National Project for Excellence in Environmental Education

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NationalProject forExcellence in
EnvironmentalEducation
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Presenters

• Bora Simmons
• National Project for
• Excellence in EE
• Ed McCrea
• Environmental Education
• Conservation Global
• Bill Seaman
• University of Florida

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Quick Tour of Adobe Connect
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Primary Sponsors

• U.S. EPA
• Office of Environmental Education
• EECapacity
• EPA funded national EE training program housed in
  Cornell Universitys Civic Ecology Lab

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Other Partners

• U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
• U.S. Forest Service
• National Environmental Education Foundation
• State EE Associations
• Organizational partners such as EECG, Project
  Learning Tree, Arbor Day Foundation, Project
  WILD, Keep America Beautiful, Project WET

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Tell us a bit about yourself
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Promoting excellence in environmental education
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Our Collective Wisdom

• Developed Guidelines through a public
  participatory process
• Engaging educators in a deep discussion about
  quality environmental education practice
• Building EE as a profession

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Guidelines for Excellence Publications
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Nonformal Environmental Education Programs
Guidelines for Excellence
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How familiar are you with the guidelines?
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Nonformal Environmental Education Programs

• A Resource That Provides
• Recommendations for developing and administering
  high quality nonformal EE programs
• A tool that can be used to ensure a firm
  foundation for new programs or to trigger
  improvements in existing ones
• Developed through a broad-based review and
  comment process

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Nonformal Environmental Education Programs

• Six Key Characteristics
• 1) Needs Assessment
• 2) Organizational Needs and Capacities
• 3) Program Scope and Structure
• 4) Program Delivery Resources
• 5) Program Quality and Appropriateness
• 6) Evaluation

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Nonformal Environmental Education Programs

• 1) Needs Assessment
• 1.1) Environmental Issue or Condition
• 1.2) Inventory of Existing Programs Materials
• 1.3) Audience Needs

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Nonformal Environmental Education Programs

• 2) Organizational Needs and Capacities
• 2.1) Consistent with Organizational Priorities
• 2.2) Organizations Need for the Program
  Identified
• 2.3) Organizations Existing Resources
  Inventoried

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Nonformal Environmental Education Programs

• 3) Program Scope and Structure
• 3.1) Goals and Objectives for the Program
• 3.2) Fit with Goals and Objectives of EE
• 3.3) Program Format and Delivery
• 3.4) Partnerships and Collaboration

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Nonformal Environmental Education Programs

• 4) Program Delivery Resources
• 4.1) Assessment of Resource Needs
• 4.2) Quality Instructional Staff
• 4.3) Facilities Management
• 4.4) Provision of Support Materials
• 4.5) Emergency Planning

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Nonformal Environmental Education Programs

• 5) Program Quality and Appropriateness
• 5.1) Quality Instructional Materials
  Techniques
• 5.2) Field Testing
• 5.3) Promotion, Marketing, and Dissemination
• 5.4) Sustainability

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Nonformal Environmental Education Programs

• 6) Evaluation
• 6.1) Determination of Evaluation Strategies
• 6.2) Effective Evaluation Techniques Criteria
• 6.3) Use of Evaluation Results

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Excellence in Nonformal EE Guidelines Embraced
in an Unlikely Place
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Communities of Faith Stepping Up in Earth
Stewardship

• Alliance of Religions and Conservation
• (11 faiths of the world)
• Mainline U.S. denominations all engaged
• Ecological Society of America
• Faith community is one of three key partners
  that science will have to engageto
  addressdisruptions

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Case study for applying EE nonformal guidelines

• Earth Care Congregations program, Presbyterian
  Church (U.S.A.)
• Since 2010, gt80 certifications
• Earth Care Congregations A Guide to Greening
  Presbyterian Churches
• http//gamc.pcusa.org/ministries/environment/earth
  -care-congregations/

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NAAEE Roundtable40th Annual Conference, October
2011

• A note concerning methods
• Table constructed, listing
• the six Characteristics,
• all 22 Specific Actions, and
• 65 of the 100 Indicators
• Content and format of a selected Earth Care
  Congregation and the national denomination
  program assessed against the Indicators in the
  table (6 pages)
• See website http//eelinked.naaee.net/n/guideline
  s/topics/Earth-Care-Congregations

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Matching EE Guidelines and Program Performance

• 1. Needs Assessment (1 example)
• Specific Action (SA) 1.1. Three levels of
  confirming need for program
• Denomination headquarters
• Local church environment committee
• Local church governing body (Session)
• 2. Organizational Needs and Capacities (1 ex.)
• SA 2.1. Goals and priorities of parent
  organization
• Adoption of landmark document, Restoring
  Creation for Ecology and Justice, for
  denomination
• Earth Care Congregations guidebook, training,
  etc.

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Matching EE Guidelines and Program Performance

• 3. Program Scope and Structure (2 examples)
• SA 3.2. Overall EE fit
• The four strands and The Last Mountain
  movieQuestioning, Knowledge, Skills,
  Responsibility
• SA 3. 4. Partnerships
• EPA Energy Star Congregations program invited
  Presbyterian Church to partner in national
  webinar
• 4. Program Delivery Resources (1 example)
• SA 4.2. Training
• Attend NAAEE!

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Matching EE Guidelines and Program Performance

• 5. Program Quality and Appropriateness (1 ex.)
• SA 5.1. Soundness
• Pedagogic soundness?Staffing
• Adult Education Committee Former school board
  member, masters level Director of Christian
  Education, classroom teachers, Girl Scout leader
• 6. Evaluation (not necessarily the weak link)
• SA 6. 2. Use results
• Community potluck, trash fairy,
• and recycling guilt!
• SA 6. 3. Share results
• Town Landcare Comm. Membership

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Lessons Benefits

• Of 65 Indicators, 94 conformance (surprise!)
• Using in hindsight Better late than never gaps
  spotted?revise practices (improvements)
• Front end Planning guidance for new effort
  (foundation)
• Engagement with literacy Access to NAAEE
  resources
• Entrée for this stakeholder with mainstream
  practices and potential partners (e.g., local
  colleges, Town, professional societies)
• Finallya morale booster thanks, NAAEE!

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TWO WAYS TO USE THE NONFORMAL GUIDELINES TO
EVALUATE PROGRAMS

• Self evaluation of the program by staff
• Outside evaluation of the program by an
  independent evaluator

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SELF EVALUATION by STAFF

• PROS
• Involves the people who know the most about the
  program
• Allows the staff to gain an understanding of what
  a good program actually is as they work through
  the evaluation
• Facilitates collaboration and discussion among
  staff about the quality of their program

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Self Evaluation by Staff (cont.)

• PROS
• Encourages the staff to consider needed
  improvements and how to implement them
• Less pressure and little senses of gotcha
• Provides material for a more detailed look at the
  program using the guidelines

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Self Evaluation by Staff (cont.)

• CONS
• Brings out the rose colored glasses
• Requires a motivated and willing staff with at
  least some knowledge (and agreement with) basics
  such as setting objectives for the program

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OUTSIDE EVALUATION by an INDEPENDENT EVALUATOR

• Pros
• Provides a rationale and background for the
  evaluation so findings dont appear arbitrary
• Allows staff to follow up on evaluation using
  guidelines for more details
• Shows management what yardstick will be used by
  the evaluator

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OUTSIDE EVALUATION by an INDEPENDENT EVALUATOR
(cont.)

• Cons (most related to the use of an outside
  evaluator, not to the Guidelines themselves)
• Creates a top down, gotcha situation
• Blocks full participation by staff
• Allows little direct involvement and learning
  about the program and changes needed

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Self Assessment
Using Nonformal Environmental Education Programs Guidelines for Excellence as a set of potential benchmarks, carefully reflect on your program development efforts. To what extent do you/does your organization incorporate each of the following steps when designing and implementing an environmental education program?   Key NNever SSometimes MMost of the time A.Always Using Nonformal Environmental Education Programs Guidelines for Excellence as a set of potential benchmarks, carefully reflect on your program development efforts. To what extent do you/does your organization incorporate each of the following steps when designing and implementing an environmental education program?   Key NNever SSometimes MMost of the time A.Always Using Nonformal Environmental Education Programs Guidelines for Excellence as a set of potential benchmarks, carefully reflect on your program development efforts. To what extent do you/does your organization incorporate each of the following steps when designing and implementing an environmental education program?   Key NNever SSometimes MMost of the time A.Always Using Nonformal Environmental Education Programs Guidelines for Excellence as a set of potential benchmarks, carefully reflect on your program development efforts. To what extent do you/does your organization incorporate each of the following steps when designing and implementing an environmental education program?   Key NNever SSometimes MMost of the time A.Always Using Nonformal Environmental Education Programs Guidelines for Excellence as a set of potential benchmarks, carefully reflect on your program development efforts. To what extent do you/does your organization incorporate each of the following steps when designing and implementing an environmental education program?   Key NNever SSometimes MMost of the time A.Always
1 Needs Assessment N S M A
Identify environmental issue(s) to be addressed        
Inventory existing programs        
Seek input from community and potential audience(s)        
2 Assessment of organizational needs and capacities N S M A
Consider goals and priorities of parent organization        
Identify parent organizations need for the program        
Determine resources and capacities of parent organization        
3 Determination of the program scope and structure N S M A
Develop program goals and objectives        
Assess overall fit with field of EE (e.g., use Excellence in Environmental Education Guidelines for Learning (Pre K-12))        
Determine format, techniques, and training needs        
Explore potential for partnerships        
4 Program delivery resources N S M A
Assess logistical and resource needs        
Assess staff competencies and training needs (e.g., use Guidelines for the Preparation and Professional Development of Environmental Educators).        
Safe and appropriate facilities are available        
Arrange needed facilities, supplies, and equipment        
Emergency plans are in place.        
5 Program quality and appropriateness N S M A
Obtain or develop educationally sound materials (e.g., use Environmental Education Materials Guidelines for Excellence).        
Field test new instructional materials        
Promote, market and disseminate program        
Develop sustainability strategies        
6 Evaluation N S M A
Develop evaluation strategies, techniques, and criteria        
Implement practical program evaluation        
Use evaluation results in the development of programs        
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Pulling it All TogetherSelf-Assessment Part II
Now that you have completed the first checklist,
what do you know? Take a few minutes to tally the
results of your self-assessment in the table
provided below. This should provide you with an
overview of the results of your self-assessment.
  Self Assessment Summary Starting with Key Characteristic 1 on the first checklist, add up the total number of check marks for each of the four columns Never, Sometimes, Most of the time, Always. Enter the total number in the appropriate column of this chart.   Key NNever SSometimes MMost of the time A.Always   Self Assessment Summary Starting with Key Characteristic 1 on the first checklist, add up the total number of check marks for each of the four columns Never, Sometimes, Most of the time, Always. Enter the total number in the appropriate column of this chart.   Key NNever SSometimes MMost of the time A.Always   Self Assessment Summary Starting with Key Characteristic 1 on the first checklist, add up the total number of check marks for each of the four columns Never, Sometimes, Most of the time, Always. Enter the total number in the appropriate column of this chart.   Key NNever SSometimes MMost of the time A.Always   Self Assessment Summary Starting with Key Characteristic 1 on the first checklist, add up the total number of check marks for each of the four columns Never, Sometimes, Most of the time, Always. Enter the total number in the appropriate column of this chart.   Key NNever SSometimes MMost of the time A.Always   Self Assessment Summary Starting with Key Characteristic 1 on the first checklist, add up the total number of check marks for each of the four columns Never, Sometimes, Most of the time, Always. Enter the total number in the appropriate column of this chart.   Key NNever SSometimes MMost of the time A.Always
  N S M A
1 Needs Assessment (3 guidelines)        
         
2 Assessment of organizational needs and capacities (3 guidelines)          
         
3 Determination of the program scope and structure (4 guidelines)        
         
4 Program delivery resources (5 guidelines)          
       
5 Program quality and appropriateness (4 guidelines)          
         
6 Evaluation (3 guidelines)        
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Self-Assessment Part III
Now that you have summarized your self-assessment, what can you say about the strengths and weaknesses of your program development process? Identify any changes you might make to the program design and implementation process. Now that you have summarized your self-assessment, what can you say about the strengths and weaknesses of your program development process? Identify any changes you might make to the program design and implementation process. Now that you have summarized your self-assessment, what can you say about the strengths and weaknesses of your program development process? Identify any changes you might make to the program design and implementation process.
Areas of Strength Areas that Need to be Enhanced/Strengthened Specific Actions to Address Self-Assessment
                               
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Want to Learn More?

• Offer a workshop thru our Guidelines Trainers
  Bureau
• Access information thru EELinked
• eelinked.net/n/guidelines
• Attend another webinar

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eelinked.net/n/guidelines
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Future Webinars

• June 26th 400pm (Eastern)
• Early Childhood EE Programs Guidelines for
  Excellence
• Register at
• http//www.surveymonkey.com/s/ecee

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Get InvolvedCommunity EE Guidelines

• For more information
• Akiima Price
• akiima_at_apriceconsulting.com

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Questions?
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Join us at the NAAEE Conference