Students ' ' Connection Between Connection Between Prior Volunteer Experiences and Prior Volunteer Experiences and

Exploring Organizational BusinessExploring Organizational BusinessStudentsStudents’’ Connection BetweenConnection Between

Prior Volunteer Experiences andPrior Volunteer Experiences andCourse ContentCourse Content

Mark Mark BaetzBaetzKatie M. CookKatie M. Cook

Krystal KellingtonKrystal KellingtonColleen LoomisColleen Loomis

7 October 20077 October 2007 Baetz, Cook, Kellington, & LoomisBaetz, Cook, Kellington, & Loomis 22

AcknowledgementsAcknowledgements

Funding provided McConnell Family FoundationFunding provided McConnell Family Foundation ResearchResearch participantsparticipants Broad conceptualization: Broad conceptualization: Dr. Mark Dr. Mark BaetzBaetz Defining researchDefining research questions and dataquestions and data

management: management: Dr. Colleen LoomisDr. Colleen Loomis Data collection: Data collection: Dr. Mark Dr. Mark BaetzBaetz Data analysis and coding: Data analysis and coding: Katie Cook, KrystalKatie Cook, Krystal

Kellington, Dr. Colleen LoomisKellington, Dr. Colleen Loomis

Interpretation and presentation: Interpretation and presentation: Dr. Colleen LoomisDr. Colleen Loomisand Katie Cookand Katie Cook


OverviewOverview

Research QuestionsResearch Questions MethodMethod

–– Design, sampling, sampleDesign, sampling, sample–– SurveySurvey–– ProcedureProcedure

FindingsFindings


Research QuestionsResearch Questions

1.1. Prior VolunteerismPrior VolunteerismA.A. What are What are rates ofrates of prior volunteerismprior volunteerism and being affected by it? and being affected by it?B.B. What rates of students were What rates of students were personally affectedpersonally affected by prior by prior

volunteering?volunteering?

2.2. Relating Class Content:Relating Class Content: How How did students did students relaterelate one one classclass sessions sessions’’contentcontent on volunteerism on volunteerism to prior volunteer experiencesto prior volunteer experiences??

3.3. Future Volunteerism:Future Volunteerism: What What percentagepercentage of students report this of students report thisparticular particular classclass on volunteerism on volunteerism affected expected futureaffected expected futurevolunteerismvolunteerism??

4.4. Class SatisfactionClass Satisfaction What were students What were students’’ satisfaction with class andsatisfaction with class andclass materialclass material, and suggestions for improvement?, and suggestions for improvement?


Method: Design & SamplingMethod: Design & Sampling

Research DesignResearch Design–– One-group, one-testOne-group, one-test

SettingSetting–– Wilfrid Laurier University, School of BusinessWilfrid Laurier University, School of Business

SamplingSampling–– All professors invitedAll professors invited

3 professors, teaching 2 sections3 professors, teaching 2 sections

–– All sixAll six sections of the coursesections of the course–– All students recruitedAll students recruited


Method: ParticipantsMethod: Participants

N = 198N = 198 Second year business studentsSecond year business students No compensationNo compensation


Method: Survey InstrumentMethod: Survey Instrument

Four constructsFour constructs (Survey sections)(Survey sections)

1.1. Prior Volunteerism Prior Volunteerism (Part(Part 1.1,1.1, Part 1.3)Part 1.3)

2.2. Relating Class Content to Prior VolunteerismRelating Class Content to Prior Volunteerism(Part(Part 1.4)1.4)

3.3. Satisfaction with Class Satisfaction with Class (Part(Part 2)2)

4.4. Future Volunteerism Future Volunteerism (Part(Part 1.2)1.2)


Method:Method: SurveySurvey1. Prior Volunteerism1. Prior Volunteerism

Prior VolunteerismPrior Volunteerism–– School levelSchool level

5 items5 items Closed-endedClosed-ended Response set = Yes, No, CanResponse set = Yes, No, Can’’t Remembert Remember

–– Personally affected by itPersonally affected by it 6 items6 items 5 closed-ended5 closed-ended

–– Response set = Yes, NoResponse set = Yes, No 1 open-ended1 open-ended


Relating Class Content to PriorRelating Class Content to PriorVolunteerismVolunteerism–– 1 item, c1 item, closed-ended, rlosed-ended, response set = Yes, Noesponse set = Yes, No–– 1 item, open-ended1 item, open-ended

E.g. Question 4: E.g. Question 4: ““As you consider the various concepts andAs you consider the various concepts andtheories in this course which were presented in this classtheories in this course which were presented in this classplease describe if possible how the personal impact you justplease describe if possible how the personal impact you justdescribed [i.e. in the previous question] related to any ofdescribed [i.e. in the previous question] related to any ofthese concepts or theoriesthese concepts or theories””

Method:Method: SurveySurvey2. Relating Class Content2. Relating Class Content


Method: SurveyMethod: Survey3. Satisfaction with Class3. Satisfaction with Class

Satisfaction with ClassSatisfaction with Class–– Compared to othersCompared to others

1 item, c1 item, closed-endedlosed-ended rresponse set 5-point esponse set 5-point Likert-TypeLikert-Type

–– Ranging from much lower to much higher as other classesRanging from much lower to much higher as other classes

–– Usefulness of materialsUsefulness of materials 5 items, c5 items, closed-endedlosed-ended rresponse set 3-point esponse set 3-point Likert-TypeLikert-Type: not at all, somewhat, very: not at all, somewhat, very

–– Factors relatedFactors related toto interest in classinterest in class 1 item, open-ended1 item, open-ended

–– Suggestions for improving classSuggestions for improving class 1 item, open-ended1 item, open-ended


Relating Class Content to PriorRelating Class Content to PriorVolunteerismVolunteerism–– 1 item, c1 item, closed-ended, rlosed-ended, response set = Yes, No,esponse set = Yes, No,

UncertainUncertain–– 1 item, open-ended1 item, open-ended

Question 2: Question 2: ““Has this class affected your level of interest inHas this class affected your level of interest infuture volunteering/community future volunteering/community servie servie activity?activity?

Method:Method: SurveySurvey4. Future Volunteerism4. Future Volunteerism


Method: ProcedureMethod: Procedure

Invitation extend to all students in classInvitation extend to all students in class Surveys with consent form distributed by aSurveys with consent form distributed by a

researcher, who was not affiliated with theresearcher, who was not affiliated with thecoursecourse

Surveys completed in class, 10 -15Surveys completed in class, 10 -15minutesminutes


Findings:Findings:1. 1. Prior VolunteerismPrior Volunteerism

17.7% could not recall previous volunteer17.7% could not recall previous volunteerexperiencesexperiences

*Note: percentages do not add up to 100*Note: percentages do not add up to 100because many students checked morebecause many students checked morethan one categorythan one category

65.7

90.9

79.8

59.1

40.4

10.66.1

43.4

12.6

25.8


FindingsFindings2.2. Relating Class Content Relating Class Content

Relations between course theory and volunteerRelations between course theory and volunteerexperienceexperience–– 68.7% reported68.7% reported ““thinking ofthinking of”” connecting pastconnecting past

experiences with current course concept(s)experiences with current course concept(s)

How previous volunteerism relates to one orHow previous volunteerism relates to one ormore class concept - Emerging themes:more class concept - Emerging themes:–– Self esteemSelf esteem–– ExtraversionExtraversion–– ModelingModeling–– Learning and Skills DevelopmentLearning and Skills Development


FindingsFindings 2.2. Relating Class Content Relating Class Content

Self EsteemSelf Esteem–– ‘‘Making a DifferenceMaking a Difference’’ vs. Internal Changes vs. Internal Changes

““All my volunteerAll my volunteerpositions resulted inpositions resulted inme feeling betterme feeling betterabout myself and I feltabout myself and I feltI made a realI made a realdifferencedifference””

“My ‘sense of purpose’boosted my selfconfidence because ofmy impact on theworld”

“Shinerama helped me improvemy self esteem as I was forcedto go out and talk to people todonate”



ExtraversionExtraversion

“I would have to beextraverted in order tostand up in front of thewhole school!”

“Volunteering involvedcommunicating a lotwith others todetermine theirsatisfaction and this ledme to become more ofan extravert”

“It [volunteering] contributedto my extraversion by forcingme to step out of my comfortzone”



ModelingModeling“For me coaching has been a social learning ecperience. Not only am Imodeling for the players I coach but I also am learning from the othercoaches and people around me”

“Us volunteers followed our leaders and previous volunteers to seehow to react”

“Going back to my high school as a university student, the youngerkids saw that I personally cut off my hair instead of just running theevent and that encouraged them to do the same in future years”



Learning and Skills DevelopmentLearning and Skills Development–– Communication/OrganizationCommunication/Organization–– LeadershipLeadership–– TeamworkTeamwork “It also improved my social and

communication skills as Iinteracted with other students andcoordinated to raise the mostmoney”“I was able to interact with a

lot of different people whichimproved my communicationskills” “I’ve learned many hands-on skills

and how to manage situations duringmy volunteer experience”


FindingsFindings 5. Satisfaction with Class5. Satisfaction with Class

Compared to other classes in this courseCompared to other classes in this course

Table 3: Class Interest

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

50

1

Level of Interest

Pe

rc

en

t

Much Low er

Somew hat Low er

About the Same

Somew hat Higher

Much Higher



Course Materials:Course Materials:–– Chevron VideoChevron Video

22.2% very useful22.2% very useful 55.1% somewhat useful55.1% somewhat useful

–– Journal ArticleJournal Article 15..2% very useful15..2% very useful 49% somewhat useful49% somewhat useful

–– Shinerama Shinerama VideoVideo 23.2% very useful23.2% very useful 28.3% somewhat useful28.3% somewhat useful



Course Materials:Course Materials:–– Skills assessment chart:Skills assessment chart:

18.7% very useful18.7% very useful 54.5% somewhat useful54.5% somewhat useful

–– Co-curricular record on WLU siteCo-curricular record on WLU site 28.8% very useful28.8% very useful 46% somewhat useful46% somewhat useful



‘‘What factors contributed to your level ofWhat factors contributed to your level ofinterest in this class?interest in this class?’’–– ApplicabilityApplicability–– Course Materials/ActivitiesCourse Materials/Activities–– Student/Instructor TestimonialsStudent/Instructor Testimonials

Documents

Students ' ' Connection Between Connection Between Prior Volunteer Experiences and Prior Volunteer Experiences and