Learning Environments
For Middle School Youth
Jennifer A. Skuza, PhD
Timothy D. Sheldon, PhD
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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
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“No, no puke!”
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What Youth Are Doing
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Early Onset Involvement
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Why Middle School Youth Don’t Try
Structured Activities
“No, I am not good at that…”
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Satisfaction With Time Use
I am fine.
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What Uninvolved Youth Want
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What Parents Want
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So what should a middle school
learning environment look like
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Less Structure, More Connection
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Organic and Free-Spirited
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Minnesota CYFAR Project
Organic Middle School Youth
Program Model
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Program Sites
• St. Paul
• Willmar
• Winona
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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.
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Learning Phases
Get into learning
Specialize learning
Sustain learning
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Scope and Sequence
Group 1
Group 2
Group 3
Year 1
2008
Year 2
2009
Year 3
2010
Year 4
2011
Get into learning
Specialize
learning
Sustain learning
Get into
learning
Specialize
learning
Sustain learning
Get into learning
Specialize
learning
Year 5
2012
Sustain learning
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Flow
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Youth Leadership
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Challenging Content
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Internships
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Evaluation
• Relate evaluation to
logic model and
desired long term
results
• Share successes and
challenges so far
• Offer some tools and
strategies
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Desired Long Term Results
1. Youth will set long-term personal
education goals in the context of
careers and higher education.
2. Youth will exhibit mastery in a topic
area of their own choosing.
3. Parents/guardians will be engaged with
their children on setting and obtaining
common education goals.
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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
Skill Building
and Mastery
Positive
Programming
Educational
and Career
Pursuits
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
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Stages of Evaluation
Educational
and Career
Pursuits
Skill Building
and Mastery
Positive
Programming
Formative Evaluation
Summative
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Evaluation Questions
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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?
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Formative Evaluation Elements of the
Organic Model
Evaluation Domains
Methods
Program fidelity
Program records (attendance, technology, learning inv.)
Student attachment
On-line surveys, Group discussions, Journals/blogs
Student attitudes
On-line surveys, Group discussions, Journals/blogs
Student leadership
On-line surveys, Group discussions, Journals/blogs
Student demographic data
On-line surveys
Parent needs and capacity
Needs assessment and session evaluations
Education portfolio
Portfolio assessment rubric, observation
Public presentation
Observation
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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
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What are the challenges and why?
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Parent component
Participant retention (cohort)
Access to technology (in some sites)
Internet considerations (linking sites,
firewalls, misuse)
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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
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• Impact Report
Challenge ourselves to rethink the way
we frame and develop programs
designed for middle school aged youth.
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Contact information
Jennifer A. Skuza, PhD
Timothy D. Sheldon, PhD
Extension Professor and Director
University of Minnesota Extension
Urban Youth Development Office
Research Associate
Center for Applied Research and
Educational Improvement (CAREI)
University of Minnesota
1420 Eckles Avenue
495 Coffey Hall
St. Paul, MN 55108
612.624.7798 (t)
612.624.7793 (f)
skuza@umn.edu
University of Minnesota
1954 Buford Avenue
Suite 425
Saint Paul, MN 55108
612-626-7237 (t)
612-625-3086 (f)
sheld005@umn.edu
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