Application of an Education Research Lab (ERL) Model to a Community Sailing Program

This presentation showcases the application of a university-based education research lab (ERL) model to the evaluation of a community sailing program for individuals with disabilities. Presenters conceptualize the ERL model as a mutually beneficial relationship between universities and community education agencies. This paper presents an example of community-based research (Centre for Community-based Research, n.d.) being conducted by faculty and students within an education research lab (ERL) model (Starratt, Goodletty, Fredotovic, Auguste, & Shure, 2014). Within the model, the purpose of the ERL is threefold: (a) to provide training and experience in research and evaluation for university students (Liu & Breit, 2013), (b) to provide access to data and research opportunities for faculty to engage in meaningful scholarship (Boyer, 1996), and (c) to provide service to the community in the form of pro bono research and evaluation services to meet the needs of local agencies (Sadler, Larson, Bouregy, LaPaglia, & Bridger, 2012). Consistent with the tenets of community-based research (Patton, 2011) and the General Evaluation Model (McNeil, Newman, & Steinhauser, 2005), ERLs are guided by research agendas that are cooperatively developed by all stakeholder partners. These research agendas are determined by community need and driven by faculty researcher interest and expertise (Jensen, Hoagwood, & Trickett, 1999). The reciprocal, beneficial nature of this model, as well as the synergy created by the authentic and continuous collaboration among all partners, enhance both value and quality of the work (Starratt et al, 2014). An example of this model and partnership in practice will be explained through the description of one such collaboration between faculty and students from a private, religious nonprofit university and a community sailing program for youth with special needs. In this case, faculty work on a pro bono basis, while evaluation funds provide a modest tuition stipend for the student research assistant. The Community Program The community sailing program targeted in the current project is designed to offer affordable, fully integrated, and accessible sailing lessons to individuals with disabilities. The program primarily targets individuals with developmental and physical disabilities residing in a South Florida community, but is also available for veterans groups and youth (ages 10-18) from lowincome families and the foster-care system. Sailboats are designed to be fully accessible, safe, and modifiable, allowing the program to accommodate individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder, Cerebral Palsy, Downs Syndrome, Multiple Sclerosis, mental handicap, hearing impairment, vision impairment, and various types of physical disabilities. This program is the only one in the target community to offer affordable sailing lessons, along with environmental education to low-income and/or special needs populations. Establishing the Community-Based Research Relationship The program administrator contacted ERL faculty with a request for technical and evaluation support during expansion of the program to serve participants with Autism Spectrum Disorder. The expansion was funded by a small foundation grant, which included funds for an evaluation component. With the agreement of the program leader, the faculty researcher, who has expertise in quantitative research methods and program evaluation, sought out other education researchers and students who had expertise in other areas that would be beneficial to this project. For example, in this case the research team includes faculty in education research, counseling, school psychology, as well as a doctoral counseling student with experience as a rehabilitation counselor working with persons with special needs. Together the team has research skills in quantitative methods, qualitative methods, and program evaluation, ensuring the ability to meet the community-education agency research and evaluation needs. In collaboration with the program administrator, the research team convened to develop a plan to evaluate the effectiveness of the sailing program in meeting its goal to expand its services to provide affordable sailing lessons to individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder, a group not previously targeted by the program. During the evaluation, which is ongoing, the researchers seek to answer three global research questions. What is the fidelity of implementation of the various components of the sailing program for participants with Autism Spectrum Disorder? What is the relationship between the various components of the initiative and participant outcomes? What are the perceptions of staff and participants regarding the effectiveness of the program? During the first phase of this ongoing evaluation process, the researchers conducted a preliminary assessment to document program activities to inform the evaluation plan and serve as the foundation for future reporting. A set of objectives was identified to guide the evaluation. • To determine whether the sailing program is reaching its intended population. • To describe program participants’ perceptions of the program. • To provide program administrators with the information necessary to engage in program improvement and better meet the needs of the target population. • To provide feedback to funding agencies regarding the progress that the sailing program has made toward its stated objectives. In order to measure progress toward the stated objectives, a key component of this stage of the evaluation included the development of an instrument to collect both caregiver and participant feedback on their experiences with the program. The following sections articulate the application of the ERL model with the community sailing program, the building and maintaining of this relationship, the development of the evaluation plan, creation of feedback instruments, observations of program activities, training of staff to administer feedback instruments, and creation and dissemination of interim evaluation reports to the funding entities. Future directions for this ongoing partnership are also discussed. Student Training in Research and Evaluation With one of the primary goals of the ERL to provide hands-on research experience for students, the three faculty researchers identified a doctoral student in the Counseling program with relevant background in rehabilitation counseling, and approached her with an invitation to participate in the research. At the point at which the student agreed to participate, the fiscal relationship was established between the community agency and the university grants office to allow the student to receive a modest tuition stipend paid through evaluation funds from a small foundation grant obtained by the community sailing program. Consistent with other graduate assistantships, the student logs contracted hours and submits timesheets. Through her expertise in working with individuals with special needs, the student researcher was able to advise faculty members, the program leader, and program staff about appropriate terminology and techniques utilized when working with individuals with special needs. In addition, the student further developed valuable research, technical, and scholarly skills through engagement in research and evaluation design, developing Institutional Review Board (IRB) documents, applying research methodology, gathering and analyzing data, academic writing skills, and grant reporting skills, making this experience vital to her doctoral career. The opportunity to apply her professional expertise within this research project also empowered the student to proactively respond to a community need utilizing her level of expertise and professional and personal experiences. Additionally, the research experience on this project provided the student an opportunity to meet one of her doctoral program graduation requirements. This requirement states that each student must submit either a scholarly paper to a counseling or counseling-related journal or a workshop proposal to a state, national, or international counseling or counseling-related conference.