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Interview data
& other qualitative research.
Keeping our eyes on the ground. |
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We
interview program staff members, program administrators and
random samples of tutors, mentors, pre-service teachers and
youth workers throughout the year to
learn how they're using the Network and to learn how we can
better support the individuals and organizations we serve. We also regularly
receive e-mails and phone calls from Network members sharing
how they're using the Network.
You'll find some of what we heard lately below.
To read
experts' thoughts on the Network, please click
here.
To read
additional, more informal thoughts that organizations we work
with have about
the Network, please click
here.
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The Network is easy to use. |
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"It’s been nice to work with something that’s
so easy."
- Program Coordinator, America Reads at the University of
Pittsburgh
“Once you use it the first time, you just get the hang of
it." - Program Coordinator, North Carolina Literacy Corps |
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The Network saves managers,
administrators, educators and youth workers time. |
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"[The Network is] the
perfect solution for providing tutor support when you have
limited management.... [The Network is] the easiest
way to communicate with them [the tutors]."
- Program Coordinator, America Reads at the University of
Pittsburgh
"[Our coordinator] says we
don't have to do the [paper-based] monthly team report
because the America Learns survey will give them all the
information they need from us, which the team leaders
(including myself) are pleased about." -
Tutor, America Reads - Mississippi
“What’s really convenient is that [America
Learns] is right on target. I don’t have to waste my time
and search and search and say like, ‘Ok, well here they gave
me this really broad resource and now I have to narrow it
down to where my specific problem is.’ You guys are very
specific and that’s exactly what I think is needed for
mentors.” - Mentor, Long Beach BLAST
"The survey data was so
helpful in developing our monthly training sessions. I was
able to address specific needs without having to go through
a tedious email process.... And I have gotten feedback that
the tutors are actually using the resources as well. Now
they can't ever complain that they have nothing to do with
their kids! This has made my job so much easier."
- Program Coordinator, America Reads at the University of
Pittsburgh
"From an administrative perspective, America
Learns has been a dream for us. We are a small nonprofit
with a big job: we have over 500 volunteers mentor and tutor
children every year, in as many as 25 different sites, so
providing our volunteers with timely support is always a big
challenge. America Learns not only allows high quality
support to be provided to all our volunteers on an immediate
basis, but it helps keep us informed as to how we can
provide better training and support. It has proven to be
valuable to our mentors in providing a supportive network
among themselves and others around the country contributing
to children’s learning through volunteerism."
- Director of Evaluation, Long Beach BLAST
"I’m sad to be leaving the program and all of this behind.
It’s been nice to work with something that’s so easy. It’s
something that regardless of whether I’m here or not, I want
it to keep going.” - Outgoing Program Coordinator, America Reads at the University of
Pittsburgh
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The Network
reduces data collection and evaluation workloads, saving more time
and money. |
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"Typically, the staff
spends a total of 220 hours preparing a progress report.
This includes the frequent manual collection, compilation,
and reporting of performance measure data, success stories,
challenges, and other pertinent program and member
information -- very labor intensive and tedious work. Now
with AL, this process is a mouse click away and takes
seconds. And what’s even better--the savings amount is
significant!" - State Program Director, America Reads - Mississippi
"As the program evaluator for BLAST I am also
excited that you have created tools that allow me to
download data specific to BLAST mentors. For example, I can
download data to see how often mentors use various resources
and what types of activities they are doing with children.
Ultimately I can merge these data with other evaluation data
that we currently collect (e.g., student pre- and post
tests, teachers’ reports, etc.). In short, my ability to
track BLAST mentors through America Learns helps me conduct
a more comprehensive evaluation of BLAST."
- Beth Manke, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Cal State Long Beach External Evaluator, Long Beach BLAST
"We have our thumb on the
heartbeat of our program by using this data every week."
- State Program Director, America Reads - Mississippi
“If I had to spend the summer, let’s say I
had this information, but I had to gather it myself and
compile it myself, it would just be mind boggling. And
plus, it probably wouldn’t look as nice or be as easy to
read as America Learns has been.” - Program
Manager, Florida State University |
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Tutors and
mentors love the guidance and support the Network offers. |
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"[With the Network] you put in your goals and you get, right
in front of your face, exactly what you need.”
- Tutor, University of Pittsburgh
“Before I started to get
into America Learns, I had no idea where I would go, what I
would do, what my goals were.” - Mentor, Florida State University
"I am highly impressed,
feel listened to and cared for." - Reading Partner, Koreh L.A.
“The first semester I felt very, very lost.
If I had something like America Learns to back me up, I
wouldn’t have felt so out in the woods, trying to find my
own path on my own…. America Learns gives me a chance to go
and find people and other things that can help me without
feeling like I’m a total idiot because I don’t know what I’m
doing.” - Mentor, Florida State University
"It has really focused
me on what to look for. I think that when you are in the
classroom setting it's hard to remember to pay close
attention to the kids in specific areas because you have to
deal with them on a very broad basis. The Network has
specific questions that really make me think about the kids
and what they need to better help them." - Tutor, Cal Corps Public Service Center at UC Berkeley
“The thing that
distinguishes [America Learns] from others, is that it
actually responds to individual tutors." - Program Director, Florida State University
“It’s given me insight into problems I
haven’t had, and helps me to see issues that I can see
developing in my child. I could problem solve them before
they even arose…. I had a new child, and [compared to my
old child] she presented different characteristics and a
whole new set of problems to deal with. And I actually was
able to use the database because problems that were solved
by other [mentors] helped me with the child I had.”
- Mentor, Florida State University
"America Learns allows
[tutors] to discuss their questions and fully understand the
provided solutions. It humanizes the understanding and
importance of tutoring children." - Tutor, University of Pittsburgh
"I
feel like the mentors feel like there’s a support mechanism
for them. Just having the knowledge of the existence of it
is useful to the mentors."
- Program Coordinator, Dwight Hall Academic Mentoring
Program at Yale
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Programs
feel the Network makes educators and youth workers feel more accountable to their
students. |
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"I think that’s been something that’s been pretty
significant and that I’ve noticed from a lot of the tutors.
They really feel that they are more responsible for the
success of the students they’re working with." - Program Coordinator, America Reads at the University of Pittsburgh |
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Programs
are now able to easily align training workshop content with
their educators' actual, current needs: |
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"Basically, the main
thing is that I’m actually able to get data and feedback
from people, which has always been a problem with this
program. It’s consistently being able to get the tutors to
respond to you, or to get the tutors to share things. So,
that being said, I’ve pretty much formulated our January
training sessions where we’ve had these big issues. Like I
said, behavior was a huge thing, and certain situations like
that, we’re actually having about a two hour period of our
training session where we’re just going to do examples and
hand out situations to our groups and say, "This is the
situation, how would you react?" And a lot of the situations
are coming from the goals and challenges that the tutors had
[recorded in America Learns]. So I think it really helps me
understand what’s going on at the sites, and helps me to
provide more training and more support that’s specific for
what the tutors need. So it’s made my job a lot easier,
because I know that I’m able to get feedback from these
people on a very consistent basis. […] We do have a pretty
high completion rate from the tutors. I am able to get
feedback from them. And it’s hard for them to sometimes, to
come in and say [that they have a challenge]."
- Program Coordinator, America Reads at the University of Pittsburgh
"
I could take a look at these problems immediately, and
center training sessions around some of the issues that were
brought up, because I had all of this data available for
me." - Program Coordinator, North Carolina Literacy Corps (University of
North Carolina - Chapel Hill) |
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Foundations
and board members understand the Network's clear benefits. |
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"America
Learns is one of the best selling points we have with
foundations. They are always so impressed with the level of
support and data the service provides. We couldn't afford to
operate without it." - Executive Director, Long Beach BLAST
"We've
been talking about the [Network] a lot lately with
prospective Board members and funders. Folks are amazed." - Founder & Board Chair, Long Beach BLAST
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Organizations Truly Feel America Learns' Commitment to Providing
Superior Client Support |
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"Your
services and support always amaze me!" - Mentoring Coordinator, Long Beach BLAST
"[Y]ou provide Excellent
Customer Service. You are to be commended. I
now know why your company is expanding the way that it is."
- Mentoring Program Director, Mentoring Partnership
for Los Angeles Youth
"It is
hard to believe [America Learns] is far away in
California—because everyone time I call [they] answer right
away and every time I send an email, [they] answer right
away. His customer service is the best!
- State
Program Director, America Reads - Mississippi
"Thanks for continuously
upgrading your services so that our mentors can have quality
support!"
- Mentoring Coordinator,
Long Beach BLAST
"You’re
amazing. You’re totally available to us what feels like
24/7, which shouldn’t be the case."
- From the
director of an organization we work with in Massachusetts
"Thanks for your help today and ALWAYS!"
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AmeriCorps Program Director, ShoreCorps/Pals at Salisbury
University
"[Y]ou are so helpful all the time-- I really appreciate
it."
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AmeriCorps
Program Coordinator, ShoreCorps/Pals at Salisbury
University
"I think the support is excellent." - Program Coordinator, America Reads at the University of Pittsburgh |
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To read
experts' thoughts on the Network, please click
here.
To read
additional, more informal thoughts organizations we work
with have about
the Network, please click
here.
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