Promoting Positive Youth Development Through Sport: Continuing Education Opportunities for Coaches and Future Directions for Health Promotion of Athletes

Abstract

Purpose: Higher educational attainment is linked to better longterm health outcomes. Summer enrichment programs for high school students build tangible skills to promote college and career readiness. These programs have grown in demand as the academic and employment climate have become more competitive. Few publications inform the development of enrichment programs focused on educating adolescents in research. In July 2015, the Social Media and Adolescent Health Research Team hosted its first Summer Scholars program. The purpose of this program was to engage adolescents towards achieving three objectives: 1. developing research skills, 2. learning about research careers, and 3. conducting their own research project. Methods: The principles of Experiential, Applied and ProblemBased Learning guided curriculum development. Four primary components structured curriculum design: Research Process, Poster Presentation, Mentor Support Groups, and Career Exposure. Aim 1: The research process and poster presentation curriculum was a stepwise progression incorporating learned activities followed by an opportunity to directly apply to the individual’s research project. The mentor support groups provided continuous individualized guidance and feedback. Aim 2: The career exposure involved interactive tours, expert panels, and training on the diverse career opportunities. Aim 3: The primary variable of interest was the completion of an independent research project and poster presentation. Assessments included a preand post-survey to measure acquired skills and comfort with material. In addition, the post-survey included program evaluation questions to collect participant feedback. Results: Twenty-five scholars, 88% female, 28% Caucasian, and an average age of 16, successfully completed the program. Aim 1: The majority of Summer Scholars reported an increase in understanding of the steps of the research process at the end of the program (81%). Aim 2: Working with mentors and career exposure were frequently highlighted as favorite parts of the program. Aim 3: All participants presented a completed research project. For example, one project was an observational field study evaluating phone use while crossing the street. Another project used a survey to investigate the associations of online emojis with mood. Most participants conducted content analysis or developed surveys to answer questions related to health and social media. Most (80%) reported an increase in comfort and understanding with public speaking and presenting. The most frequent suggestion for improvement was to increase the length of the program.