When afterschool programs have positive relationships with school-day personnel, families, community members, and between and among program staff and students, these programs are more likely to thrive. This brief explores how afterschool practitioners can build strong relationships that benefit all stakeholders and improve program quality. ...
Afterschool leaders know all too well the many challenges involved in managing, organizing, and operating a high-quality program. A Practitioner's Guide: Building and Managing Quality Afterschool Programs shares the insights of the National Partnership for Quality Afterschool Learning (the National Partnership) as well as information about both the academic and ...
AIR conducted a literature review to synthesize the results of studies published since 2008 that examined the degree to which 21st Century Learning Centers have an impact on participating youth.
In partnership with the Campbell Collaboration and Makerere University, AIR is conducting a scoping review to examine the evidence base and evidence gaps on women’s groups in Uganda.
As a principal researcher at AIR, Emily Elstad leads teams in conducting health behavior and health services research projects. Dr. Elstad is an expert in patient-provider communication and qualitative and mixed methods. Her research has focused on understanding and optimizing patient-provider decision making, including health information seeking and receipt of ...
Mary Kay Dugan is a managing technical assistant consultant at AIR. She is passionate about identifying evidence-based promising practices and translating them into policies and effective programs focused on underserved populations including disadvantaged youth and young adults. Dugan has over 30 years of experience helping federal, state, and local governments ...
John Spence is a senior technical assistance consultant at AIR. He has over 17 years of experience directing large-scale initiatives in public education with a solid track record of expanding operations, initiating and maintaining strategic partnerships, managing technical assistance and professional development for educators, developing and sustaining meaningful relationships with ...
Both the formal and informal education communities are increasingly focused on fostering opportunities for social and emotional learning (SEL) and the link between SEL and youth outcomes. This self-reflection tool is designed to help afterschool program staff reflect upon their own social and emotional competencies and their ability to support ...
The Plan, Do, Study, Act Process is central to the improvement of instructional routines. Watch one of the Better Math Teaching Network members in real time and in a real classroom setting introduce the Plan, Do, Study, Act, or PDSA, process.
A quality recess is one that is safe, engaging, and empowering. Since 2017, Playworks and a team from AIR have partnered to learn more about how effective recess teams drive strong quality and recess outcomes. Currently they are conducting a study with support from the Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation ...