The Midnight Basketball Program & Summer Wheelchair Sports Camps

Scenario 1:

The Midnight Basketball Program

You are Director of Programming for a local gymnasium. Your gym has recently extended its hours to offer a Midnight Basketball program. The program is intended to reduce gang activity by providing an alternative late-night engagement for teen and pre-teen boys and girls, and by fostering mentoring relationships between the adults who coach and the boys and girls who participate. It is supported by a grant from a local philanthropic organization. The grant has been provided for three years, but in order for it to be renewed, the philanthropic organization wants evidence that it is making a difference – that is, that the program is keeping participants out of gangs, and is thereby helping to reduce gang activity. In order to determine whether or not it is worthwhile for your program to continue, the philanthropic organization wants to know what effects your program is having, and how substantial those effects are.

Each question worth 9 points.

1. In this case, would you conduct an evaluation or research? Why? Also, what would you choose as the criteria/research questions for your evaluation/research? (be specific when justifying your answer)

2. What kinds of evidence are likely to be most informative about the effectiveness of the midnight basketball program?

3. How would you get that evidence? What data are required?

Scenario 2:

Summer Wheelchair Sports Camps at the University of Illinois

The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (Dr. Jaesung An’s Alma Mater) is hosting Summer Wheelchair Sports Camps [ http://www.disability.illinois.edu/camps]. The major goal of the Summer Wheelchair Sports Camps is the development and improvement of wheelchair sports. It is reasonable to suggest, however, that the individual and social benefits of participation in these camps extend far beyond the scope suggested in the aforementioned goal. These experiences may have transformational and empowering potential and may teach adolescents about life as much as about sports.

In the Summer Wheelchair Sports Camps, youth (12-19 years old) may acquire not only technical skills (e.g., techniques of wheelchair maintenance and its capabilities) and sports skills (e.g., wheelchair basketball skills or track skills), but also individual skills (e.g., developing or enhancing self-confidence, self-efficacy, and resilience) and social skills (e.g., interpersonal communications and teamwork).

The Summer Wheelchair Sports Camps are tailored to foster fun and recreation as well as to contribute to self-growth of developing athletes and personalities. Therefore, among potential benefits of the Summer Wheelchair Sports Camps, there might be a sense of transformation, activeness, fun, reduced anxiety and pressure, experience of accessibility, a sense of safety and fitting in, understanding and acceptance, leadership and friendship.

At this point, however, these assumptions have not been empirically investigated as related to the Summer Wheelchair Sports Camps at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. You are hired to conduct evaluation research for this program.

Each question worth 11 points.

1. Among the reasons for evaluation discussed in class, please pick at least 2 that best matches with this scenario and justify your choice.

2. Of the 5 evaluation models learned in class, which model(s) would you choose to conduct evaluation for this program? Why?

3. Write a detailed outline of your evaluation plan. Please make sure to consider the model(s) you decided to follow. (hint: some questions from scenario #1 may be useful to incorporate: criteria, evidence)

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