Programmatic Evaluation
Generation Citizen conducts an ongoing, intensive, and iterative impact evaluation of its programs in Providence and Boston, considering effects on both student participant and college mentors.
The following are key statistics from a fall 2009 survey in participating schools in Providence:
- Student diversity: Generation Citizen serves students from historically disadvantaged communities. 98.4% of our participating students are students of color.
- Current events and political knowledge: Generation Citizen increases student awareness about who represents their interests in government. In the initial survey, just over half of students correctly identified the mayor of Providence, less than one-quarter identified the governor of Rhode Island, and when presented with four options, only 14% of students correctly identified both Rhode Island senators. At the end of the semester, this knowledge rose to three-quarters of students naming the mayor, half naming the governor, and 43% currently identifying both RI senators.
- Class participation: Generation Citizen has spillover effects into students’ overall class participation, which in turn is linked with improved academic performance. Before participating in Generation Citizen, 40% of students reported participating twice or more in a typical class period. At the end of a semester’s participation in Generation Citizen, the proportion of students who reported frequent participation in other academic classes increased by almost 150%.
- Civic motivation: Generation Citizen increases student interest in community involvement. Before participating in Generation Citizen, 38% wanted to volunteer in an organization, and only 40% of students reported a desire to volunteer in school. By the end of the semester, more than 50% wanted to volunteer in an organization, and 60% wanted to volunteer at school.
- Further education plans: Generation Citizen encourages participating students to plan on college. In the initial survey, 65% of our students stated that planned to get a college degree or more. By the end of the semester, 80% of Generation Citizen students planned to get a college degree.
The following is an excerpt from an academic paper written by Laurel Stolte, a doctoral candidate at the Harvard Graduate School of Education who has studied Generation Citizen intensively. To download the entire paper, please click here.
By providing students with an authentic context for engaging in civic action, Generation Citizen has the potential to develop the capacity of low-income youth and students of color through the acquisition of civic knowledge, attitudes, behaviors, and skills.
Generation Citizen provides an excellent opportunity to develop civic skills because the real-world application component is more engaging and relevant than other potential applications, such as an in-class test. However, it is critical not to bypass the other steps of skill development; doing so can exacerbate the civic engagement gap. Some (disproportionately White, middle- and upper-class) students may already have had opportunities to observe and practice desired skills through attendance at speeches, meetings, and community events with their families, involvement in extracurricular activities, or other venues. As Delpit (2008) states, “Children who appear to learn the basic skills presented in school quickly typically learn most of them…at home…What we seldom realize is that middle-class parents are masters at ‘direct teaching’ long before their children ever enter school” (p. 128-129). If teachers fail to actually teach civic skills, only the students who have prior experience will be able to apply the skills effectively.
Over a one-semester class, it may be impossible to teach more than two or three skills well. However, only by prioritizing a few skills and working with mentors and teachers to plan for clear demonstration and explanation, scaffolded practice, and real-world application, Generation Citizen can ensure that all students will improve their capacity for civic action.