Piloting and Evaluating Two-Generation Inventions for Family Wellbeing

  • Date: June 1 - August 15, 2024 
  • Location: CCE Tompkins County
  • Student Intern: Sophia Harris 
  • Faculty sponsor: Laura Tach,  Brooks School of Public Policy
  • Field-based mentors/supervisors: Anna Steinkraus & Serena Ward, CCE Tompkins
  • Stipend: $6,000
Participants in a Cornell Cooperative Extension Tompkins County parenting workshop
Participants in a Cornell Cooperative Extension Tompkins County parenting workshop. Photo by R.J. Anderson, Cornell Cooperative Extension

The field of parenting education has developed many interventions to help parents and caregivers interact with children in ways that promote positive family dynamics and healthy child development. Recently, the two-generation (2Gen) framework has gained popularity as a way to improve interventions by engaging both the parent and child generations together, rather than focusing on one generation in isolation. With input from Cornell researchers, CCE-Tompkins County has used the 2Gen framework to develop a two-generational parenting education curriculum. Students involved in this project will assist with piloting and evaluating this curriculum over the summer.

Roles and responsibilities 

  • Work with CCE educators to pilot the new 2Gen curriculum with a small number of families
  • Work with Cornell researchers to collect and analyze quantitative and qualitative data on the pilot study to identify areas for improvement
  • Work with both CCE educators and Cornell researchers to update the curriculum based on the pilot
  • Work with the team to begin full implementation of the curriculum in the community

Qualifications and previous coursework

This opportunity is available to students in the Jeb E. Brooks School of Public Policy and members of CCHEq. 

  • Prior experience (or a strong interest in) working directly with parents and/or children
  • Prior experience (or a strong interest in) working collaboratively in groups
  • Basic coursework in statistics, data analysis, or research design would be helpful but is not required

Learning outcomes 

At the end of this internship, students will be able to:

  • Identify elements of the 2Gen framework that may promote healthy development for children and their families
  • Conduct quantitative and qualitative program evaluations
  • Engage with caregivers and children in ethical, culturally-responsive, and trauma-informed ways
  • Articulate the strengths and challenges involved in research-practice partnerships