Module 3B: High-Quality Program Design
Learning Objectives:
Students will demonstrate an understanding of key elements of high quality programs including articulation of goals, engaged staff and leadership, quality program practices and use of evaluation.
INTRODUCTION
READ:
Huang, D. & Dietel, R. (2011). Making afterschool programs better. National Center for Research on Evaluation, Standards and Student Testing (CRESST), UCLA.
EXPLORE IN DEPTH
GOALS
The cornerstone of afterschool program success
Should be clearly defined and written down
Should inform curricular design and program practices
Have a specific emphasis (e.g. STEM, service learning, etc.)
Have funding sufficient to meet goals
Maintain a consistent linkage to the school day if it is achievement focused
WATCH:
QSA Section 1: Program Design: Vision, Mission & Student Participation
SELF-REFLECT:
What elements related to GOAL SETTING help explain what is working well or maybe not working well at your fieldwork placement site in regards to youth participation and/or engagement levels?
At your fieldwork site:
Is there evidence of the program having goals?
If so, what are they?
Can you tell how they were developed (were staff and/or youth involved?)
Do staff and/or program participants seem to know what the goals are?
Do the goals seem to have a particular focus and/or inform program activities that are offered?
High-Quality Leadership
Leadership: Key to program stability and sustainability
Highest functioning programs usually have leaders with many years of experience
Work to purposely integrate staff into decision-making related to program goals
Practice decentralized decision making; use a bottoms-up leadership style
Articulate a clear program mission, vision statement and goals
Set high expectations
Trust in the knowledge and skills of staff regarding curriculum and instruction
Promote a team culture of positive relationships and trust, through frequent communication and staff problem-solving
Ensure that instructors and students have adequate materials and resources; and
Provide all staff with professional development opportunities that improve individual and team skills
WATCH:
As you watch the video, what leadership elements listed above and discussed in the Huang reading are referenced by Mary’s co-workers as they celebrate and pay tribute to her leadership award at a statewide Lights On Afterschool event at the capitol in Sacramento? What do they often reference that is NOT on the above list or in the reading?
https://vimeo.com/77458832 (8 min)
SELF-REFLECT:
What elements related to LEADERSHIP help explain what is working well or maybe not working well at your fieldwork placement site in regards to youth participation and/or engagement levels?
Also, at your fieldwork site what is leadership and/or staff doing to:
create a welcoming culture or sense of belonging for both staff and students
help align the program content with student needs-academic and/or social-emotional
empower staff and students with meaningful skills and competencies
High-Quality Staff
According to Huang and Dietel’s findings, staff at the highest performing sites set the tone and set the norm for high expectations and positive student attitudes and behavior.
Staff at high-functioning programs also had:
High education levels (47% had bachelor’s degrees, 24% had a Master’s degree)
Low turnover (3+ years at same site)
More than three years of experience in afterschool (66%)
23% had 6+ years
Positive interactions/communications with other staff and students
Professional development opportunities in reading and math, standards
EXPLORE:
Click HERE to read about Leadership and Staff Competencies as defined by the Mott Foundation, a national non-profit that provides support to AfterSchool networks.
Optional:
Mahoney, J. L., Levine, M., & Hinga, B. (2010). The development of after-school educators through university-community partnerships.Preview the documentView in a new window Applied Developmental Science, 14, 89-105.
Lowe Vandell, D., & Lao, J. (2016). Building and Retaining High Quality Professional Staff for Extended Education Programs. IJREE–International Journal for Research on Extended Education, 4(1).
WATCH:
QSA Section 7: Staff Recruitment & Professional Development
SELF-REFLECT
Which staff competencies stood out to you? Which do you think require the most training?
Should universities support the development of these competencies (Mahoney reading)? If so, how can this effectively be done?
Which ones do you think YOU need to further develop to improve as an afterschool professional?
High-Quality Programming
High-Functioning Programming:
Includes three or more activities/day: homework help, academic and/or enrichment, recreation
Engages students in activities they enjoy
Encourages parent involvement/communicates regularly with parents about students
Includes social or character development and community involvement
Aligns to the school day
Frequently uses technology, science and the arts to support youth development, student learning and engagement
ALIGNMENT
WATCH:
QSA Section 4: Alignment and Linkage with the School Day
READ: (see the pdf I posted in the file)
*Noam, G. G. (2003), Learning with excitement: Bridging school and after-school worlds and project-based learning. New Directions for Youth Development, 2003: 121–138.
SELF-REFLECT ON ALIGNMENT:
Using Noam’s bridging theory, to what degree would you say your FIELDWORK SITE program is aligned to the school day? Is it self-contained, associated, coordinated, integrated or unified? What evidence do you have?
Evaluation
The best programs:
Use both internal and external methods to measure progress and outcomes
Collect data that are reliable and valid indicators of program goals
Apply findings to continual program improvement processes
WATCH:
Lessons Learned from a Districtwide Evaluation (4.5 min) https://vimeo.com/167872693
SELF-REFLECT:
What were some of the key practices that the district engaged in to gather data, use the results and plan for continuous program improvement?
What did they learn?
What changes did they make to improve program based upon these results?
SELF-REFLECT
How does the design of your FW site provide (or not provide) a supportive framework for goal setting, quality leadership and staff, aligned programming that is reflective of SAFE features and the use of program evaluation?
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