Wayfinder Outcomes + Research

Understand Wayfinder outcomes by exploring research that proves our future-ready skills curriculum boosts student performance and increases student purpose, engagement, and social awareness.

Wayfinder Boosts Student Performance

Students who complete the Wayfinder curriculum experience many positive outcomes, including:

• 71% Feel more confident contributing to their communities + beyond
• 11x Increase in key measure of Purpose
• 75% Can name their strengths and connect them to real life

Reviewed by Harvard University

A lab at Harvard University did an in-depth analysis of Wayfinder's curriculum, evaluating all components of the Wayfinder program. They found our program supports students in learning skills like:

• Critical Thinking
• Self-Knowledge
• Empathy
• Purpose
• Prosocial Behaviors
• Gratitude

Wayfinder Evaluation + Theory of Change

In 2023, Wayfinder’s Research + Product Development Consultant articulated a theory of change model that spells out how Wayfinder’s programming helps students build belonging, purpose, and future-ready skills.

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2021-22 Independent Program Evaluation

Stanford University researcher Dr. Heather Malin completed an independent evaluation at a high school near San Francisco. Pre- and post-program surveys were administered to students who participated in the Wayfinder curriculum and to a control group of students at the same school who did not engage with our curriculum.

THE RESULTS

Wayfinder students scored higher than the control group in all measures, demonstrating statistically significant improvement in:

• Purpose: Sense of purpose, goal commitment, beyond-the-self motivation
• Engagement: Interest in and enthusiasm for their classes
• Social Awareness: Positive social behaviors such as listening to others and respecting others’ views

Educators Love Wayfinder, Too!

Educators using Wayfinder reported positive trends with their students since using Wayfinder in their classrooms:

• 88% engaged in meaningful conversations with students about their futures
• 88% spent more time in their day supporting students’ personal development
• 85% noticed students collaborating positively with one another
• 83% saw higher engagement in their classroom after a Wayfinder lesson
• 72% experienced improved student behavior in their classrooms

Our Research Advisory Council

Dr. Bill Damon

Director, Stanford Center on Adolescence + Author

Dr. Susie Wise

Founder, Stanford K12 Lab + Adjunct Professor, Stanford d.school

Vicki Zakrzewski

Education Director, UC Berkeley Greater Good Science Center

Emily Esfahani Smith

NY Times Contributor + Author, The Power of Meaning

Heather Malin, Ph.D

Director, Stanford Center on Adolescence

Founded at Stanford, Based on Research

Wayfinder was started at the Stanford d.school using the latest child and adolescent research from Dr. Bill Damon, and other leaders in the field. Everything we create is evidence-based, research-backed, and grounded in human-centered design.

Students Who Experience Belonging Have:

• Greater levels of self-confidence
• Better stress management
• Stronger relationships with peers + teachers
• Higher levels of motivation + achievement

Students Who Feel Purposeful Have:

• Increased academic engagement
• Higher grade point averages
• More prosocial behavior
• Greater levels of self-motivation

RISE Program

Wayfinder partnered with the RISE Initiative for a six-week virtual program designed for students to develop lives of meaning and purpose. RISE students from over 33 different countries Zoomed into six 1.5-hour Wayfinder-facilitated sessions. Students showed growth in core competencies, 60-70 students per week overcame challenges of connectivity + time differences to attend, and students responded with overwhelmingly positive evaluations during the course.

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