1. Sprout School Research & Evaluation
A University-Community Partnership to Measure and Improve Outcomes for Young Children in Richmond, VA

2. Presentation Overview
Introductions
Approach to research
Benefits
Research Design
Our Strengths and Roles
Ethical Considerations

3. Photo credit: Scott McLeod (CC BY 2.0)
Please ask questions and offer comments at any time! Collaboration and input from all members of the research team are highly valued.

4. Let’s Meet our Research Team:
Linda Tissiere, CEO, YWCA
Kathleen Eastman, Director of Early Childhood and Family Development, YWCA
Shannon Venable, President/CEO, CMoR
Jenna Petrosino, Education Manager, CMoR
Serra De Arment, Ph.D., VCU
Yaoying Xu, Ph.D., VCU
And others…

5. How should we approach this work?
Let’s discuss our ideas!

6. Community-Based Participatory Research (CBPR)
collaborative research
research with the community, not on the community
community-identified need(s)
equitable involvement from all members of research team
co-learning among all members of research team
collaborative partnerships across all phases of the research

7. How can we all benefit from this approach?

8. Benefits of CBPR Shared learning and consideration of new perspectives
Development of relationships to support current and future work
Networking and enhanced professional development for all
Understanding value of community experiences for improving research process
Research design to strengthen credibility of results
Other benefits?

9. Our CBPR Research Design

10. Embedded Mixed Methods Research Design
Guided by the overall CBPR approach
Mixed methods: quantitative (numeric) data collection and analysis AND qualitative (narrative) data collection and analysis
Embedded: qualitative processes proceed within quantitative processes
Research design: systematic consideration of how to achieve credible findings to address our shared research and evaluation questions

11. Community-based Participatory Research
(CBPR)
Embedded Mixed Methods Research Design:
Community-based Participatory Research
Quantitative: pre-post within and between group comparisons
Interpretation
Qualitative: Pre-post questionnaires and focus groups

12. One approach to collecting and understanding information is not enough…
Quantitative
(numeric data)
Qualitative
(narrative data)
Child-level outcomes
early language and literacy
early math
early science
social and emotional skills
Existing measures plus additional tools for comprehensive assessment
Teacher, parent/family and museum staff perceptions and experiences
questionnaires
focus groups
See shared Google Doc for specific measures linked to research questions.

13. What are our strengths?
What are our existing practices?

14. What else should we consider?
Research Team Roles
Community Partners
University Partners
Data collection
existing measures
distribution of teacher, family, and museum staff questionnaires
focus group facilitation and participation
Interpretation of results
Dissemination of Findings
Data collection
new child-level measures
Data analysis
Interpretation of results
Dissemination of findings
What else should we consider?

15. Ethical Considerations
Ongoing of assessment of burden placed on children, families, teachers, museum staff
What is plan B? Plan C?
Participant-researchers
How do we control bias?
Assess burden?
Understand our individual and collective perspectives?
Ensuring fidelity to “treatment” (i.e., Sprout School approach) and to assessment (need for additional trained assessors)

16. Photo credit: Tmazuu (CC BY –NC-ND 2.0) retrieved from Flickr
Sprout School:
Let’s see what grows!
Photo credit: Tmazuu (CC BY –NC-ND 2.0) retrieved from Flickr

17. Thank you! Additional comments and questions are welcome.
Photo credit: Doug Shaw, retrieved from Flickr (CC BY-SA 2.0)

18. Questions or Comments Later?
Contact Us!
Serra De Arment, Ph.D.: ,
Yaoying Xu, Ph.D., ,