Learn the skills you need to succeed. Camping Magazine is your primary source for the most recent trends in the camp industry, the latest research in the field of youth development, critical management tools, and innovative programming ideas. September/October 2010 articles address education, research, history, 2020 Toolbox, and much more.
Join more than 1,500 of your colleagues, presenters, and exhibiting personnel at the 2011 National Conference in San Diego. Fourplus packed days of quality education, social and issuesbased networking, professional trade-show access, and special events are designed to boost your professional development.
Children and youth need a community that: encourages achievement and builds self-esteem; promotes healthy lifestyles, fitness, and activity; teaches in a classroom without walls; instills appreciation, respect, and responsibility for the natural world around them; and inspires the confidence and courage to become the leaders of tomorrow.
Learn the skills you need to succeed. Camping Magazine is your primary source for the most recent trends in the camp industry, the latest research in the field of youth development, critical management tools, and innovative programming ideas. September/October 2010 articles address education, research, history, 2020 Toolbox, and much more.
Join more than 1,500 of your colleagues, presenters, and exhibiting personnel at the 2011 National Conference in San Diego. Fourplus packed days of quality education, social and issuesbased networking, professional trade-show access, and special events are designed to boost your professional development.
Children and youth need a community that: encourages achievement and builds self-esteem; promotes healthy lifestyles, fitness, and activity; teaches in a classroom without walls; instills appreciation, respect, and responsibility for the natural world around them; and inspires the confidence and courage to become the leaders of tomorrow.
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Youth Camp Outcomes
Battery Using ACA's Youth
Camp Outcomes Battery
Why were these tools constructed?
Many camp professionals are faced with the challenge of proving that they meet
their program goals. The following tools—designed with camp professionals
in mind—are:
What outcomes can I measure?
These tools focus on seven outcomes common
to many camp programs. They include questions
that ask if the camp experience has helped
campers develop:
Friendship
Skills (i.e.,
make friends and maintain relationships)
Independence (i.e.,
rely less on adults and other people
for solving problems and for their
day-to-day activities)
Teamwork (i.e.,
become more effective when working
in groups of their peers)
Family
Citizenship (i.e.,
encourage attributes important to
being a member of a family)
Perceived
Competence (i.e.,
believe that they can be successful
in the things they do)
Interest
in Exploration (i.e.,
be more curious, inquisitive, eager
to learn new things)
Responsibility (i.e.,
learn to be accountable for their own
actions and mistakes)
What are my choices for types of questionnaires?
All of the questionnaires are age-appropriate measures that allow camp directors
to choose the most relevant outcomes. One version was developed for 6-9 year
olds called Camper Learning. Two versions were constructed for 10-17 year olds:
Basic Camp Outcomes Questionnaires and Detailed Camp
Outcomes Questionnaires.
Camper
Learning Survey
Best
for campers 6-9 years old
Staff help the
campers do the survey
Only 14 total
questions that combine the 7 outcomes
appropriately for young children into
one survey
Uses an easy
4 point Likert scale
Basic
Camp Outcomes Questionnaires
For campers
who are 10-17 years old (works especially
well for 13-17 year olds)
Questionnaires
measure gains through the camp experience
Seven
separate questionnaires that can be mixed
and matched based upon the intentional
efforts
Uses an easy
5 point Likert scale
Quick and easy
to give (each of the seven questionnaires
generally has 6-14 questions)
Detailed
Camp Outcomes Questionnaires
For campers
who are 10-17, but works especially well
for 13-17 year olds
Questionnaires
measure gains through the camp experience,
plus how much of that gain was due specifically
to camp
Seven
separate questionnaires that can be mixed
and matched based upon the intentional
efforts
Uses an easy
6 point Likert scale
Takes longer
to give because each question has two
parts
Each of the
seven individual outcome questionnaires
have between 6-14 questions
How do I analyze the data?
Microsoft Excel templates have been designed for use with these questionnaires
(available early June). The following steps detail their use:
Download
the template for whatever version chosen
onto your computer (requires Excel)
Read the instruction
sheet (notice the tabs on the bottom
of the Excel page)
Go to the
tab for the outcome(s) selected
Enter the data
Generate
a report with the tables and charts.
You can always do
your own analysis through Excel or other
statistical packages.
Can I change the questionnaires?
With the exception of the demographics questions,
none of the individual questions can be altered.
The statistical tests showed that these questions
are the best predictors for that particular
outcome. However, you are encouraged to add
your own demographic questions (i.e., session,
program, race/ethnicity, etc) to the basic
list provided.
Steps to follow to use the Camper Outcomes
questionnaires
Read the background information about
the tools.
Decide which version you want to use-
click on the link to that folder.
Click and print the instructions for
staff.
Click and print the instruction for campers.
Click and print the outcome(s) questionnaire(s).
Click and print the demographics questions
(feel free to add your own).
If you want to combine several questionnaires
into a larger survey or possibly combine
with other evaluation measures, just cut
and paste to make a survey that includes
demographic questions or other questions
specific to your camp. [Note: Please
remember to acknowledge ACA by including
the copyright information.]
Make as many copies of the survey as
you need.
Give the survey to your campers (usually
the second to the last day is good timing).
Enter the data on the template tool provided
at this website.
Generate your report.
Share your information
with your key stakeholders (staff, Board,
funders, etc).
Learn the skills you need to succeed. Camping Magazine is your primary source for the most recent trends in the camp industry, the latest research in the field of youth development, critical management tools, and innovative programming ideas. September/October 2010 articles address education, research, history, 2020 Toolbox, and much more.
Join more than 1,500 of your colleagues, presenters, and exhibiting personnel at the 2011 National Conference in San Diego. Fourplus packed days of quality education, social and issuesbased networking, professional trade-show access, and special events are designed to boost your professional development.
Children and youth need a community that: encourages achievement and builds self-esteem; promotes healthy lifestyles, fitness, and activity; teaches in a classroom without walls; instills appreciation, respect, and responsibility for the natural world around them; and inspires the confidence and courage to become the leaders of tomorrow.
