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www.HFRP.org

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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Featured Teaching Case: After School for Cindy

Harvard Family Research Project’s Teaching Cases support teacher training and professional development by highlighting challenges that schools, families, and communities may encounter in supporting children’s learning. In this month’s FINE newsletter, we feature After School for Cindy, which explores the roles that family members, school staff, and community organizations play in one child’s out-of-school time and demonstrates the importance of family engagement across learning contexts.

Harvard Family Research Project (August 2009) Research Report

Federal Collaborations: Bringing Authentic STEM Experiences to High-Need Communities Through the Nation’s Largest Out-of-School Program

Ellen Lettvin from the U.S. Department of Education highlights how the 21st Century Community Learning Centers program is collaborating with various federal agencies to bring STEM into out-of-school time learning.

Ellen E. Lettvin (June 10, 2015) Research Report

Federal Funding in Out-of School Time With Accountability Requirements and Evaluations

These Web documents were produced by HFRP as part of its initial efforts to “map” the out-of-school time field, and detail federal funding streams for out-of-school time programs and related programming alongside their accountability requirements and evaluations. A summary section offers a narrative description of each funding stream. Funding streams are classified as major or minor depending on the amount of money they make available for out-of-school time efforts.

Harvard Family Research Project (2000) Research Report

Free. Available online only.

Finding the Right Hook: Strategies for Attracting and Sustaining Participation in After-School Programs

This article offers promising recruitment and retention strategies to school administrators seeking to boost participation rates in their school-based after school programs.

Sherri Lauver , Priscilla M. D. Little (May 2005) Research Report

Finding Time Together: Families, Schools, and Communities Supporting Anywhere, Anytime Learning

How do families spend time supporting their children’s informal and formal learning beyond the school day and across settings? Find out how educators and institutions are helping families promote their children’s learning experiences anytime, in school and beyond.

Christine Patton and Margaret Caspe (September 17, 2014) Research Report

Findings From HFRP's Study of Predictors of Participation in Out-of-School Time Activities: Fact Sheet

This Fact Sheet summarizes findings and implications from HFRP's recently completed Study of Predictors of Participation in OST Activities. With funding from the W.T. Grant Foundation, we examined the child, family, school, and neighborhood predictors of children's participation in OST activities, paying special attention to disadvantaged youth.

Harvard Family Research Project (April 2007) Research Report

Free. Available online only.

Five Professional Development Resources That Promote Family Engagement

When organizations invest in developing the competencies of its professionals to engage families everyone benefits. To help accomplish this we share five of our favorite resources on professional development in family engagement along with tips on why they work.

Laura Alves (December 11, 2014) Research Report

Focus on Families! How to Build and Support Family-Centered Practices in After School

This comprehensive, easy-to-read guide to understanding how to engage families in after school programs is a critical resource for after school providers looking to create or expand an existing family engagement program. It offers a research base for why family engagement matters, concrete program strategies for engaging families, case studies of promising family engagement efforts, and an evaluation tool for improving family engagement practices.

Zenub Kakli , Holly Kreider, Priscilla Little, Tania Buck, Maryellen Coffrey (February 2006) Research Report

Free. 48 Pages.

Framing Program Evaluation: Why We Should Tinker With Theories of Change and Logic Models

While evaluation needs may vary, all organizations can benefit from utilizing theory-based evaluation tools to frame evaluation efforts. This article explores how three organizations developed their program’s theory of change and logic model.

Carolina Buitrago (November 19, 2015) Research Report

Harnessing Technology in Out-of-School Time Settings

This Snapshot reviews the role of technology in OST programs, highlighting the evaluation methods and findings about implementation and youth outcomes.

Christopher Wimer , Billy Hull, Suzanne Bouffard (January 2006) Research Report

Free. 8 Pages.

Health and Sports/Recreation Program Evaluations

The Harvard Family Research Project (HFRP) Out-of-School Time Program Evaluation Bibliography and Out-of-School Time Program Research and Evaluation Database both provide information on evaluations that have been conducted on sports/recreation and health-related out-of-school time (OST) programs, among other categories.

Erin Harris (March 2005) Research Report

Helping Older Youth Succeed Through Expanded Learning Opportunities

In the first brief in our ELO Research, Policy, and Practice series with the National Conference of State Legislatures, we examine the benefits of expanded learning opportunities (ELOs) for older youth as well as the policy implications of recent research. Helping Older Youth Succeed Through Expanded Learning Opportunities provides examples of positive youth outcomes, common characteristics of high quality programs and initiatives, and policy recommendations based on these findings.

Erin Harris , Sarah Deschenes, & Ashley Wallace (August 2011) Research Report

How Organizations Provide Learning Opportunities for Children and Families

Read about how organizations—including early childhood programs, schools, afterschool programs, museums, and libraries—play a key role in helping families access resources, build social networks, and create learning mindsets.

Margaret Caspe and M. Elena Lopez (December 11, 2014) Research Report

Improve Family Involvement in After School Programs

Growing evidence tells us that parent involvement in after school programs can make a difference in children's lives, as well as benefit families, schools, and after school programs themselves. This article by Ellen Mayer and Holly M. Kreider draws from research conducted by HFRP in partnership with Build the Out-of-School Time Network and the United Way of Massachusetts Bay. It describes four strategies for engaging elementary school families in after school programs and provides examples of promising practices from family-focused programs serving ethnically diverse families. The article also offers implications for parents and parent leaders as they select and design after school programs.

Ellen Mayer , Holly M. Kreider (October/November 2006) Research Report

Joining Forces: Families and Out-of-School Programs as Partners in Supporting Children’s Learning and Development

Harvard Family Research Project’s Senior Research Analysts Heidi Rosenberg, Erin Harris, and Shani Wilkes explore how the relationship between families and afterschool is shifting from a focus on increasing afterschool program participation toward a focus on parents’ supporting children’s learning and development in afterschool settings.

Heidi Rosenberg , Erin Harris, Shani Wilkes (June 28, 2012) Research Report

Learning for All: The Value of Field Experience in Training a New Generation of Program Evaluators

Field experience in evaluation inquiry is a promising approach to preparing the next generation of evaluators. Learn what one group of student consultants and organizations did to make a field experience in evaluative inquiry a positive one.

Carolina Buitrago with Sunindiya Bhalla, Nomi Davidson, Sarah Davila, Anairis Hinojosa, Babe Liberman, and Katie Tosh (December 3, 2015) Research Report

Learning From Logic Models in Out-of-School Time

This brief offers an in-depth review of logic models and how to construct them. A logic model can be a powerful tool for illustrating a program's theory of change to program staff, partners, funders, and evaluators. Moreover, a completed logic model provides a point of reference against which progress towards achievement of desired outcomes can be measured on an ongoing basis, both through performance measurement and evaluation.

Harvard Family Research Project (2002) Research Report

Free. Available online only.

Learning from Small-Scale Experimental Evaluations of After School Programs

This Snapshot reviews small-scale experimental evaluations of after school programs, highlighting these studies' evaluation strategies and results.

Christopher Wimer (May 2006) Research Report

Free. 8 Pages.

Leave Them Wanting More!: Engaging Youth in Afterschool

Afterschool programs are a powerful influence in the lives of young people, but their benefits can only be realized if youth are engaged. This commentary explores the different dimensions of youth engagement in afterschool programs and offers promising practices for those seeking to promote and foster youth engagement.

M. Elena Lopez (May 20, 2015) Research Report

Lessons From Museums and Libraries: Five Ways to Address Families’ Digital Learning Needs

Culture expert Marsha L. Semmel notes that museums and libraries are increasing their offerings for families in support of such vital 21st-century learning skills as problem solving, digital media literacy, and creativity. Learn how these institutions play important roles in addressing our children’s digital learning needs.

 

Marsha L. Semmel (April 24, 2014) Research Report

Leveraging Resources to Promote Positive School-CBO Relationships

This article in the Spring 2004 edition of Afterschool Matters (pp. 15–23) uses information in our Out-of-School Time Program Research and Evaluation Database to examine how community-based organizations and schools can work together to build and leverage resources in creating successful after school programming.

Christopher Wimer , Margaret Post, Priscilla M. D. Little (Spring 2004) Research Report

Libraries Engaging Families: Reflections From the Public Library Association’s President

Public Library Association (PLA) president Felton Thomas Jr. writes about the importance of public libraries in engaging families, and how PLA and Harvard Family Research Project have begun a journey together to support libraries in this work.

Felton Thomas, Jr. (August 9, 2016) Research Report

MAKESHOP: Family Engagement in Exploration, Creativity, and Innovation

Jane Werner and Lisa Brahms, from the Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh, discuss the Museum’s innovative MAKESHOP studio space, which invites children and families to co-create projects and transforms the traditional museum visit experience.

Jane Werner , Lisa Brahms (June 28, 2012) Research Report

Measurement Tools for Evaluating Out-of-School Time Programs: An Evaluation Resource

This Snapshot describes instruments used by current out-of-school time programs to evaluate their implementation and outcomes.

Christopher Wimer , Suzanne Bouffard, Priscilla M.D. Little, Claire Brown Goss (November 2005, updated August 2008) Research Report

Free. Available online only.

Measurement Tools for Evaluating Out-of-School Time Programs: An Evaluation Resource

As part of HFRP's continuing effort to help practitioners and evaluators choose appropriate evaluation methods, this guide describes measurement tools and assessments that can be obtained and used for on-the-ground program evaluation. Whether you are conducting first-time internal evaluations or large-scale national studies, these evaluation instruments can be used to assess the characteristics and outcomes of your programs, staff, and participants, and to collect other key information.

Evelyn Brosi (October 2011) Research Report

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Published by Harvard Family Research Project