ERIC Number: ED664126
Record Type: Non-Journal
Publication Date: 2024
Pages: 100
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: 979-8-3463-8557-8
ISSN: N/A
EISSN: N/A
Connection and Reflection: Peer-Led Conversations as an Evaluation Approach with Young People
Jennifer Ann Jocz-Tan
ProQuest LLC, Ed.D. Dissertation, University of Pittsburgh
From my personal point of view, the role of a program evaluator is to gather information about the thoughts and experiences of individuals impacted by the program and to use the findings to inform program improvement. However, participants in the evaluation may be reluctant to share their full thoughts due to factors such as power imbalances and a lack of relationship between the evaluator and evaluation participant or a general disbelief that the feedback provided will lead to change, barriers that are all the more prominent when evaluation participants are youth. This dissertation addresses the challenge of how to create evaluation activities that are more comfortable and beneficial for young people in the high school age range. Specifically, I worked with two groups of youth participating in an out-of-school time program at the New York Hall of Science (NYSCI). Working with NYSCI staff and youth, we implemented peer-led conversations. Findings indicate that, in addition to providing a comfortable space to share, the conversations also offered youth the chance to connect with one another and reflect on their personal and shared experiences in the program. This provided benefit to the youth while also producing data that was of a higher quality than traditional methods and providing useful information that the NYSCI team utilized for program improvement. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://bibliotheek.ehb.be:2222/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]
Descriptors: High School Students, Facilities, Science Education, Learning Activities, Peer Relationship, Program Evaluation, Evaluation Methods, Program Improvement, Nonschool Educational Programs
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Publication Type: Dissertations/Theses - Doctoral Dissertations
Education Level: High Schools; Secondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: New York
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A