The Harvard Family Research Project separated from the Harvard Graduate School of Education to become the Global Family Research Project as of January 1, 2017. It is no longer affiliated with Harvard University.
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How can research and evaluation improve practice regarding access and equity in out-of-school time programs?
Five experts in the field of youth development and OST programming address the question of how research and evaluation can improve practice regarding access and equity in out-of-school time programs.
Evaluating the 21st Century Community Learning Centers Program—A View From the States
Erin Harris and Priscilla Little, from Harvard Family Research Project, describe the implementation of the new 21st Century Community Learning Centers program’s evaluation requirements in the context of the federal No Child Left Behind Act of 2001.
Improving Bradenton’s After School Programs Through Utilization-Focused Evaluation
Katherine Loflin of the Knight Foundation describes the utilization-focused evaluation efforts in one of Knight’s communities.
A Conversation With Michelle Gambone
The Evaluation Exchange Special Report on the 21st Century Community Learning Centers Program National Evaluation
This special report offers expert commentary on the implication of When School Stay Open Late: The National Evaluation of the 21st Century Community Learning Centers Program, First Year Findings for future evaluation and research.
Evaluating Out-of-School Time
This is the third issue of The Evaluation Exchange (Harvard Family Research Project's quarterly evaluation periodical) devoted to exploring the challenges and solutions associated with evaluating out-of-school (OST) programs. This issue includes articles on what we know from existing research and evaluation about the results that are possible from OST programming, expert commentary on what the future OST research and evaluation agenda should look like, and information about hands-on research and evaluation tools and resources. It is also includes a special report with expert commentary on the implications of the first year findings in Mathematica's evaluation of the national 21st Century Community Learning Centers program. To read the previous issues on out-of-school time, go to our issue archive.
Doing What Works: Scientifically Based Research in Education
Suzanne Bouffard of HFRP examines the new science-based research standards brought in by the No Child Left Behind Act.
Understanding Family Strengthening to Promote Youth Development
Dr. Geri Lynn Peak, a consultant and formerly the Managing Director of the Center for Applied Research and Technical Assistance, describes the evolution, practice, and potential assessment of a family strengthening approach to promote positive youth development.
The Challenges and Strategies of Evaluating Community-Wide After School Programs
Mark Ouellette and Audrey Hutchinson of the National League of Cities describes strategies to meet the challenges of evaluating citywide after school programs.
Learning From Evaluation: Lessons From After School Evaluation in Texas
Dr. Peter A. Witt, the Elda K. Bradberry Recreation and Youth Development Chair at Texas A&M University, reflects on seven years of evaluating city after school programs in Texas.
Public Communications Campaigns and Evaluation
This issue of The Evaluation Exchange, Harvard Family Research Project's quarterly evaluation periodical, focuses on public communication campaigns and their efforts to achieve desirable social outcomes. Articles in the first half of the issue offer promising practices and tips for campaign designers and implementers. Articles in the second half examine how campaigns are being evaluated and associated issues, challenges, and innovations.
Keeping Smokey Looking Good at Sixty
For 60 years the Advertising Council has worked on hundreds of public service campaigns on a broad range of social issues, including such well-known campaigns as Smokey Bear and McGruff the Crime Dog. George Perlov offers a look at the role of research and evaluation inside the Ad Council.
International Communication Research and Evaluation at the Johns Hopkins University Center for Communication Programs
Maria Elena Figueroa from the Johns Hopkins University Center for Communication Programs reveals the Center’s methods for evaluating communication campaigns and offers five examples of their evaluations in progress.
What do evaluators of public communication campaigns need to do to advance their work and this field?
Gary T. Henry is a professor in Policy Studies and Political Science at Georgia State University, co-editor-in-chief of the journal New Directions for Evaluation, and co-author of Evaluation: An Integrated Framework for Understanding, Guiding, and Improving Policies and Programs (2000, Jossey-Bass).
How can evaluations of public communication campaigns be of more use to social change efforts?
Dr. Sharyn Sutton and Elizabeth Heid Thompson of the social marketing firm, Sutton Group, in Washington D.C. have worked on the research, strategic planning, and execution of numerous social change efforts and public service campaigns.
New & Noteworthy
This section features an annotated list of resources related to the issue's theme of Public Communications Campaigns and Evaluation.
From the Director's Desk
An introduction to the issue on Public Communications Campaigns and Evaluation by HFRP's Founder & Director, Heather B. Weiss, Ed.D.
Using Behavior Change Theory to Communicate Effectively: The Case of Latino Parent Involvement
Anne Pollock (HGSE) and Julia Coffman and M. Elena Lopez (HFRP) reveal how to design communications that are more effective at changing behavior by keeping in mind the factors that influence behavior.
Credibility, Relevance, and Inescapable Truths: Effective Messages for Youth
Tim Mask describes three strategies for improving the effectiveness of behavior change campaigns that were used with success by the Partnership for a Healthy Mississippi.
Blogging (BLOG’ing)
Julia Coffman of Harvard Family Research Project wants to save you from the embarrassment of making the same mistake she made.
Understanding Research: Ten Tips
Stephanie Schaefer of the National Association of Child Advocates offers tips on how to evaluate research information for its credibility.
Keeping It Local
Julie Parente of the statewide child advocacy organization, Voices for Illinois Children, describes a component of their “ground strategy” for effectively communicating campaign messages.
A Conversation With Ethel Klein
Ethel Klein, a longtime campaign strategist and pollster, is president of EDK Associates, a strategic research firm based in New York City. Dr. Klein has designed campaigns for nonprofit organizations and foundations on many varied issues.
Beyond the Usual Suspects
Julia Coffman, from Harvard Family Research Project, describes methods for campaign evaluation that are unique to the communications arena.
Using Information Architecture to Improve Communication
Erin Harris from Harvard Family Research Project with Suzanne Muchin, CEO of Civitas, illustrate the design concept “information architecture” for displaying complex information clearly and simply.