Measuring Youth Program Quality: A Guide to Assessment Tools

Thanks to growing interest in the subject of youth program quality, many tools are now available to help organizations and systems assess and improve quality. Given the size and diversity of the youth-serving sector, it is unrealistic to expect that any one tool or process will fit all programs or circumstances. This report compares the purpose, history, structure, methodology, content and technical properties of nine different program observation tools

Documenting and Assessing Learning in Informal and Media-Rich Environments

An extensive review of the literature on learning assessment in informal settings, expert discussion of key issues, and a new model for good assessment practice. Today educational activities take place not only in school but also in after-school programs, community centers, museums, and online communities and forums. The success and expansion of these out-of-school initiatives depends on our ability to document and assess what works and what doesn't in informal learning, but learning outcomes in these settings are often unpredictable. Goals are open-ended; participation is voluntary; and relationships, means, and ends are complex. This report charts the state of the art for learning assessment in informal settings, offering an extensive review of the literature, expert discussion on key topics, a suggested model for comprehensive assessment, and recommendations for good assessment practices.Drawing on analysis of the literature and expert opinion, the proposed model, the Outcomes-by-Levels Model for Documentation and Assessment, identifies at least ten types of valued outcomes, to be assessed in terms of learning at the project, group, and individual levels. The cases described in the literature under review, which range from promoting girls' identification with STEM practices to providing online resources for learning programming and networking, illustrate the usefulness of the assessment model

Quality After-School Programming and Its Relationship to Achievement-Related Behaviors and Academic Performance

The purpose of this study is to understand the relationship between quality social support networks developed through high quality afterschool programming and achievement amongst middle school and high school aged youth. This study seeks to develop a deeper understanding of how quality after-school programs influence a youth\u27s developmental assets, how quality after-school programs influence achievement-related behaviors amongst youth, and how quality after-school programs influence academic performance amongst youth. The study measured academic performance, as well as, hope, wellbeing, and engagement amongst youth who participate in high quality after-school programming, in comparison with youth who are not currently participating in after-school programming. Open Doors Academy, a highly recognized and supported after-school program model represents participants in the treatment group and students not currently enrolled in the program represent the comparison group. A total of 191 middle school and high school aged youth living in high-risk environments (aged 11 to 18 years) from Cleveland, Ohio were selected to complete the Gallup Student Poll (Lopez, Agrawal, & Calderon, 2010) and Developmental Assets Profile Survey (Search Institute, 2010a). In addition, quarterly grade cards were collected to assess academic performance. Three models were used to analyze the various research questions proposed in this study, including a general multivariate model, multiple regression, and single-factor analysis of variance. Findings from the study indicate a statistically significant difference amongst non- Open Doors Academy participants and Open Doors Academy participants in the context of hope, finding youth who participate in programming are more hopeful in comparison to their peers not engaged in programming and youth who engage in programming over a number of years are identified as more hopeful and thriving in comparison to those who participate for zero to one year. Findings also demonstrated a predictive relat

Quality After-School Programming and Its Relationship to Achievement-Related Behaviors and Academic Performance

The purpose of this study is to understand the relationship between quality social support networks developed through high quality afterschool programming and achievement amongst middle school and high school aged youth. This study seeks to develop a deeper understanding of how quality after-school programs influence a youth\u27s developmental assets, how quality after-school programs influence achievement-related behaviors amongst youth, and how quality after-school programs influence academic performance amongst youth. The study measured academic performance, as well as, hope, wellbeing, and engagement amongst youth who participate in high quality after-school programming, in comparison with youth who are not currently participating in after-school programming. Open Doors Academy, a highly recognized and supported after-school program model represents participants in the treatment group and students not currently enrolled in the program represent the comparison group. A total of 191 middle school and high school aged youth living in high-risk environments (aged 11 to 18 years) from Cleveland, Ohio were selected to complete the Gallup Student Poll (Lopez, Agrawal, & Calderon, 2010) and Developmental Assets Profile Survey (Search Institute, 2010a). In addition, quarterly grade cards were collected to assess academic performance. Three models were used to analyze the various research questions proposed in this study, including a general multivariate model, multiple regression, and single-factor analysis of variance. Findings from the study indicate a statistically significant difference amongst non- Open Doors Academy participants and Open Doors Academy participants in the context of hope, finding youth who participate in programming are more hopeful in comparison to their peers not engaged in programming and youth who engage in programming over a number of years are identified as more hopeful and thriving in comparison to those who participate for zero to one year. Findings also demonstrated a predictive relat

Identifying the determinants of chronic absenteeism: A bioecological systems approach

Background/Context: Chronic school absenteeism is a pervasive problem across the US; in early education, it is most rampant in kindergarten and its consequences are particularly detrimental, often leading to poorer academic, behavioral and developmental outcomes later in life. Though prior empirical research has identified a broad range of determinants of chronic absenteeism, there lacks a single, unified theoretically driven investigation examining how such factors concurrently explain the incidence of chronic absenteeism among our nation 's youngest schoolchildren. Thus, it is difficult to determine the relative importance of one factor over another, hence making it challenging to develop appropriate supports and services to reduce school absences. Purpose/Research Questions: Our study filled this critical void-we investigated multiple determinants of chronic absenteeism that were grounded, theoretically and empirically, in Bronfenbrenner's bioecological model of development. Specifically, using data from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study, Kindergarten Class of 2010-11 and the method of hierarchical generalized linear modeling, we analyzed how the co-occurrence of key (a) process, (b) person, and (c) context (micro-, meso-, exo- and macrosystem) factors was associated with kindergarteners' probability of being chronically absent. Findings/Results: Children who have poorer health, higher internalizing behaviors, and more frequent engagement in learning activities at home had higher odds of chronic absenteeism. Also, children from larger families and of lower socioeconomic status faced increased odds of chronic absenteeism. Conversely, children holding positive attitudes towards school had lowered odds of chronic absenteeism, a finding that remained robust across socioeconomic status groups. Finally, parent-school connections were associated with lowered odds of absenteeism. Conclusions/Recommendations: Overall, our findings strongly suggested that addressing chronic absenteeism will require comprehensive and multifaceted approaches that recognize these multiple factors. With this theoretically grounded, more descriptive approach, it is more feasible to identify key factors and subsequently design policies and practices to prevent absence behavior

Quality After-School Programming and Its Relationship to Achievement-Related Behaviors and Academic Performance

The purpose of this study is to understand the relationship between quality social support networks developed through high quality afterschool programming and achievement amongst middle school and high school aged youth. This study seeks to develop a deeper understanding of how quality after-school programs influence a youth\u27s developmental assets, how quality after-school programs influence achievement-related behaviors amongst youth, and how quality after-school programs influence academic performance amongst youth. The study measured academic performance, as well as, hope, wellbeing, and engagement amongst youth who participate in high quality after-school programming, in comparison with youth who are not currently participating in after-school programming. Open Doors Academy, a highly recognized and supported after-school program model represents participants in the treatment group and students not currently enrolled in the program represent the comparison group. A total of 191 middle school and high school aged youth living in high-risk environments (aged 11 to 18 years) from Cleveland, Ohio were selected to complete the Gallup Student Poll (Lopez, Agrawal, & Calderon, 2010) and Developmental Assets Profile Survey (Search Institute, 2010a). In addition, quarterly grade cards were collected to assess academic performance. Three models were used to analyze the various research questions proposed in this study, including a general multivariate model, multiple regression, and single-factor analysis of variance. Findings from the study indicate a statistically significant difference amongst non- Open Doors Academy participants and Open Doors Academy participants in the context of hope, finding youth who participate in programming are more hopeful in comparison to their peers not engaged in programming and youth who engage in programming over a number of years are identified as more hopeful and thriving in comparison to those who participate for zero to one year. Findings also demonstrated a predictive relat

PERCEPTIONS OF MENTORING KINGS AND EFFECTS OF THE HOCHMAN METHOD ON HIGH SCHOOL BOYS OF COLOR

The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of the Hochman Method’s Sequence for Notetaking Instruction on male high school students of color. This method of notetaking was an integral part of the curriculum offered by the Mentoring Kings Initiative, a critical mentoring program providing formal and informal mentoring to male students of color. Specifically, the study explored how bolstering the Hochman Method’s explicit notetaking instruction with critical mentoring and culturally responsive pedagogy intrinsic to the Mentoring Kings Initiative affects student comprehension, self-efficacy, and notetaking mastery. Perceptions of the Mentoring Kings Initiative among these male high school students were also analyzed. Data were collected from ten male students of color in grades nine to eleven who were members of a College & Career Preparatory Institute (CCPI) located within a not-for-profit organization based at a large urban high school in New York City. Interpretive Phenomenology and document analysis were used to effect data analysis of interview and notebook data. Results indicate that the Mentoring Kings Initiative and its various components: the Hochman Method’s Sequence for Notetaking Instruction, the Mentoring Kings University, the Mentoring Kings Notebook, and the Mentoring Kings Online Modules were perceived favorably by research participants. However, the Hochman Method’s Sequence for Notetaking Instruction did not completely facilitate the notetaking and comprehension abilities of the high school boys of color. Recommendations include 1) conducting further notetaking studies to deepen the pool of existing research 2) providing students with explicit notetaking instruction for each component of the Hochman Method: keywords, phrases, abbreviations, and symbols to aid comprehension and application of, and proficiency with, each, and 3) utilizing and referring to the Hochman Method as a culturally relevant literacy tool

Expanding evidence approaches for learning in a digital world

Executive Summary: Relatively low-cost digital technology is ubiquitous in daily life and work. The Web is a vast source of information, communication, and connection opportunities available to anyone with Internet access. Most professionals and many students have a mobile device in their pocket with more computing power than early supercomputers. These technological advances hold great potential for improving educational outcomes, but by themselves hardware and networks will not improve learning. Decades of research show that high-quality learning resources and sound implementations are needed as well.The learning sciences have found that today’s technologies offer powerful capabilities for creating high-quality learning resources, such as capabilities for visualization, simulation, games, interactivity, intelligent tutoring, collaboration, assessment, and feedback. Further, digital learning resources enable rapid cycles of iterative improvement, and improvements to resources can be instantly distributed over the Internet. In addition, digital technologies are attracting exciting new talent, both from other industries and from the teacher workforce itself, into the production of digital learning resources. Yet even with so many reasons to expect dramatic progress, something more—better use of evidence— is needed to support the creation, implementation, and continuous enhancement of high-quality learning resources in ways that improve student outcomes