 25(1), 43-62.
• Dee, T. S., & Sievertsen, H. H. (2015). The gift of time? School starting age and mental health. National Bureau of Economic Research.
• Gottfried, A. E., Fleming, J. S., & Gottfried, A. W. (2009). Role of parental motivational practices in children's academic intrinsic motivation and achievement. Journal of Educational Psychology, 101(2), 509-521.
• Maltese, A. V., & Tai, R. H. (2010). Eyeballs in the fridge: Sources of early interest in science. International Journal of Science Education, 32(5), 669-685.
• Potvin, P., & Hasni, A. (2014). Interest, motivation, and attitude toward science and technology at K-12 levels: A systematic review of 12 years of educational research. Studies in Science Education, 50(1), 85-129.
• Wang, H., & Zhou, Y. (2022). Does the early bird catch the worm? The effect of school starting age on long-run outcomes. China Economic Review, 72, 101-116.

Dr. Joseph C. Spears
Dr. Lynne Long
Dr. Erica Hernandez
Dr. Jerrod A. Henderson
Dr. Derichard McCoy
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a double-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Education Sciences is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 1800 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

• youth sports
• STEM education
• social-emotional learning
• academic performance
• psychological resilience
• cross-curricular learning
• after-school programs
• summer enrichment
• physical activity and cognition
• educational policy