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Learning Environments For Middle School Youth

Learning Environments For Middle School Youth. Jennifer A. Skuza, PhD Timothy D. Sheldon, PhD. Workshop Objectives. Discover the unique role programs can play in the lives of middle school youth and new strategies to reach young teens

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Learning Environments For Middle School Youth

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  1. Learning Environments For Middle School Youth Jennifer A. Skuza, PhD Timothy D. Sheldon, PhD

  2. Workshop Objectives • Discover the unique role programs can play in the lives of middle school youth and new strategies to reach young teens • Construct learning environments that suit middle school youth … especially those who are uninvolved • Demonstrate program tools and strategies that could be replicated

  3. “No, no puke!”

  4. What Youth Are Doing

  5. Early Onset Involvement

  6. Why Middle School Youth Don’t Try Structured Activities “No, I am not good at that…”

  7. Satisfaction With Time Use I am fine.

  8. What Uninvolved Youth Want

  9. What Parents Want

  10. So what should a middle school learning environment look like

  11. Less Structure, More Connection

  12. Organic and Free-Spirited

  13. Minnesota CYFAR Project Organic Middle School Youth Program Model

  14. St. Paul Willmar Winona Program Sites

  15. Long-term Results • set long-term personal education goals • exhibit mastery in a topic area of their choice, and • parents/guardians engage with their children on setting and obtaining common education goals.

  16. Learning Phases Get into learning Specialize learning Sustain learning

  17. Scope and Sequence Year 1 2008 Year 2 2009 Year 3 2010 Year 4 2011 Year 5 2012 Group 1 Get into learning Specialize learning Sustain learning Group 2 Get into learning Specialize learning Sustain learning Group 3 Get into learning Specialize learning Sustain learning

  18. Flow

  19. Youth Leadership

  20. Challenging Content

  21. Internships

  22. Evaluation • Relate evaluation to logic model and desired long term results • Share successes and challenges so far • Offer some tools and strategies

  23. Desired Long Term Results • Youth will set long-term personal education goals in the context of careers and higher education. • Youth will exhibit mastery in a topic area of their own choosing. • Parents/guardians will be engaged with their children on setting and obtaining common education goals.

  24. Evaluation and the Logic Model When middle school youth participate in programs that are: • Less structured and more connected • Organic and free-spirited • Content-rich and challenging • Promote youth as leaders • Age-appropriate We believe youth will: • Become more engaged in their own education • Experience success through mastery of a topic • Set long term education and career goals

  25. Stages of Evaluation Formative Evaluation Summative

  26. Evaluation Questions • Are attendance objectives being met? • Are technology objectives being et? • How do students feel about the program? • How attached are students to the program? • Did participants identify their preferred learning styles? • Has parent capacity been enhanced though parent sessions? • Do students connect participation to school or other success? • Have they identified a long-term education/career goal? • To what extent do participants feel self-empowerment? • Have participants presented their portfolio publically? • Have they received recognition for their public presentation? • Did parents receive the support they deem most important? • Are participants developing plans and goals for future success? • How do leaders view the program?

  27. Formative Evaluation Elements of the Organic Model

  28. What is working and why? • High levels of youth satisfaction • Youth setting long range education and career goals • Increasing participation of girls • Effective and expanding use of technology • Recognizing essential elements for program success (partners, instructors) • Support from the top

  29. What are the challenges and why? • Parent component • Participant retention (cohort) • Access to technology (in some sites) • Internet considerations (linking sites, firewalls, misuse)

  30. Program Development Tools • Article: What’s Up? What young teens and parents want from youth programs • Guide to the Use of Evaluation Instruments • Data collection forms • Pre-, post-, youth surveys administered online or paper. • Youth Presentation Assessment Rubric • Parent needs assessment – English and Spanish • Parent Survey • Group Discussions with Youth • Group Response Forms • CYFAR orientation session • Impact Report

  31. Challenge ourselves to rethink the way we frame and develop programs designed for middle school aged youth.

  32. Contact information

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