Acquisition of Knowledge and Skills in an Online Graduate Degree in Youth Development Leadership

Authors

  • William H. Quinn Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism Management; Clemson University https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1304-8997
  • Edmond P. Bowers Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism Management; Clemson University
  • Parisa Hadiandehkordi Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism Management; Clemson University
  • Barry A. Garst Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism Management; Clemson University

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.5195/jyd.2021.1098

Keywords:

online graduate education, youth professional, youth leader, workforce, higher education

Abstract

As the youth development field has grown, there has been an increased focus on building academic preparation programs in youth development that prepare leaders and staff in youth-serving organizations. Very few degree programs exist in preparing youth leaders. Even fewer, if any, evaluations have been conducted on the potential outcomes and benefits of graduate degree programs on alumni who serve in leadership positions in youth organizations. This study presents findings from a survey of graduates of a master’s level youth development leadership (YDL) degree program. The findings focus on graduates’ perceptions of the outcomes linked to attaining a degree from such a program and associated competencies and opportunities in the field of youth development. Questionnaires were distributed to YDL alumni (2007-2018) requesting their perspectives on professional benefits and opportunities associated with degree completion. Respondents reported a statistically significant increase (reaching medium to large effect sizes) in relevant competencies targeted in each course. Additionally, respondents noted opportunities in salary increases, promotions, and more challenging responsibilities because of completion of the YDL program; rated their level of application of learning to new professional skills applied to their professional positions highly; and identified products created in their professional positions directly related to their academic preparation. A discussion of the value of youth development degree programs is provided.

Author Biography

William H. Quinn, Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism Management; Clemson University

Professor and Coordinator of Youth Development Programs

Dept. of Parks, Recreation, and Tourism Management

Clemson University

References

Arnold, M. E., & Rennekamp, R. A. (2020). A Time Like No Other: 4-H Youth Development and COVID-19. Journal of Extension, 58(3), v58-3comm1.

Borden, L., Ballard, J., Michi-Petzing, L., Conn, M., Mull, C. D., & Wilkens, M. (2020). Foundations for the future: Building an integrated cohesive field of youth development. Journal of Youth Development, 15(1) 266-286.

Borden, L. M., Craig, D. L., & Villarruel, F. A. (2004). Professionalizing youth development: The role of higher education. New directions for youth development, 2004(104), 75-85.

Borden, L. M., & Perkins, D. F. (2006). Community youth development professionals: Providing the necessary supports in the United States. Child and Youth Care Forum, 35(2) 101-158.

Borden, L. M., Schlomer, G. M., & Wiggs, C. B. (2011). The evolving role of youth workers. Journal of Youth Development, 6 (3) 126-138. (http//doi.org/10.5195/jyd2011.179)

Cohen, J. (1992). A power primer. Psychological bulletin, 112(1), 155.

Curry, D., Eckles, F., Stuart, C., Schneider-Muñoz, A. J., & Qaqish, B. (2013). National certification for child and youth workers: Does it make a difference? Children and Youth Services Review, 35(11), 1795–1800. (https://doi.org/10.1016/j.childyouth.2013.08.005)

Dymnicki, A. B, LeMenestrel, S., Boyd, M. J., Lauxman, L., Oberlander, E., & Osher, D. M. (2016). Developing a federal research agenda for positive youth development. Identifying gaps, in the field and an effective consensus building approach. Journal of Youth Development, 11(1), 5-19. (https://doi.org/10.5195/jyd.2016.430)

Ettekal, A. V., & Agans, J. P. (2020). Positive youth development through leisure: Confronting the COVID-19 pandemic. Journal of Youth Development, 15(2), 1-20.

Garst, B., Bowers, E., Quinn, W., & Gagnon, R. J. (2016). Building pathways from research to practice: Preparing youth development professionals through an online master’s degree program. In K.M. Pozzoboni and B. Kirshner (Eds.), The changing landscape of youth work: Theory and practice for an evolving field (pp. 91-108). Information Age.

Garst, B., Bowers, E., Quinn, W., & Weston, K. (2021). Benefits and challenges of a blended online youth development graduate degree program. American Journal of Distance Education, 1-15. (http://doi.org/10.1080/08923647.2020.1829438)

Garst, B., Hunnings, J., Jamison, K., Hairston, J., & Meadows, B. (2007). Development of a comprehensive new 4-H extension agents training program utilizing a multi-module approach and the 4-H professional research, knowledge, and competencies. Journal of Extension, 44(6). (www.joe.org/joe/2007february/a3.php)

Garst, B., Weston, K., Bowers, E., & Quinn, W. (2019). Fostering youth leader credibility: Professional, organizational, and community impacts associated with completion of an online master's degree in youth development leadership. Children and Youth Services Review, 96, 1-9. (http://doi.org/10.1016/j.childyouth.2018.11.019)

Helitzer, D., Hollis, C., de Hernandez, B. U., Sanders, M., Roybal, S., & Van Deusen, I. (2010). Evaluation for community-based programs: The integration of logic models and factor analysis. Evaluation and Program Planning, 33(3), 223-233.

Hseih, H. F., & Shannon, S. E. (2005). Three approaches to qualitative content analysis. Qualitative Health Research, 15(9), 1277-1288. (https://doi/10.1177/1049732305276687)

Lee, S. J., Srinivasan, S., Trail, T., Lewis, D., & Lopez, S. (2011). Examining the relationship among student perception of support, course satisfaction, and learning outcomes in online learning. The Internet and Higher Education, 14(3), 158-163. (https://doi.org/10.1016/j.iheduc.2011.04.001)

Mahoney, J. L & Warner, G. (2014) Issue editor’s notes. New Directions for Youth Development. 144, 1-10. (https://doi.org/10.1002/yd.20108)

McNamara, A. R., Akiva, T., & Delale-O’Connor, L. (2020). Opportunity gaps in out-of-school learning: How structural and process features of programs relate to race and socioeconomic status. Applied Developmental Science, 24(4), 360-375.

Millar, A., Simeone, R. S., & Carnevale, J. T. (2001). Logic models: A systems tool for performance management. Evaluation and program planning, 24(1), 73-81.

National Afterschool Association. (2011). Core knowledge and competencies for afterschool and youth development professionals. (http://naaweb.org/images/PDFs/NAA_CKC_Blue_Cover.pdf)

Quinn, W., Garst, B., Bowers, E., & Weston, K. (2020). Advancing academic pathways for building capacity in the youth development profession. Journal of Youth Development, 15(1), 150- 164. (http://doi.org/10.5195/jyd.2020.814)

Radhakrishna, R., & Ewing, J. C. (2011). Relationships between 4-H volunteer leader competencies and skills youth learn in 4-H programs. Journal of Extension, 49(4), 1-9.

Robideau, K., & Santl, K. (2020). Youth work matters: Online professional development for youth workers. Journal of Youth Development, 15(1), 70-78.

Shenton, A. K. (2004). Strategies for ensuring trustworthiness in qualitative research projects. Education for Information, 22, 63-75. (https://doi.org/10.3233/EFI-2004-22201)

Shockley, C., & Thompson, A. (2012). Youth workers in college: A replicable model for professional development. Children and Youth Services Review, 34, 735-739.

Simpkins, S. D., Riggs, N. R., Ngo, B. Vest Ettekal, A., & Okamoto, D. (2017). Designing culturally responsive organized after-school activities. Journal of Adolescent Research, 32(1) 11-36. (http://doi.org/10.1177/0743558416666169)

Smith, J., & Soule, K. E. (2016). Incorporating cultural competence & youth program volunteers: A literature review. Journal of Youth Development, 11(1), 20-34.

Starr, B., Yohalem, N., & Gannett, E. (2009). Youth work core competencies: A review of existing frameworks and purposes. Next Generation Youth Work Coalition.

Stein, J. A., Wood, E., Walker, J. A., Kimball, E. M., Outley, C. W., & Baizerman, M. (2005). The youth development leadership experience: Transformative, reflective education for youthwork practitioners. Child and Youth Care Forum, 34(4), 303–325.

Vance, F. (2010). A comparative analysis of competency frameworks for youth workers in the out-of-school time field. In Child & Youth Care Forum, 39(6), 421-441.

Downloads

Published

2021-12-14

Issue

Vol. 16 No. 5 (2021)

Section

Research & Evaluation Studies

License

Authors who publish with this journal agree to the following terms:

  1. The Author retains copyright in the Work, where the term “Work” shall include all digital objects that may result in subsequent electronic publication or distribution.
  2. Upon acceptance of the Work, the author shall grant to the Publisher the right of first publication of the Work.
  3. The Author shall grant to the Publisher and its agents the nonexclusive perpetual right and license to publish, archive, and make accessible the Work in whole or in part in all forms of media now or hereafter known under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License or its equivalent, which, for the avoidance of doubt, allows others to copy, distribute, and transmit the Work under the following conditions:
    1. Attribution—other users must attribute the Work in the manner specified by the author as indicated on the journal Web site;
    with the understanding that the above condition can be waived with permission from the Author and that where the Work or any of its elements is in the public domain under applicable law, that status is in no way affected by the license.
  4. The Author is able to enter into separate, additional contractual arrangements for the nonexclusive distribution of the journal's published version of the Work (e.g., post it to an institutional repository or publish it in a book), as long as there is provided in the document an acknowledgement of its initial publication in this journal.
  5. Authors are permitted and encouraged to post online a prepublication manuscript (but not the Publisher’s final formatted PDF version of the Work) in institutional repositories or on their Websites prior to and during the submission process, as it can lead to productive exchanges, as well as earlier and greater citation of published work. Any such posting made before acceptance and publication of the Work shall be updated upon publication to include a reference to the Publisher-assigned DOI (Digital Object Identifier) and a link to the online abstract for the final published Work in the Journal.
  6. Upon Publisher’s request, the Author agrees to furnish promptly to Publisher, at the Author’s own expense, written evidence of the permissions, licenses, and consents for use of third-party material included within the Work, except as determined by Publisher to be covered by the principles of Fair Use.
  7. The Author represents and warrants that:
    1. the Work is the Author’s original work;
    2. the Author has not transferred, and will not transfer, exclusive rights in the Work to any third party;
    3. the Work is not pending review or under consideration by another publisher;
    4. the Work has not previously been published;
    5. the Work contains no misrepresentation or infringement of the Work or property of other authors or third parties; and
    6. the Work contains no libel, invasion of privacy, or other unlawful matter.
  8. The Author agrees to indemnify and hold Publisher harmless from Author’s breach of the representations and warranties contained in Paragraph 6 above, as well as any claim or proceeding relating to Publisher’s use and publication of any content contained in the Work, including third-party content.

Revised 7/16/2018. Revision Description: Removed outdated link.