In the last decade, explorations into the work of volunteer educators, titled "docents," within art museums revealed turbulent circumstances that led some institutions to alter their volunteer programs, if not end them entirely. How did art museums come to rely on volunteers to undertake such an important responsibility -- that of…

Textbooks and lectures can convey the science of volunteer management; however, the art of volunteer management is developed through experience and reflection. This teaching activity gives students practice in developing a volunteer program and in identifying mission and position-specific nuances to volunteer management. Over the course of three…

Between 2013 and 2014, 25.2% of 10th grade algebra students who worked with 870,000 adult volunteers in after-school programs in the United States met their goals of improved math proficiency scores. A gap exists involving volunteer training strategies for after-school programs that are effective in improving math proficiency of 10th grade math…

Public engagement is an important component of the operation of many physics organizations, such as physics departments. However, comparatively little work has been done to systematize the study of pedagogical approaches in these informal environments, which may contain unique affordances and challenges compared to formal settings. A 2016 study…

Climate Masters of Nebraska is an innovative educational program that strategically trains community volunteers about climate change science and corresponding ways to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in an interactive and action-based teaching environment. As a result of the program, 91% of participants indicated that they made informed changes in…

Volunteers are central to the delivery of 4-H programs, and providing quality, relevant training is key to volunteer success. Online, asynchronous modules are an enhancement to a training delivery menu for adult volunteers, providing consistent, accessible options traditionally delivered primarily face to face. This article describes how Minnesota…

Bringing together educators from a range of backgrounds--psychology, sociology, social work, counseling, and teaching--this volume shows how Asian cultural values and beliefs can provide a lens through which to understand and envision how curriculum and pedagogy can be creatively adapted, not only in a local Chinese classroom context, but in a…

This manual, prepared by the Michigan Office of Services to the Aging, is intended to aid agencies concerned with aging in planning volunteer programs. This second of three volumes helps the volunteer coordinator design and implement a successful training program for the volunteer network. The training process described here begins with the…

This manual offers practical help for the nonprofessional volunteer tutor. Part 1, "Diagnostic Techniques for Tutors," allows the tutor to find out what problems interfere with the ability of a given child to read so that the tutor can plan activities which deal with each particular difficulty. Part 2, "Developing Learning Readiness Skills,"…

This third of three booklets was prepared by the Michigan Office of Services to the Aging to help agencies concerned with aging to plan volunteer programs. This volume is a compendium of resources, including materials from seven different volunteer programs. It contains a wide variety of training tips and techniques to help the person(s) in charge…

Describes the selection and training of volunteers to conduct a national health promotion program, Staying Healthy after Fifty. (JOW)

Interviews 16 volunteer adult literacy tutors, finding that many of them do not implement strategies and practices currently recognized as most effective, but tend to implement strategies to which they themselves were exposed as learners, possibly leading to feelings of frustration and defeat for their clients. (SR)

The Literacy Project for Adults with Learning Disabilities addressed a perceived and documented need for more effective interventions for use by adult literacy tutors when working with clients with learning disabilities. It provided training and technical assistance for tutors, adult basic education/General Educational Development program…

Proceedings of a 3-day workshop are reported. The workshop, stressing the need for and the role of volunteers in the "Right-to-Read" program, was sponsored by the Washington Technical Institute under an EPDA grant. Topics for major addresses included the role of the volunteer, training of volunteers and the responsibility for such training, and a…

A handbook for workshop leaders of the Literacy Volunteers of America, Inc. (LVA), is presented. The leaders present LVA's Tutor Training workshops. Contents concern the following: qualifications required of workshop leaders; the needs of workshop trainees and methods to meet their needs; the basic tools that the workshop leader must understand…