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Build a (Better) Global Afterschool Program
The Global Learning in Afterschool Self-Assessment Tool serves as a guide for programs that wish to bolster their program design, environment, activities, and policies to build global competence in youth. It can be used for guiding preliminary discussions on global learning in afterschool as much as it can be used as a measurement on progress to date.
The tool helps stakeholders assess programs in eight domains. Within each domain are quality indicators that provide a clear definition of what a beginning, emerging, proficient, or exemplary program looks like.
It is important to note that programs aren’t expected to excel in all areas. The assessment simply gives a benchmark reading of where stakeholders believe the program is, where there are gaps in that perception, and what to strive for in future program growth.
The categories that are assessed are:
- Vision, Mission, Culture, and Environment – To what degree does the program articulate a clear global learning mission, vision, and set of goals?
- Organizations and Management – To what degree do the program leaders develop an intentional structure to maximize global learning throughout the program for all students?
- Program Planning – To what extent does the program offer a range of global learning opportunities that develop academic, social, and emotional skills in multiple settings?
- Program Delivery – To what degree does the program harness a variety of teaching and learning methodologies that support the acquisition of global competence?
- Youth Development and Outcomes – To what extent does the program provide learning opportunities that help students make achievements in all four pillars of global competence?
- Professional Development – To what extent does the program recruit, hire, and develop a staff that is sufficiently capable to provide global learning to youth?
- Families, Communities, and Partnerships – To what degree does the program value and leverage the role that families and community partners play in fostering global learning?
- Program Evaluation – To what extent does the program identify specific outcomes for its global goals and measure its progress?
Why Self Assessment?
Self-assessment helps programs build a collective vision among a range of stakeholders; reflect upon their practice; and engage partners in their work.
It also helps programs understand the components necessary for a high-quality program and make an action plan. Many afterschool programs that use
self-assessments report program improvements as a result.
The Global Learning in Afterschool Self-Assessment Tool is not meant to replace any afterschool quality self-assessment tools you may already be using. Rather, it can be used in conjunction with other tools to help you create or improve the conditions necessary for successful global learning.
Who Should Use this Tool?
The tool can be used to help identify areas of high-quality global learning in out-of-school time for programs that are just getting started with a global learning approach. More established programs can use the tool to plot growth over time. Regardless of where you are in your global programming, it is important to involve a variety of stakeholders in the self-assessment process. Participants may include program and site directors, staff members, youth participants, family members, teachers, school administrators, or other stakeholders.
What Do I Need to Get Started?
The tool and a facilitator are all you need to get started. A strong facilitator is critical to having a successful self-assessment. Often, site directors or supervisors take the on the role of facilitator. However, program staff, school personnel, volunteers, and parents can also possess the qualities needed to serve as a facilitator.
In collaboration with staff and stakeholders, the facilitator coordinates who will be engaged in the process, how and when it will take place, and how data and findings will be compiled and shared. The facilitator must also ensure the self-assessment process ends with a plan for program improvement.
When Should I Start the Assessment?
You may choose to introduce the tool prior to program start-up in order to build consensus around a global learning vision and goals. It provides a
good benchmark to chart future growth.
Using the tool in the middle of the year can also be useful because it provides a means for taking stock of where the program is, while allowing time to make changes and improvements before the year is over.
Alternatively, you may use this tool at the end of the year to plan for the following year. Programs may review one domain at a time over several weeks or months, or review all domains together. These decisions should be made based on your program’s schedule and culture.
Finally, use of this self-assessment tool directly links with creating an action plan for program changes and improvement. After completing a self-assessment, it is time to develop an action plan based on your team’s findings. This tool encourages users to indicate priorities and determine the appropriate timeframe for different types of improvements.
The Global Learning in Afterschool Self-Assessment Tool was created by Asia Society’s Partnership for Global Learning, in collaboration with afterschool partners.
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