C R E S S T / U C L A UCLA Graduate School of Education & Information Studies Center for the Study of Evaluation National Center for Research on Evaluation, Standards, and Student Testing Access to Higher Education and the Role of Service Learning: First Year Findings of Career Based Outreach Program (CBOP) Evaluation Denise D. Quigley CRESST Annual Conference September 16-17, 1999

C R E S S T / U C L A Contents of Briefing è Motivation and Research Questions è Overview of Methodology & Data è Effects on Service Providers è Effects on High School Participants è Summary and Conclusions

C R E S S T / U C L A Motivation  With the elimination of Affirmative action, UC is relying on outreach for recruiting a diverse student body  Traditional approaches to outreach are not sufficient  Therefore, UCLA has responded with a new, comprehensive and theory based program, the Career Based Outreach Program

C R E S S T / U C L A CBOP’s Approach  Cyclical service learning approach which links undergraduate and high school students in acquiring optimal learning strategies Engage undergraduate students in service learning that prepares and informs high school students about college Motivate undergraduate students to pursue their own graduate studies Enhance academic learning for undergraduates and high school students through optimal learning strategies and tutoring Enrich the institutional support for high school students and undergraduates via individual counseling and mentoring

C R E S S T / U C L A Research Questions è What are the effects of participation in CBOP on the Fellows ? n Via the ED 193 course n Via servicing the high school students n Overall in terms of their academic aspirations è What is the effect of the CBOP services on the high school students ?

C R E S S T / U C L A Contents of Briefing è Motivation and Research Questions è Overview of Methodology & Data è Effects on Service Providers è Effects on High School Participants è Summary and Conclusions

C R E S S T / U C L A Overview of Evaluation Design è Quasi-experimental design n Comparison Fellows n Comparison Scholars at 2 high schools è True experimental design n Randomly assigned Scholars and Comparison Scholars at 4 high schools

C R E S S T / U C L A Comparison Group Strategy We compare: è Group of Fellows in CBOP with a group of Comparison Fellows è Cohort of 9th grade CBOP participants with cohort of 9th graders in same high school, identified as Comparison Scholars

C R E S S T / U C L A Brief Overview of Data è Undergraduate Surveys: n PRE/POST Class and PRE/POST Service Learning n Fall 1998 and Spring 1999 è High School Surveys: n Early Winter and mid/late Spring è Interviews: n Counselors n Graduate and Professional Schools

C R E S S T / U C L A Contents of Briefing è Motivation and Research Questions è Overview of Methodology & Data è Effects on Service Providers è Effects on High School Participants è Summary and Conclusions

C R E S S T / U C L A Effects on Service Providers è Academic attitudes and behaviors è Service learning attitudes and behaviors è Academic performance and aspirations

C R E S S T / U C L A Academic attitudes and Behaviors è Fellows maintained or slightly improved their study habits n Fewer Fellows reported poor study skills as top barrier to academic achievement n Small increase in academic confidence n Slight declind in desire to improve è No change in their beliefs about learning è Grades (term and cumulative grade point averages) remained stable

C R E S S T / U C L A Service Learning Attitudes and Behaviors è Fellows were motivated to be role models in the community è Increased the number of hours that Fellows spent teaching others

C R E S S T / U C L A Academic Aspirations è Fellows attended more orientations and workshops at graduate schools è Fellows received more mentoring è Fellows took more action to become informed about graduate school è No further effect on Fellows as a result of mentoring high school students

C R E S S T / U C L A Contents of Briefing è Motivation and Research Questions è Overview of Methodology & Data è Effects on Service Providers è Effects on High School Participants è Summary and Conclusions

C R E S S T / U C L A Effects on High School Participants è Scholars’ belief that they acquired better study skills improved è Scholar’s belief that poor study skills was a top barrier to their academic achievement declined è More frequent contact with college students è Increased desire to serve in the future

C R E S S T / U C L A Contents of Briefing è Motivation and Research Questions è Overview of Methodology & Data è Effects on Service Providers è Effects on High School Participants è Summary and Conclusions

C R E S S T / U C L A Summary è Fellows benefited from their participation in CBOP in terms of study skills, pursuit of graduate school, and their civic responsibility è Fellows appear to have benefited primarily from ED193 and not the service learning experience è Scholars changed their beliefs about their study skills and improved their sense of civic responsibility

C R E S S T / U C L A Conclusions è Service learning improves student’s sense of civic responsibility è PALS and the optimal learning strategies do slightly improve study habits è But to meet its goals of raising UC eligibility, CBOP needs to intensify the experiences of the Scholars in CBOP