annelise carleton hug

8/14/2019 Annelise Carleton Hug

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EvaluatingEvaluating

EnvironmentalEnvironmental

Education:Education:

Annelise Carleton-HugAnnelise Carleton-Hug

Trillium AssociatesTrillium Associates

Environmental Evaluators NetworkingEnvironmental Evaluators NetworkingForumForum

Challenges & OpportunitiesChallenges & Opportunities


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Early Definition ofEarly Definition of

Environmental EducationEnvironmental Education

Environmental education is aimed atEnvironmental education is aimed atproducing a citizenry that isproducing a citizenry that isknowledgeable concerning theknowledgeable concerning the

biophysical environment and itsbiophysical environment and itsassociated problems, aware of howassociated problems, aware of howto help solve these problems, andto help solve these problems, andmotivated to work toward theirmotivated to work toward theirsolution.solution.

Stapp, W.B, et al. 1969. The Concept ofStapp, W.B, et al. 1969. The Concept ofEnvironmental Education.Environmental Education. The Journal ofThe Journal of

Environmental EducationEnvironmental Education. 1(1):30-31.. 1(1):30-31.


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Intergovernmental ConferenceIntergovernmental Conference

on EE in Tbilisi, Republic ofon EE in Tbilisi, Republic of

GeorgiaGeorgia To foster clear awareness of, and concern about,To foster clear awareness of, and concern about,economic, social, political and ecological inter-economic, social, political and ecological inter-

dependence in urban and rural areas.dependence in urban and rural areas.

To provide every person with opportunities toTo provide every person with opportunities to

acquire theacquire the knowledge, values, attitudes,knowledge, values, attitudes,

commitment and skillscommitment and skills needed to protect andneeded to protect and

improve the environment.improve the environment.

ToTo create new patterns of behaviorcreate new patterns of behavior of individuals,of individuals,

groups, and society as a whole, towards thegroups, and society as a whole, towards the


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Excellence in Environmental EducationGuidelines for Learning (Pre K12)

(NAAEE, 2004)

STRAND 1 Questioning, Analysis and

Interpretation Skills

STRAND 2 Knowledge of Environmental

Processes and Systems

STRAND 3 Skills for Understanding and

Addressing Environmental Issues

STRAND 4 Personal and Civic

Responsibilityhttp://www.naaee.org/programs-and-initiatives/guidelines-for-excellence


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Environmental EducationEnvironmental Education

Research:Research: Numerous studies have documentedNumerous studies have documented

changechange AffectiveAffective

CognitiveCognitiveExample: Place-based curricula,Example: Place-based curricula,

Environment as an Integrating ContextEnvironment as an Integrating Context

http://www.seer.org/pages/research.htmlhttp://www.seer.org/pages/research.html

Mixed results documenting behaviorMixed results documenting behaviorchangechange
http://www.seer.org/pages/research.htmlhttp://www.seer.org/pages/research.htmlhttp://www.seer.org/pages/research.html


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Challenges of MeasuringChallenges of Measuring

Environmental BehaviorsEnvironmental Behaviors

Expectations may not match programExpectations may not match program

possibilitiespossibilities

Short time frame of many evaluationsShort time frame of many evaluations

= difficult to document behavior= difficult to document behavior

changechange Instruments which rely on personalInstruments which rely on personal

recall are subject to socially desirablerecall are subject to socially desirable

res onse biasres onse bias


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Challenges of MeasuringChallenges of Measuring

Environmental BehaviorsEnvironmental Behaviors

Programs often fail to make clearPrograms often fail to make clear

personal behavior linkpersonal behavior link

Lack of recognition of local, culturalLack of recognition of local, cultural

and contextual barriers toand contextual barriers to

participationparticipation


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d i


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Recommendation:Recommendation:

Establish EvaluationEstablish Evaluation

Partnership EarlyPartnership Early WorkWorkcollaborativelycollaboratively

Cooperate toCooperate to

develop datadevelop datacollection tools tocollection tools tofit programfit programdeliverablesdeliverables

Provide formativeProvide formative

feedbackfeedback

Example: Center forExample: Center for

Learning &Learning &


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Recommendation: UtilizeRecommendation: Utilize

Theory of Change ApproachTheory of Change Approach Envision bigEnvision big

picturepicture

DistinguishDistinguish

between shortbetween shortterm & long termterm & long termgoalsgoals

Example:Example:

YellowstoneYellowstone

National ParkNational ParkWindows intoWindows into

WonderlandWonderland


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Recommendation: Use aRecommendation: Use a

Mixed Methods ApproachMixed Methods Approach Value added fromValue added from

both quantitativeboth quantitativeand qualitativeand qualitative

measuresmeasures

Example: GK12Example: GK12

Program, Big SkyProgram, Big Sky

InstituteInstitute


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Wide Variety of EvidenceWide Variety of Evidence

18-item pre- & post- survey on science18-item pre- & post- survey on scienceinterestinterest

E.g.Science is one of my favoriteE.g.Science is one of my favorite

classes.classes. Interviews with studentsInterviews with studentsDefinitely more interested. Its given me a betterDefinitely more interested. Its given me a better

view of what science really is, because before itview of what science really is, because before it

was some distant thing that we read in awas some distant thing that we read in a

textbook, it wasnt personal. This has brought ittextbook, it wasnt personal. This has brought itto more of a personal level.to more of a personal level.

Anderson School 8th grade Boy, 5/25/07Anderson School 8th grade Boy, 5/25/07

R d i UR d ti U


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Recommendation: UseRecommendation: Use

appropriate measures ofappropriate measures of

behaviorbehavior ConsiderConsiderpopulationpopulation

Devise authenticDevise authentic

measures ofmeasures ofbehavior relatedbehavior relatedto programto program

Example: Study ofExample: Study ofEnvironmentallyEnvironmentallyEngaged youthEngaged youth


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17%36%

17%39%25%

46%14%

47%24%

59%26%

63%44%

70%

75%24%

75%82%85%

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90%

Boycott a business

Protest or demonstration

Signed a petition

Wrote letter to govt official

Created educational activity/material

Collected environmental data

Social action

Direct environmental action

Wrote research report or article

Litter clean up event

ICCE Delegates

Non-Joiner

Polish Youth

Measurement Index: 10-Item EnvironmentalAction Index

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Articulate PersonalArticulate Personal

Behavior ActionsBehavior Actions AnticipatedAnticipatedbehavioral changesbehavioral changes

must be clearlymust be clearly

identified, withidentified, withappropriateappropriate

measurementmeasurement

indices.indices.Example: FamilyExample: Family

Nutrition &Nutrition &

Education Program,Education Program,

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Disseminate LessonsDisseminate Lessons

LearnedLearned

Publish results of evaluationsPublish results of evaluations

Present findings atPresent findings atconferences (AEA, AERA,conferences (AEA, AERA,

etc.)etc.)


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For more information, contact:For more information, contact:Annelise Carleton-Hug, Ph.D.Annelise Carleton-Hug, Ph.D.

[email protected]@trilliumassociates.

www.trilliumassociates.comwww.trilliumassociates.com
mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]

annelise carleton hug

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