Volunteers in Public Schools (1990) / Chapter Skim
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4. Review of Research and Evaluation Literature on School Volunteerism
4. Review of Research and Evaluation Literature on School Volunteerism
Pages 31-43
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From page 31... ...
Manuals published by professional organizations and others to assist school districts in organizing and managing school volunteer programs were also examined by the committee; although not considered part of the research base, these are listed in the annotated bibligraphy. In addition, the committee examined many school volunteer programs that produce brochures, manuals, promotional materials, and annual reports that are not included in the bibliography but that can be obtained from the programs themselves.
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From page 32... ...
Cohen and others (1982) , in a meta-analysis of findings from 65 independent evaluations of school tutoring programs that used a variety of staffing patterns, found most of the programs had positive effects on academic performance and attitudes of tutees and positive effects on tutors.
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From page 33... ...
Another federally supported school volunteer project, funded under Title III of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act in the mid-1970s, included an evaluation of the performance in reading and mathematics of students in grades 5 6 in Dade County, Florida, public schools who were assisted by trained parent volunteer tutors, compared with unaided students (Dade County Public Schools, 1975~. The study involved 236 students who were 1 or more years below national norms in mathematics and reading achievement.
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From page 34... ...
A survey conducted in connection with the study found that volunteer tutoring and mentoring programs are under way in 1,700 of the nation's 3,200 colleges and universities, and most of them designate tutoring as their primary service. Effects on tutored students included improvements in test scores, grades, or academic ability (reported by 11 of 19 projects reviewed)
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From page 35... ...
found that given proper training and supervision, volunteers helped dyslexic students achieve significant academic gains. In another project, a tutorial relationship between high school volunteers and peer-aged moderately retarded students participating in individually prescribed programs of physical activity produced significant improvement in gross motor abilities in the students (Bechtold, 1977~.
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From page 36... ...
Hedges created a model for volunteer parent involvement and evaluated volunteer use in three schools that implemented the model. In one case, the scheduled presence of volunteers freed teachers to engage in curriculum development; in another, volunteers enabled the school to mainstream handicapped students; and in the third school, large numbers of volunteers in a classroom allowed the teacher to individualize instruction and to give more time to '`higher-order" functions such as initiating and evaluating learning.
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From page 37... ...
This kind of volunteer activity working in school offices and libraries, supervising playgounds and cafeterias, monitoring field trips, fund raising, and coaching, for example-has not been the subject of research, so far as the committee could find, but data on school volunteerism suggest that it accounts for many thousands of volunteer hours each year. The Problem of Evaluation in Volunteer Programs In its review of research and from other observations, the committee became aware that evaluation of student or program outcomes is a problem for school volunteer programs.
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From page 38... ...
These and other factors currently inhibit rigorous evaluation of the effects of volunteer programs. In summary: · Volunteer programs usually work on small budgets, and good evaluation is expensive.
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From page 39... ...
In light of the difficulties of designing and conducting adequate evaluation, and its cost, the committee believes that federal and state governments and private foundations should support studies that will provide guidelines to program administrators and educators on appropriate means of evaluating the effects of volunteers in schools.
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From page 40... ...
Many of these studies also obtained and reported on noncognitive gains, including improvements in motivation and attitudes toward education, exposure to new environments and role models, and increase in self-esteem. Nevertheless, it is also necessary to point out that the body of research on school volunteers, except for studies of tutoring, is limited in quantity and scope.
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From page 41... ...
REFERENCES Armstrong, Patricia M., and Amy Bassell Crowe 1987 Final Evaluation Report, Project Math in Action. San Francisco School Volunteers, San Francisco Unified School District.
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From page 42... ...
Miami, Fla.: Dade County Public Schools. Eberwein, Lowell, Lois Hirst, and Susan Magedanz 1976 An Annotated Bibliography on Volunteer Tutoring Programs.
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From page 43... ...
Harris, and Donald V Fandetti 1988 The Perception of Public School Administrators Regarding Community Education Programs Sponsored by Maryland State Department of Education.
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