The final evaluation of Lions-Quest’s Skills for Action.
Laird, M., Bradley, L. R., & Black, S. (1998). Newark, OH: Lions Quest, Lions Clubs International Foundation.
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examining730Students, grades9-12
Lions Quest -- Skills for Action Intervention Report - Character Education
Review Details
Reviewed: September 2006
- Quasi-Experimental Design
- Meets WWC standards with reservations
This review may not reflect the full body of research evidence for this intervention.
Evidence Tier rating based solely on this study. This intervention may achieve a higher tier when combined with the full body of evidence.
Please see the WWC summary of evidence for Lions Quest -- Skills for Action.
Findings
|
Outcome measure |
Comparison | Period | Sample |
Intervention mean |
Comparison mean |
Significant? |
Improvement index |
Evidence tier |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Student Service Learning Survey |
Lions Quest -- Skills for Action vs. None |
Posttest |
Grades 9-12;
|
109.67 |
107.62 |
No |
-- |
Evidence Tier rating based solely on this study. This intervention may achieve a higher tier when combined with the full body of evidence.
Sample Characteristics
Characteristics of study sample as reported by study author.
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Rural, Suburban, Urban
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- S
- V
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- Z
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- i
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Florida, Maryland, Michigan, Ohio, South Carolina, Tennessee, West Virginia
Study Details
Setting
The study took place in 25 schools in seven states: Florida, Maryland, Michigan, Ohio, South Carolina, Tennessee, and West Virginia. Urban, suburban, and rural schools were included in each state. African-American students in the participating schools ranged from 1% to 71%; Hispanic student percentages ranged from 1% to 25%. The percentage of college-bound seniors in the schools ranged from 17% to 90%.
Study sample
Almost 1,800 students in grades 9–12 in 26 classrooms at 25 schools were included.
Intervention Group
Students were enrolled in quarter, semester, or year-long courses that involved planning volunteer service activities, taking action, and reflecting on that service. Service projects were direct service, indirect service, or civil action. Implementation quality was measured by whether the service component of the Skills for Action program was the core focus of the classes, integrated into the curriculum of the class, or peripherally connected to the class.
Comparison Group
Students in the comparison classes were matched with students in the intervention classes, sometimes in the same school, on grade level and grade point average. Comparison students did not participate in character education lessons or service learning.
Outcome descriptions
The primary outcome measure came from the Student Service Learning Survey, which includes scales examining four areas related to service: involvement with diverse groups, helping others, taking social action, and intentions to volunteer in the community. (See Appendix A2 for a more detailed description of the outcome measure.)
Support for implementation
Teachers who implemented the intervention attended a two-and-a-half-day workshop that covered practical experience with volunteer service, techniques for integrating service learning into courses, and engaging students in reflection as part of the service learning process.
Additional Sources
In the case of multiple manuscripts that report on one study, the WWC selects one manuscript as the primary citation and lists other manuscripts that describe the study as additional sources.
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Keister, S. C. (n. d.). Lions-Quest Skills for Action summary of research report to Quest International. (Available from Lions Quest, Lions Clubs International Foundation, 1984 Coffman Rd., Newark, OH 43055.) (study #1).
An indicator of the effect of the intervention, the improvement index can be interpreted as the expected change in percentile rank for an average comparison group student if that student had received the intervention.
For more, please see the WWC Glossary entry for improvement index.
An outcome is the knowledge, skills, and attitudes that are attained as a result of an activity. An outcome measures is an instrument, device, or method that provides data on the outcome.
A finding that is included in the effectiveness rating. Excluded findings may include subgroups and subscales.
The sample on which the analysis was conducted.
The group to which the intervention group is compared, which may include a different intervention, business as usual, or no services.
The timing of the post-intervention outcome measure.
The number of students included in the analysis.
The mean score of students in the intervention group.
The mean score of students in the comparison group.
The WWC considers a finding to be statistically significant if the likelihood that the finding is due to chance alone, rather than a real difference, is less than five percent.
The WWC reviews studies for WWC products, Department of Education grant competitions, and IES performance measures.
The name and version of the document used to guide the review of the study.
The version of the WWC design standards used to guide the review of the study.
The result of the WWC assessment of the study. The rating is based on the strength of evidence of the effectiveness of the intervention. Studies are given a rating of Meets WWC Design Standards without Reservations, Meets WWC Design Standards with Reservations, or >Does Not Meet WWC Design Standards.
A related publication that was reviewed alongside the main study of interest.
Study findings for this report.
Based on the direction, magnitude, and statistical significance of the findings within a domain, the WWC characterizes the findings from a study as one of the following: statistically significant positive effects, substantively important positive effects, indeterminate effects, substantively important negative effects, and statistically significant negative effects. For more, please see the WWC Handbook.
The WWC may review studies for multiple purposes, including different reports and re-reviews using updated standards. Each WWC review of this study is listed in the dropdown. Details on any review may be accessed by making a selection from the drop down list.
Tier 1 Strong indicates strong evidence of effectiveness,
Tier 2 Moderate indicates moderate evidence of effectiveness, and
Tier 3 Promising indicates promising evidence of effectiveness,
as defined in the
non-regulatory guidance for ESSA
and the regulations for ED discretionary grants (EDGAR Part 77).