EDUCATING YOUNG PEOPLE about A Guide to Program Planning ...

Sponsored by theUS Department ofAgriculture,Cooperative ExtensionWater QualityInitiative Team

EDUCATING YOUNG PEOPLE

about

A Guide toProgram Planningand Evaluation

Elaine AndrewsElva FarrellJoe HeimlichRichard PonzioKelly J. Warren


about


Sponsored by the United States Department of Agriculture, Cooperative State Research andExtension Service (USDA CSREES) under the direction of Gregory Crosby, NationalProgram Leader for youth science education, and the Cooperative Extension Water QualityInitiative Team, Andrew J. Weber, Chair.

The USDA CSREES project to identify youth water education program planning andevaluation strategies was developed in support of the youth and community water qualityeducation goals of the National 4-H Environmental Stewardship Program and the USDACSREES National Water Quality Initiative Team.

Project Director, Lead Writer

Elaine AndrewsEnvironmental education specialistUniversity of Wisconsin-ExtensionCooperative ExtensionEnvironmental Resources Center

Project Design Team

Elva FarrellYouth agentSarasota CountyFlorida Cooperative Extension

Joe HeimlichScience Program LeaderOhio State Cooperative Extension

September, 1995

Educating Young People About Water: A Guide to Program Planning and Evaluation is designed to beused along with other guides in this series: Educating Young People About Water: A Guide to Goalsand Resources, and Educating Young People About Water: A Guide to Unique Program Strategies.

An introductory video and workshop guide are also available:Educating Young People About Water—Planning for Fun and Success!

Publications and video can be ordered from:ERIC Clearinghouse for Science, Mathematics, and Environmental EducationThe Ohio State University1929 Kenny RoadColumbus, OH 43210-1080614/292-6717

Richard PonzioYouth science education specialistUniversity of California Cooperative Extension

Kelly J. WarrenEnvironmental education research specialistUniversity of Wisconsin-ExtensionCooperative Extension

Project Support Staff

Lynn B. Entine, editor

Susan Kummer, design

Monica Burow, office managerEnvironmental Resources Center

Sheila Voss, program assistant

Introduction to A Guide to Program Planning and Evaluation 3What do we know about youth water education programs? 3

Curriculum and programming gaps 4Successful program features 4Successful programming strategies 5

Setting up a successful water education program 5Key elements of a successful water education program 6A sense of place, stewardship, and community action 6

Planning and evaluating for success 7Planning 7Evaluating 7Using the checklists 8Using the resources 8

Managing for success: the role of the “instigator” 9

Water Program Planning Checklist 11Who should use this checklist? 11How to use the checklist 111. Program planning overview/review 122. Assessing community water education needs 143. Identifying networks and partners 164. Reviewing organizational support 185. Determining goals and objectives 206. Designing your program 227. Choosing a program delivery strategy 278. Evaluating your program 30

Water Program Evaluation Checklist 32Who should use this checklist? 33How to use this checklist 331. Looking at your results — overview/summery 342. Organization mission 363. Why do this program? 374. Program support, partners and networks 395. Program goals, design and access 416. Program delivery 447. Evaluation 46

Resources 48


about


A mericans care about water. For decades we have invested enormous resources—public and private, financial and educational—in improving its quality, preserving its quantity, and protecting it as a resource. A national survey in 1993 showed that concern is still vital. It found that people

strongly support solutions to help ease water problems even after they have consideredthe associated costs.1

Surprisingly, however, the same survey shows that individual citizens are taking littleaction to improve freshwater quality or to conserve the amount of water they use. Evenmore shocking, young people ages 12-17 neither listed water as an environmental issuethey would like to know more about nor knew the basics of water information whengiven a quiz. The quiz is in the Resources section of this book.

Given this fundamental failure of personal action, it is no wonder there are manynational water quality improvement goals that we have not attained. Recognizing thisfact, the final report of Water Quality 2000, a cooperative effort of more than 80 public,private, and nonprofit organizations to develop a new national policy for US waterquality and resource protection, calls for more personal action.2

“Much work remains,” this report says. “The American people, as individuals andcollectively as members of the community, [must take] responsibility for protectingwater resources.” The report recommends environmental education and trainingprograms to help meet this personal action goal. It also calls for a new national waterresources policy which integrates land and water resource planning and management.

These Water Quality 2000 recommendations reinforce our fundamental principle:a successful water education program is one which results in action that protects orimproves water quantity or quality. This guide is based on that principle.

What do we know about youthwater education programs?Water education is not new, and, as the 1993 survey suggests, it has had some successamong adults. Its apparent failure among youth is troubling, however. Concern aboutthis lack of youth awareness prompted the Cooperative State Research Education andExtension Service of the US Department of Agriculture to ask leaders from around thecountry to address the question “how can we make youth water education moreeffective?” Youth education in nonformal settings (4-H, summer camps, etc.) was aspecial focus of this project because of the USDA’s long history with such programs.

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This project built on work done in 1991 to collect and summarize available curriculumresources. At that time, a team of national experts developed a list of water educationtopics that should be covered and environmental education goals that should be met bysuch materials. Educating Young People About Water: A Guide to Goals and Resources 3

reports which topics and goals are included in each curriculum. Topics and goals arealso in the Resources section of this book.

Curriculum and programming gapsWhen project staff evaluated the available curriculum materials against the watereducation topic list and environmental education criteria, they found many materialswith interesting and challenging activities and some relatively comprehensive ones, butthey consistently found important gaps:

• Information about water is often not integrated into an ecosystems approach.• The study of ecology and science is usually not connected to a young person’s

everyday life.• Materials often do not explain how young people can personally help improve

water quality.• Materials do not clearly show how young people can transfer investigation and

evaluation skills from the school setting to personal life decisions.• When environmental action skills are described, they frequently focus on home

and school settings with little attention to the community.• Hands-on, community action, experiential, and other nontraditional ways of

learning are ignored or marginalized to “further activities” sections.• Important topics—water related careers, home water treatment, risk

assessment, and recreational use of water—are generally neglected.

However, the most critical gap in youth water education was revealed by a 1993Louis Harris survey of 10,375 children in grades 4-12: 4

Without some intervention to focus attention on environmentalproblems in ways that attract children, many who are interested inthe environment will be deflected by other pressing issues.

The survey goes on to say: “There is a strong appetite among American children forlearning about and working to improve the environment. Activities should be orga-nized so that the children themselves make the key decisions about which problems toaddress, specific activities to deal with these problems, and formulation of strategy forcarrying out these activities.”

Successful program featuresThe USDA National Review Team also wanted to define success in water educationprograms. To do this they reviewed research studies about environmental and watereducation and informally evaluated existing successful water education programs.These programs, and the measures used to identify them, are described in more detailelsewhere.5

The research studies (listed in the Resources section of this book) suggest that success-ful nonformal water education programs include three key components: education,personal motivation, and predictable and rewarding structure.

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Education␣␣• the program is grounded in good science education principles• the activities use investigation and develop scientific thinking skills• the activities help develop critical thinking skills• the program (or its partners) provides the knowledge base necessary

for effective action

Personal motivation␣• youth have the opportunity to learn and practice water management

skills and to make a commitment to using those skills• youth learn something that they can do when they get home• youth are stimulated to take action about water concerns within their

community setting• youth develop one or more “life skills”

Predictable and rewarding structure␣• the program has a reliable sponsor• the program provides a consistent, predictable offering• the program challenges youth and their adult leaders• the program includes a fun/recreation component

Successful programming strategiesEvaluation of successful water education programs revealed several importantprogramming strategies:

• consciously using the best elements of program planningmethodology (see Planning Checklist sections 5 and 6)

• clearly defining ways that youth can become involved in thecommunity and its water concerns

• offering activities that youth could do successfully given theirresources and abilities

• accepting or validating the environmental management actions whichthe youth have chosen (even if the adults have different priorities)when proposing any environmental education effort

• evaluating the program and using those evaluations to improve thenext program offering

• taking advantage of the unique qualities of water and its easyavailability to make learning fun for youth and to keep them involved

Setting up a successful water education programUsing the information collected and advice from the directors of successfulprograms, the team developed the following list of successful water educationprogram elements. These are designed not only to inform, but tohelp motivate young people to take action.

Making education natural 6

Cheryl Charles, whocoordinated development ofProject Learning Tree andProject Wild educationmaterials, encourageseducation planners to keepin mind seven principles ofmanagement drawn fromnatural systems.

• Cooperation is a naturaltendency. Figure outways to designprograms that allow forcooperation to occur.

• In natural systems,energy is expendedoptimally. Designprograms to providetime for nourishment,rest, caring for others,and reflection.

• Change is continuous.Listen to your audienceand co-create.

• Organisms self-regulate.Figure out how learnerscan take responsibilityfor their learning andwhether they are learn-ing what they want tolearn.

• Every organism has aniche. Every personinvolved in a projectmatters becauseeveryone has acontribution to make.

• Diversity tends to bean indicator of health.Create a setting in whichwholeness can incor-porate diversity. Makesure that there is diver-sity in instructionalapproaches and in howpeople can share whatthey have learned.

• Everything is connectedto everything else. Nomatter what you do, itwill have ripple effects.Think of ways to stay intouch with othereducators.

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10SuccessElements

1Goals

2Communitywater issues

3Stewardship

4Youth needs

5Youth as partners

6Communitypartners

7Organizationalsupport

8Design furthersgoals

9Effective delivery

10Evaluation

The Planing Checkliston page 11 will helpyou integrate theseelements into yourprogram.

Key elements of a successful water education program

1 It has stated goals about water education for youth. Youth should:– understand basic water science and its ecology– be able to collect and analyze information about environmental

and socio-economic conditions relevant to local water decisions– be able to evaluate impacts and alternatives for community

decisions about water– be able to apply new information in the community– have the opportunity to practice personal water management

skills and make a personal commitment to using them

2 It is connected to community water issues.

3 It helps instill a sense of place and a responsibility for stewardshipof that place.

4 It meets youth educational and personal needs including fun/recreation.

5 It involves youth as full and valuable partners and acknowledgestheir contributions.

6 It involves community partners (individuals, schools, agencies, andorganizations) to avoid duplication and expand impacts.

7 It uses the support of an organization to provide continuity andstability and to ensure high quality.

8 It uses program design and activities to further program goals andaddress community needs.

9 It delivers information and skills effectively, including actuallyusing water as part of teaching.

10 It is evaluated on several dimensions and incorporates resultinginsights into new programs.

A sense of place, stewardship, and community actionIt can be a challenge for either community-based or school activities to offerprograms which incorporate all of these elements of success. As partners, schools andcommunity-based programs can each contribute their strengths to create a successfulprogram that meets student needs. For example, classroom education can provide thefoundation of science or social-science information and skills, while natural resourceprofessionals can contribute specific and detailed information about local waterresources and issues. Youth clubs may carry out community investigations which theycan bring into the classroom for analysis.

Western author Wallace Stegner, says “...at least to human perception, a place is not aplace until people have been born in it, have grown up in it, lived in it, known it, diedin it—have experienced and shaped it as individuals, families, neighborhoods, andcommunities, over more than one generation.”

See inside front cover for information on introductory video: Planning for Fun and Success!

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Developing a sense of place among youth and adults is a critical goal of water educa-tion. By identifying with the qualities of their community, people will be motivated topractice stewardship: caring for their natural resources. The Water Quality 2000 finalreport agrees: water educators must enable “people as individuals and collectively asmembers of the community to adopt a heightened sense of responsibility for protectingwater resources.” 2

Grounding water education programs in the local community allows young peopleto practice and apply the skills they have learned, to take actions that can make adifference to their community, and to produce results they can see themselves.

The future of the nation’s water quality and quantity will, for the most part, be deter-mined locally. Since most communities draw their water resources from the localwatershed, the decisions and actions people take related to water will affect themdirectly and immediately. Furthermore, actions which damage the resource, contami-nate the supply, or use it up affect not just individuals but the community asa whole by changing its choices for the future.

Planning and evaluating for successMany people involved with water education want to teach about water science, orto have fun with water, or to conduct an activity using a water resource. Our earlierpublication, Educating Young People About Water: A Guide to Goals and Resources,may interest and help them.

This guide is for educators, community leaders, natural resource professionals, andothers who want to go farther: to create a water education program which directlyrelates information and skills to community water issues and inspires personal actionto address community needs. We offer here the best advice currently available abouthow to design and evaluate such programs.

To help you plan and evaluate a water education program in your community, thisguide provides two detailed checklists: The Water Program Planning Checklist andThe Water Program Evaluation Checklist. These offer step-by-step, expert advice tohelp ensure your program’s success.

PlanningTaking an organized and thorough approach to planning a program has many benefits.It helps ensure that you have thought about what you are trying to do and how you willget there. It also provides an opportunity to look at what resources your communityalready has available, what it needs, and what the youth want and need.

The planning process suggested here allows you to include in the decision-makingother people who have an interest in the area. It can help empower and invigoratecommunity leaders, resource managers, young people, and others who are concernedbut do not know how to proceed. Planning also helps ensure that you use human andfinancial resources wisely and efficiently.

EvaluatingHow will you know if your program is a success? Evaluating helps you know whatyou are doing and helps you make decisions that will improve your program. It tellswhether program and financial resources are being used effectively. It also reassuresyour audience and cooperators that they have invested their time, enthusiasm andconfidence wisely.

“If you don’t know where youare, you don’t know

who you are.”—Wendell Berry

Kentucky farmer and author

Planning Checkliststarts on page 11

Evaluation Checkliststarts on page 32

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While the Planning Checklist helps you organize a program to include the elements ofsuccess, the Evaluation Checklist helps you determine whether your programs metthose expectations and whether your program had an impact on the participants andthe community. It also addresses performance of leaders and teachers.

Since we have defined success in a water education program so broadly (as “actionwhich protects or improves water quantity or quality”), your evaluation may notimmediately demonstrate the program’s success. However, the collective effect ofcommunity youth programs about water over several years may improve the resourceenough to be measured.

Meanwhile, other parts of the evaluation process will tell you whether you have helpedyoung people understand water and its ecology better, whether they can identify localwater issues and related attitudes and values, and other elements of success.

Using the checklistsWhile checklists are linear—step B follows step A, creating and developing a programis often multi-faceted and simultaneous. You may have any of a number of startingpoints when you begin a program, and sometimes several. The process probably looksmore like a map than an outline.

You can make the checklists help you by jumping into whichever section fits yourneeds right now. Then turn to another section as it becomes useful. Make the questionswork for you. Skip, expand, or combine them as you need to.

Using the resourcesThis book and others in this series are full of ideas, checklists, references, partner lists,and community action education materials. We invite you to take advantage of them.

Goals and objectives

Evaluation

Program design

Program delivery

Organizational support

Overview

Community needs assessment

Networks and partners

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To find and select water education activities —See Educating Young People About Water: A Guide to Goals and Resources. This guideintroduces over 100 youth water curricula. It also lists education topics and goals,and other unique resources useful in creating a water education opportunity or event.

To develop a program strategy appropriate to your situation —See Educating Young People About Water: A Guide To Unique Program Strategies. Thisguide provides brief case studies of 30 unique water education programs taking placearound the country in a variety of settings—after-school clubs, summer programs,museums, nature centers, festivals, and campaigns.

For a sample community action guide —See Give Water a Hand. These books walk youth through the process of identifyinglocal water resource needs and creating an action project in cooperation with localresource managers.

To link water education to community action —See the list of organizations in the Resources section of this book. These governmentagencies and private groups actively support youth water education and helped developGive Water a Hand.

To link school programs to community water concerns —Find or become an “instigator” (see below) who forges links to community partnersand identifies community or school-ground natural settings where students canpractice and reinforce skills taught in the classroom. Natural resource professionals andyouth club leaders can bring the results of community investigations to the class foranalysis.

Managing for success: the role of the “instigator”A great idea is not enough to ensure a great program. Enthusiasm and concern must beaccompanied by leadership and legwork. Someone must be the “instigator”—the onewho makes things happen. If that person is you, here are some key things you must doto get the program going and keep it going:

• Find out who is doing what and using which resources in educating about yourtopic. Make sure you don’t compete or repeat.

• Thoroughly evaluate and understand your community’s water education needsand concerns. Use experts. Don’t rely on just your personal understanding orlocal popular impressions.

• Collect information. Find experts, locate and enlist partners.

• Create or link with a network of partners who have the same community-based water education goals.

• Forge a connection to a stable organization active in the community.

• Organize planning sessions with partners and keep them going until you agreeon goals and objectives.

• Provide educational materials. Make sure they fit the audience and the goals.

• Keep the network or partners on task so the project accomplishes its goals

See inside front cover for information on introductory video: Planning for Fun and Success!

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• Set up systems to:

Evaluate the program

Celebrate its strengths

Fix its weaknesses

Continue it in the future

Here is an example of how one person became an instigator.

In Florida, where salt-free water may be in short supply, a County 4-H Extensionagent made this issue part of her youth outreach program. As part of the UniversityCooperative Extension county system she has many years of experience in designingprograms and has established credibility with other community groups.

She researched water conservation needs and potential solutions by contacting thelocal water utility and university experts. Then she contacted a summer youth daycamp which was willing to incorporate her program as a theme program if sheprovided the instructors.

Choosing education activities based on the community goal of reducing water usethrough conservation, she hired and trained her summer staff using a small grantfrom the utility.

After the program ended, she and her staff contacted the families of selected youthparticipants. They found that a substantial number of youth had shared conservationtips with their families. Many families had installed a water conservation device(provided by the day camp) on the kitchen faucet and had tried other ideas for savingwater while bathing, cleaning teeth, or using the toilet.

1. Water: A National Priority, Americans’ Attitudes Toward Water Quality and Availability,conducted form the National Geographic Society by The Roper Organization, Inc.,November 1993.

2. A National Water Agenda for the 21st Century, final report, Water Quality 2000, 601 WytheStreet, Alexandria, Virginia, 22314. (See Resources at the end of this book for excerpts.)

3. Educating young people about water: a guide to goals and resources with an emphasis onnonformal and school enrichment settings, Elaine Andrews and the Cooperative ExtensionNational Review Team, USDA, Cooperative Extension, December 1992, University ofWisconsin-Madison, Environmental Resources Center, 216 Agriculture Hall, 1450 Linden Dr.,Madison, WI 53706.

4. Children and the Environment, a survey conducted for the Pew Charitable Trusts by Louis Harrisand Associates, 1993.

5. Educating Young People About Water: A Guide to Unique Program Strategies, Kelly Jo Warren,1995, and Educating Young People About Water, Thinking About Program Strategies That Work!A Symposium Summary, Columbus, Ohio, December 1993. Both are available from the ERICClearinghouse for Sciences, Mathematics, and Environmental Education.

6. Presented as part of a key note speech during the symposium, “Educating Young People AboutWater. Thinking About Program Strategies that Work! Emphasis on the nonformal setting.”Columbus, Ohio, 1993.


about

T his detailed checklist offers suggestions and questions to help you deter mine what your program goals are and how to meet them. It represents the best advice of over 40 outstanding youth water program managers from programs throughout the country. It has been reviewed at a national

symposium of water education program mangers 7 and tested at specific program sites.Checklist sections include:

1. Program planning overview/review2. Assessing community water education needs3. Identifying networks and partners4. Reviewing organizational support5. Determining goals and objectives6. Designing your program7. Choosing a program delivery strategy8. Evaluating your program

Who should use this checklist?One of the first checklist users is likely to be a natural resource professional, commu-nity leader, education professional, or other person who wants to go beyond individualactivities to develop a coherent, successful, continuing, community-based youth watereducation program.

It may be used again by a planning group. This group could include representatives ofcommunity groups and natural resource agencies, college or university specialists,public and private schools, people who will work directly with the youth, and theyoung people who will participate.

How to use the checklistUse the checklist as a worksheet. Each checklist section begins by identifying the keysuccess elements it addresses (see page 6). There is a brief explanation followed by oneor two general questions, then the detailed planning questions. It concludes with asummary question.

Skip, emphasize, or combine questions as appropriate for your specific program.Information in the Resources section of this book and in other guidebooks in this seriesmay also be helpful. You may use some sections more than once as you refine yourideas or involve partners.

Water ProgramPLANNINGChecklist

✓

Start with each section’sgeneral questions, thenlook at the moredetailed planningquestions which follow.Make notes as neededand indicate for yourselfin the margin whetheryou have already■■ DONE this part ofthe plan, whether you■■ PLAN TO do it orwhether you have■■ NO PLAN to do itat this time. Thensummarize what youlearned in the summaryquestion. You can usethis information toenhance your responsesto the questions inProgram Planning,section 1.

DONE PLAN TO NO PLAN

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7. See endnote 6 on page 10.

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Program planning overview/review

Before you turn to the other sections in this checklist, take a moment to consider yourprogram as a whole. Use the questions listed here. This will help you summarize yourideas before you begin. Make copies of this planning section. Jot down your prelimi-nary thoughts on the copies and note which items (if any) you have already completed.

After you and your partners have worked through the other checklist sections, returnto this page. Use it to help you summarize your work and reflect on each programplanning component. Highlight any ideas that have changed.

1. What are your program goals? Keep in mind the primary community watereducation need, audience qualities, and other needs to be met through thisprogram. Planning Checklist sections 2, 3, and 5 address this question.

2. What groups in your community are already meeting some or all of thesegoals? How will that affect your program planning? See Planning Checklistsections 3 and 4.

3. Where is this program going to “happen”? Can you plug into somethingthat already exists? See Planning Checklist sections 3 and 4.

4. What will the youth actually do? Think about program content, design andspecific daily activities. Planning Checklist sections 5, 6 and 7 deal with this.

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5. What resources do you need to conduct the program? Planning sections 2-7 willcontribute helpful details.

6. How will the program be managed? Have you considered safety issues? Howwill you manage permissions and releases (insurance, health, emergency,parental permission)? Planning sections 4, 6 and 7 can help.

7. How will you market the program? See sections 6 and 7.

8. What are the evaluation plans and how will evaluations be used? See Planningsection 8.

9. What will you do after the program is over for future marketing, recognitionand reflection? Section 8 can help.

10. Visualize how the program will look, sound, and feel as it is occurring. Howdoes your vision relate to your previous answers? Do you need to revise anyprevious thoughts?

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Assessing community water education needs

People experience and manage local water issues as part of their community. Aneffective water education program helps young people relate to and work on identifiedcommunity or regional needs. It also helps them develop a sense of place and to feelresponsible for stewardship of that place.

A needs assessment helps you understand your community well enough to organizeyour program around something that needs to be accomplished. It also helps youidentify which young people might be interested in such a problem, what skills theyneed to work effectively on a project, and what will encourage them to join and stickwith a program.

2

Success elementaddressed (see p.6)


4Youth needs

Why have you chosen to implement a community water educationprogram at this time?

What knowledge and skills will youth in your community need to enablethem to help improve water quantity or quality?


What community or regional water education need have you identified?

■ How did you identify it?


What gap in local youths’ education about water have you identified?

■ How do you know?

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Who are the youth in your target audience? Identify themclearly as to:

■ Age

■ Interests

■ Educational needs/gaps

■ Recreational/funinterests


Which of the following methods of involving acommunity in identifying needs could work in yourcommunity or have been accomplished already and couldbe involved in your planning process?

■ Youth input (by survey,informal discussion, etc.)

■ Citizen input(by survey, informaldiscussion, etc.)

■ Public discussion ofimportant local issues(reported by local news orbrought to referendum)

■ Advisory group input

■ Grant or fundingagency requirement(s)

■ Educator or naturalresource specialist(s) input

■ School-identified watereducation needs

What did you learn from including community input into the needs assessmentprocess? Go on to any other

section of the PlanningChecklist. Sections 3and 5 are related to thisone and together 2, 3,and 5 can help youexpand or modifyquestion 1 in Planningsection 1.

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Identifying networks and partners

Many citizens and teachers, agencies and organizations in every community are alreadyinvolved in youth water education. Program success depends on working effectivelywith them.

Partnerships with schools and individual teachers help ensure that your program workseducationally for the ages and abilities of your target youth. Schools teach the biology,ecology, chemistry, math, political science, and local history youth need to properlyinvestigate local water concerns and interpret results. They also teach the investigativeskills (choosing questions, creating and interpreting graphs, analyzing and explainingresults) which are critical to effective programs.

Partnerships with natural resource professionals help ensure your program is based onand teaches accurate environmental and water resource information. These profession-als also know about and have access to community or natural settings where youth caninvestigate water resources or issues and practice their skills.

Partnerships with existing, stable, community-based agencies (see Planning Checklistsection 4) give the program a home base and help give your program continuity andlongevity. This helps lead to measurable long-term impacts on community waterresources.

3


6Communitypartners

Who currently conducts some type of youth water education program inyour area? Identify each teacher, school, organization or agency and list whatresources each has that could be useful to your project.

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Have you explored or established partnerships andnetworks with these groups? Specifically, have you:

■ Explored how partner-ships and networks willavoid duplication ofprogram efforts?

■ Identified possiblemutual benefits, such asjoint grant applications?(List them here.)

■ Described partnershiparrangements on paper tomaintain identity andidentify responsibilities,using a written agreementor contract to help avoidconflicts?

■ Have you identifiedvolunteer adults, such asparents, who can becomepartners? List here byname and note whateach can offer.


Have you checked further to identify additional agencies/networks you didn’t list originally? (List them here.)

Summarize your thoughts about potential partnerships and networks for yourproject.

Go on to any othersection of thePlanning Checklist.Information fromthis section can helpexpand yourresponses toquestions 1, 2, & 3of Planning section 1.

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Reviewing organizational support

Gaining acceptance for a program idea has long been associated with program stability.If you have any doubts, think about how it took 40 years, and the dedication of manygroups, agencies and individuals, to gain acceptance for recycling.

People have many learning needs related to a new idea. They need to hear about itenough to know that the idea exists. They need to hear about it from a source theyconsider credible. The idea needs to be associated with their personal life concerns.And they need access to enough opportunities to learn that they can fit the learninginto their busy lives. In other words, a one-time program or education activity is notenough. Opportunities to learn about water need to be incorporated into the culture ofthe community.

Having a sponsoring or host organization that provides continuing support for theprogram helps ensure its stability and consistency. Organizations which have commu-nity credibility in the eyes of their funders and of their clients are most able to providethis kind of long term stability.

Organizations with a mission that relates to the community water problem can:provide program management expertise, supply an “office” that funders or othercommunity members can hook up to, help insure that program staff are properlytrained, and be flexible when needs or resources change. These are also importantingredients of success. Try to link your program to an organization that can providethese qualities.

What is the sponsoring or host organization?

How has this organization committed ongoing support for such things as pro-gram ideas, resources, management, planning for the future, etc.?

4




Has the host organization gathered program ideas (or changes) from a variety ofsources? Note person and idea for each source.

■ Specific person withina group or institution

■ Network/partner participants

■ Organization or staff

■ Instructors or leaders

■ Young people (participantsor advisors)

■ Program evaluationsdesigned to contribute newprogram ideas

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Has the host organization determined how availableresources could support or limit the scope of the program?


How has the host organization planned for good programmanagement to ensure high quality programs? See alsoPlanning section 7, Choosing a program delivery strategy.

■ Selected consistent, profes-sional program managers?

■ Selected leaders and staffespecially for this program—with skills, practical experi-ence, and education appropri-ate to program goals?

■ Trained the staff in pro-gram concepts and delivery?


How has the host organization provided for the program’sfuture?

■ Built a relationship withthe funder which is depend-able for ongoing programsupport?

■ Involved one or morecommunity partners to helpprovide program support?


Has the host organization provided for the program’s futureby planning for flexibility in the following areas?

■ Audience

■ Content/delivery methods

■ Amount of grant moneyavailable

■ Plans (resilient enough tomeet changing conditions?)

■ Time lines, personnel,or budgets flexible

■ Potential to go beyondits initial scope

Summarize your thoughts about the host organization. Is it possible to providesupport effectively? How will you compensate for any gaps?

Go on to any othersection of the PlanningChecklist. Informationfrom this section canhelp expand yourresponses to questions2, 3, 5 and 6 ofPlanning section 1.

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Determining goals and objectives

The ultimate goal of a successful water education program is to produce action whichprotects or improves water quantity or quality. Within this general goal, you needdetailed goals and objectives which will help you design, deliver and evaluate a success-ful community water education program. This process may take special effort andrequire involving the community, professional staff, volunteers, and participants.

Goals should address water education, environmental education, and critical thinkingskills and should focus on applying information to community water resources needs.They should also relate to broader water education themes and generate opportunitiesfor teaching life skills.

Take advantage of proven instructional strategies that arise from science education andlearning style research. Successful strategies from these disciplines will reveal manypossibilities. It will also become obvious that people with expertise in applying thesestrategies should be part of your planning process. Consult the Resources section ofthis guide for more helpful details on this topic.

What do you consider to be potential goals of your program? How do these goalsrelate to community water education needs?

Is this program part of a broader youth education program(s)? What goals andobjectives from the larger program relate to youth water education?

What other locally-available programs meet your youth water education goals?See also sections 3, Networks and partners and 4, Organizational support.

5

Success elementsaddressed (see p.6)

1Goals

8Design furthersgoals


Which water education topics do you want to address through your program?See Resources for details.

■ Science of water

■ Water related ecosystems

■ Drinking water supply:quantity and quality

■ Water use

■ Sources of water pollution andcontamination

■ Water quality: risk assessmentand reduction

(continues next page)

21

■ Management and protectionstrategies for specific uses

■ Gov’t./citizenship issues

■ Water related careers


Which environmental education goals do you want to addressthrough your program? (See Resources section.)

■ Ecological foundations

■ Conceptual awareness—issues and values

■ Skills: investigation, evaluation,environmental action


Which life skills do you want to encourage with your program?

■ Communicating with others■ Leading self and others■ Learning to learn■ Making decisions/solving problems■ Planning and organizing■ Planning one’s life■ Relating to change and others■ Identifying/clarifyingpersonal values


Do you have written goals and objectives? (Write them here.)


Do goals and objectives meet the following criteria?

■ Clearly stated?

■ Age-appropriate for audience?(see section 2, Assessing commu-nity water education needs)

■ Activities supportoverall objectives?

■ Objectives realistic and achiev-able from learner’s perspective?

How would you restate your goals based on conclusions from this section?

Go on to anyother section ofthe PlanningChecklist.Information fromthis section canexpand yourresponses toquestions 1, 4,and 5 of Planningsection 1.

22

Designing your program

Your program design helps answer the central water education question: How do weattract youth and keep them involved? Fortunately education about water offers analmost unique diversity of education opportunities. Water education can take placeanywhere and never has to depend on talking or reading for transfer of information.If young people cannot be taken to water, water can be taken to them. These qualitiesmake it easier to help youth feel connected to the program goals and activities.

Using design (and successful implementation), you can structure ways to meet yourprogram goals. How you design the program will also help to ensure its quality andaccessibility.

Specifically, this section helps you answer questions like: What will your programactually look like? How will water themes be included and who will decide? Should youorganize a festival or start a water camp? Should you create a new program or incor-porate your goals into an ongoing event? How will you connect to school programs?You can get ideas for design from the companion book Educating Young People AboutWater: A Guide To Unique Program Strategies.

You must also decide: How will the intended audience know about the program andhow will they participate? How will you ensure program continuation in the future?

The answers to all these questions come from the results of your work on assessingcommunity needs, working with partners, and connecting the program to a stableorganization. They also come from the people who have been involved in helpingset your program goals.

What do you want your program to look like? What information do you need tohelp you accomplish this?

6


4Youth needs

5Youth as partners


Which delivery opportunity or strategy will work best for water education in yourcommunity? (See also section 2, Assessing community water education needs andsection 3: Identifying networks and partners.)

■ Campaign

■ Day or residential camp

■ Club, organization

■ Community service learning

■ Festival or fair

■ Museum

■ Nature or environmentaleducation center

■ School enrichment

23


What will you do to ensure a program of high quality?

■ Are the people whoconduct the programinvolved in its design?

■ Are the people whoevaluate the programinvolved in the programdesign?

■ Are the participantsinvolved in its design?


If this program is derived from a pre-existing program,has it been successfully adapted to your particularaudience or needs?


Does the program content and/or delivery target thelearner and the learner’s situation?

■ Location (rural/urban)

■ Income level

■ Social conditions


When youth do the planned activities, will they be able tomeet activity objectives and overall program goals?


Before implementing the program, have you tried it witha subgroup or pilot group? Section 6,

Designingyour program

continues onnext page

24


How will you ensure the program is stable?

■ Is this water programconsistent and predictable?

■ Will youth be able toparticipate more thanone year/season?

■ Does program design orcontent change each year, asappropriate to conditions?

■ Are there opportunities toinvolve community partnersin the program such as:

Volunteer teachers/leadersOversight committee membersFundersProgram evaluators/ reviewersPlanners or contributorsProviders of in-kind services/special resources

Section 6 –Designingyour program

continued


Can your target audience get to the program? (Access)

■ Is the program locationconvenient for targeted learners?

■ If not, can the program bebrought to the learner?

■ Is the setting accessible forpeople with disabilities?

■ Are fees a limiting factor topotential participants?


How will youth feel connected to program goals and activities?

■ What elements of local and ofpersonal interest will be included?

■ Which activities offer opportu-nities for youth to have fun?

■ What will help youth feel theyare learning something?

■ How will youth be involved asfull and valuable partners?

■ How will you acknowledgeyouth contributions?

25


Which of the following general recommendations derivedfrom successful water programs will you choose toemphasize? Note how you will incorporate them.

■ Water and its ecosystem area central topic and feature

■ A fun/recreation component

■ Opportunities to physicallyinteract with and/or manipu-late water

■ An interdisciplinary formataround a water topic

■ Relationship of water tomany aspects of life and world

■ Opportunities for youth torelate to water issues, develop asense of place, and an attitudeof stewardship

■ Use of critical thinking skillsto establish a personal connec-tion to local environment andecosystems

■ A variety of options foryouth involvement in program

■ Activity choices that relateto youth interests (e.g. read abook, keep a field notebook,write a story, create a mural orvideotape, etc.)


Which of the following specific recommendations forteaching water programs will you use?

■ Incorporate water science

■ Create a knowledge base foreffective action directly orthrough partners(e.g. schools provide thebackground on stream ecologywhile the 4-H programprovides an opportunity tomonitor water quality)

■ Address real water concernsin the community. (e.g. landfillleachate into groundwater,nitrate contamination in wellwater, PCB and toxic metalscontamination in fish, or otherwater quality issues)

Section 6,Designingyour program


26

Section 6 –Designingyour program

continued

■ Work on restoration/steward-ship of local water resourceswithin your watershed (stream-bank stabilization, beach clean-up, exotic plant removal, etc.)

■ Create opportunities foryouth to use skills gainedthrough the program in theirhomes and communities

List key components of your program design resulting from discussion of ideasin this section. Design components should address: quality, stability, access,connection, program considerations, and marketing.


How will the program be marketed to target participants?

■ Direct mail

■ Announcements at schoolsand youth meetings

■ Local group newsletters

■ Posters at community centers

■ Public service announcementson TV and radio

■ Newspaper articles orannouncements

■ Paid media advertising

■ Word of mouth throughpartner organizations

Go on to any othersection of the PlanningChecklist. Informationfrom this section canexpand your responsesto questions 4, 5, 6and 7 of section 1.

27

Choosing a program delivery strategy

When you deliver your program, theory meets reality. What you do determineswhether youth are attracted to, and stay involved with, water education. Often thepeople who are most effective at successfully delivering programs are teachers or othereducation professionals. Natural resource professionals should ask their educationpartners for help in planning how to deliver the program and in carrying out itsdelivery.

This section addresses such questions as: How will you manage the program? What willyouth actually do? Have you taken advantage of the unique locations and qualities ofwater to make your program fun and memorable? Have you incorporated appropriateinstructional strategies? How will instructors make sure that activities meet programgoals? What mechanisms have you set up to recognize the contributions of participants,volunteers and staff?

According to directors of successful water education programs, youth are attracted toand remain interested in programs because:

• Activities use water (the real thing) and water has unique and funproperties. For example, it contracts when cold but expands just beforefreezing. In the right conditions it can form uniquely shaped crystals(snowflakes). Frozen it floats on water. Its surface is thick enough to supportthe weight of some living things like water insects. Things dissolve in it.

• Water education can be conducted anywhere that water is present includingfrom a hose or in a bathtub or sink, but is especially enjoyable whenconducted near or on a water resources such as a beach, stream, or lake.

• Water and its surrounding ecosystem lend themselves to investigation andsolving a “mystery” or problem.

• Most youth already have a recreational interest in water (fishing, boating,swimming) that can be combined with an education theme.

You are encouraged to take their advice as you plan for program delivery.

What will be the key activities of your program?

What will be the unique strengths of your program?


4Youth needs

5Youth as partners

9Effective delivery

7

Section 7,Choosing aprogramdeliverystrategy


28


Have you attended to basic management issues to ensuresmooth program operation?

■ Is there a code of conductfor participants? staff?

■ Have instructors/leadersparticipated in a structuredtraining program?

■ Do you have healthinsurance, emergencyinformation and parental/guardian permissions onfile?

■ Do you have an emer-gency plan on file in casesomeone is injured?

■ Are staff directly involvedwith youth trained in firstaid and CPR?

Section 7,Choosing aprogramdeliverystrategy

continued


How will you use the following general instructional strategies that help lead tosuccessful programs?

■ Incorporate fun as a partof the education experience

■ Use appropriate scienceeducation strategies,e.g. the learning cycleapproach (exploration, conceptintroduction or application) orinquiry method (asking questionsand designing a method foranswering questions)

■ Apply age-appropriate scienceprocesses (observing, communicat-ing, comparing, organizing,relating, inferring, applying)

■ Encourage development ofcritical thinking skills whichemphasize dialogue, reflection,and questioning

■ Use educational strategiesthat address the various learnerabilities and learning styles,e.g. visual, auditory, manipulativeand global learning styles

■ Share the learning responsibilitybetween teacher and student

29


How will you ensure that the following strategiesidentified as important to teaching about water are partof your program delivery?

■ Practice in learner objectives(hands-on or interactive)

■ Close-up observation/handling of plants and animalsin a water habitat or in alaboratory setting

■ Observe changes in waterquantity or quality over time

■ Learn water conservation orprotection ideas youth can usein the community or at home

■ Encourage youth to expressa desire or intention to usea water conservation orprotection skill

■ Allow youth to choosea project of interest within thewater program

■ Model appropriate behaviorconcerning the water topic, e.g.youth can practice conservingwater in a program targetingwater conservation

■ Positively reinforce orrecognize youth choosingan appropriate behavior


Does the program provide appropriate recognition foreach of the following?

Participants

Volunteers

Staff

As you deliver your water education program to your target audience, how willyou incorporate sound management, appropriate education strategies, and arecognition scheme?

Go on to any othersection of thePlanning Checklist.Information fromthis section canexpand yourresponses toquestions 4, 6and 7 of section 1.

30

Evaluating your program

Evaluation helps you reflect on a program, make changes in it, and make decisionsabout it. While the most obvious time to evaluate is at the end, you must plan aheadfor it. You can also include evaluation along the way to help check that the programand its activities are on track.

For detailed suggestions on how to evaluate the program, see the Evaluation Checkliststarting on page 32.

How and when do you plan to evaluate your program?

8


10Evaluation


In your program how will you plan to use the following evaluation strategies?

■ Measure expectationsagainst outcomes

■ Measure how programobjectives, materials andactivities relate to goals

■ Measure participant percep-tions of satisfaction includingcomfort, participation, opportu-nity, and information

■ Take external impacts intoconsideration, such as unfore-seen weather conditions,accident, or education materialsbeing unavailable

■ Evaluate at multiple levels ofprogram delivery from planningand organizing to the actual event

■ Formally review personnel

■ Assess how well youthattained learning objectives andother impacts using pre/posttests, verbal valuations, youthpresentation of results todemonstrate comprehension, etc.

31

■ Provide opportunitiesfor coordinators andinstructors/leaders toevaluate each other’sperformance

■ Verify that theprogram ties in withcommunity or regionalwater issues or needs

■ Ensure that evaluationis viewed as an importantpart of the program

■ Design evaluations tobe conducted regularly

■ Summarize and useevaluation results

Summarize the steps you will take during the program to ensure that you haveenough information to evaluate the program when it is completed.

Go on to any othersection of the PlanningChecklist. Informationfrom this section canexpand your responsesto questions 8 and 9 ofsection 1.

32


about

Water ProgramEVALUATIONChecklist32


M ost educators are familiar with evaluating immediate or short term results: students read some information and we ask them a question to find out whether they retained the main idea. This Evaluation Checklist seeks to answer the broad program question: do the activities as a whole help

participants improve water quality or quantity in their community, or is it simplya collection of science or recreation activities?

With youth programs, this particular objective may be difficult or impossible toevaluate. Most are so short (one day, one week, one semester) that they alone won’thave an impact on the resource. However, taken together, community youth programsabout water which are held over several years may show a measurable improvementto the resource. A critical element of success at this level, therefore, is making acontinuing connection with the community.

This Evaluation Checklist will also help you to examine specific elements of theprogram’s structure and operation and to carefully scrutinize its successes and itsneeds for improvement. It will help you determine if program resources are beingused effectively and if you have met your own and others’ expectations. It alsoaddresses the performance of leaders and teachers. Other evaluation techniques andsystems are available which can help you evaluate specific impacts on participants.See the Resource section for ideas and references.

Evaluation can help you twice: once during the program and again in planning for thenew program. During the program you may want to emphasize evaluation of programprocesses and organization. After the program you may want to emphasize programimpacts and analyze which program components contributed to those impacts.

This detailed checklist is based on information gathered from a review of environmen-tal education literature and of program evaluation tools, and investigation of youthwater education program strategies. It represents the best advice of over 40 outstand-ing youth water program managers and more than 30 published program descriptions.It has been reviewed at a national symposium of water education program mangersand tested at specific program sites.8

33

There are seven parts in this checklist which are generally comparable to the eightsections of the Water Program Planning Checklist.

1. Looking at your results—overview/summary2. Organization mission3. Why do this program?4. Program support, partners and networks5. Program goals, design and access6. Program delivery7. Evaluation

Who should use this checklist?Initially, the program manager can use this checklist to help plan the evaluationprocess. Forming an evaluation committee is a good idea, however. It could includerepresentatives of community groups, natural resource agencies, college or universityspecialists, schools, individuals who work directly with the youth, and the youththemselves. The committee will need to decide when to evaluate, how to evaluate, andhow to use the evaluation results.

How to use this checklistUse the checklist as a worksheet. If you are working with a committee or team, reflectindividually on your answers to the evaluation sections then get together to summarizeresults.

Begin with section 1, Looking at your results—Overview/Summary. This helps yougather and summarize your impressions. Each of the other checklist sections beginswith a brief explanation followed by general questions and then some detailed planningquestions. It concludes with summary questions. Once you have completed the evalua-tion process, return to section 1 and note any new or revised answers to the questionsthere.

Skip, emphasize or combine questions as appropriate for your specific program. Inaddition to the information you developed using the Planning Checklist, the informa-tion in the Resources section of this book and in other guidebooks in this series mayalso be helpful.

People conducting a program evaluation sometimes face problems which may preventthem from gaining the benefits of evaluation. Don’t let these problems scare you. Goahead and do the best you can at evaluating the program, and take advantage of theresults to plan for the next time. Some common barriers to evaluation include:

• not enough time to conduct an evaluation• lack of participant knowledge about need for the program, causing

participants to evaluate the program negatively• difficulty in determining whether the water experience was educational• lack of willingness to change, so evaluation results do not get used• discovering that the program did not effectively relate activities to larger

water resources or ecological concerns

✓NO BETTER WELL

Start with each section’sgeneral questions.Then look at thedetailed planningevaluation questionswhich follow. Makenotes and check■ ■ NO, what you didn’t do; ■ ■ BETTER, what you could have done better; and ■ ■ WELL, what you did well.Then summarize whatyou learned in thesummary question.You can use thisinformation to enhanceyour responses toquestions in ProgramEvaluation section 1 andto enrich the evaluationteam’s discussions.

34

Looking at your results—overview/summary

In working through the Evaluation Checklist, you will have to consider many aspects ofyour program. This section helps you put things together in one place. Begin byreviewing these summary questions to help provide perspective. Make copies of thissection for you and your team. Jot down your thoughts on the copy.

Return to this page after you have completed the checklist sections relevant to yourprogram. If you are working with a committee, reflect individually on your answers toeach question here and to the questions in each evaluation checklist section, then bringthe group together to summarize results.

1

1. What makes your program successful?

2. What are your program’s strengths in each of the following areas?

■ Program goals (What did youwant your program to accomplish?Did it help youth relate to identi-fied community water resourceissues or needs?)

■ Program support by organiza-tion, networks and partners

■ Program design (What effortsdid you make to design yourprogram around program goals?Did your program strategy takeadvantage of water’s specialqualities and variety of locations?)

■ Access to the program (Who wasyour program designed to reach?Were there any barriers to theirparticipation?)

■ Program delivery (What madeyour program successful? How didyou define success?)

■ Program evaluation (Whataspects of your program did youevaluate? How did you incorporatethe results into your program?)

35

3. Which areas have the potential for development or change?

4. Are there any unexpected outcomes? How will these figure into future plans?

5. What are the major areas of agreement among individual responses from evalua-tion committee participants?

6. What are the key differences in committee members’ perceptions? Why are theydifferent?

7. What can the evaluation team do to improve the program?

8. What are the barriers to change? What can the team do about them?

9. How does the support of your organization figure into your ability to respond toprogram feedback?

10. Review your program goals (section 1, Program planning overview/review, fromthe Planning Checklist). How do your conclusions mesh with your goals?

36

Organization mission

Organizations have a mission which they seek to carry out. Often the organizationalsupport that is helpful in providing water education program continuity and stabilitygrows out of a good match between the organization’s mission and the program’s goals.Use this section to reflect on this issue.

Why is your organization(s) involved in youth water education?

How might your organization’s mission and reputation enable you to respond tochanges recommended through the evaluation process?

Have you determined how your organization is viewed by the community andby program participants? What were the results?

2



Go on to any othersection of theEvaluation Checklist.Answers to thesequestions will help youexpand on youranswers to questions1, 2, 9 and 10 ofEvaluation Checklistsection 1. Work withthe evaluation team torecommend anyneeded programmodifications.

37

Why do this program?

Communities experience and manage local water issues. An effective water educationprogram helps youth relate to identified community or regional needs. What knowl-edge and skills do youth in your community need to enable them to help improve waterquantity or quality? What did you want your program to do?

Describe briefly the needs your program met.

How did you identify those needs?

NO BETTER WELL

Specifically, what needs did the program meet?

■ A water education needexpressed in the youth’scommunity

■ A gap in the youths’education about water

■ Community socialconcerns such as druguse prevention

NO BETTER WELL

Who was the target audience? Was it clearly identified?

3



4Youth needs

Section 3,Why do thisprogram?


38

NO BETTER WELL

Why did you choose that audience?

NO BETTER WELL

Who actually came to the program? Were they from thetarget audience?

NO BETTER WELL

Which of the following techniques for involving thecommunity in identifying program needs did you use?

■ Youth input (by survey,informal discussion, etc.)

■ Citizen input (bysurvey, informal discus-sion, etc.)

■ Public discussion ofimportant local issue(s)(local news, referendum,etc.)

■ Advisory group input

■ Grant or fundingagency requirement(s)

■ Educator or naturalresource specialist(s) input

■ School-identified watereducation needs

■ Program evaluationand feedback

Did your program relate to a community need? If yes, How do you know? If no,could your program be adapted to address a local need?

Section 3,Why do thisprogram?

continued

Return to Evaluationsection 1 andsummarize yourconclusions as anindividual to questions2-4 there. Work withthe evaluation teamto recommend anyneeded programmodifications. Go onto any other sectionof the EvaluationChecklist.

39

Program support, partners and networks

There are many organizations and programs that can help support each other orwho could be in competition with each other. This section helps you evaluate theeffectiveness of your program’s networks and partners.

How does your organization (or the one you work with) support this program?

List any groups your program works with. Note whether the program’s existencedepends on the participation of a particular group.

NO BETTER WELL

Do the following characteristics of organizational andpartner support describe your program?

■ Consistent and predict-able

■ Avoids duplication

■ Uses resources of severalagencies

■ Involves partners inprogram delivery (notehow they were involved)

■ Permits sharing/publicizing programresults through newslet-ters, reports, computernetworking, conferencing,etc.

NO BETTER WELL

Were you satisfied with the effectiveness of your programsupport? Why or why not?

Section 4,Program support,partners andnetworks


4


6Community partners

40

NO BETTER WELL

Were your partners satisfied with the effectiveness of theprogram support? Why or why not?

Were partners or networks a factor in getting the most impact from your educa-tion program? How could they become part of increasing community impact?

Return to Evaluationsection 1 andsummarize yourconclusions as anindividual to questions2-4 there. Work withthe evaluation team torecommend anyneeded programmodifications. Go onto any other section ofthe EvaluationChecklist.

Section 4,Program support,partners andnetworks

continued

41

Program goals, design and access

Your water program was designed to meet the educational goals you developed. Thesein turn were intended to address the community needs you identified such as concernabout potential contamination or shortage of drinking water, for example.

There are many potential barriers to keep youth from participating in a program.A carefully designed program will consider its target audience before determining howto present the program.

List your program goals.

What knowledge, attitudes and skills were needed by the target audience to meetthese goals?

How did you design your program to meet these goals?

List your “targeted” youth. Describe your understanding of their ability to gettransportation, pay fees, and benefit from the program’s presentation style.

NO BETTER WELL

Which, if any, of the following water education goals areaddressed through your program? Goals are developed inPlanning Checklist section 5. Also see Resources.

■ Science of water

■ Water-related ecosystems

■ Drinking water supply:quantity and quality

■ Water use

■ Sources of water pollutionand contamination


1Goals

4Youth needs

5Youth as partners

8Design furthers goals

Section 5,Program goals,design and access


5

42

■ Water quality: risk assessmentand reduction

■ Management and protectionstrategies for specific uses

■ Gov’t and citizenship issues

■ Water related careers

NO BETTER WELL

Which of these general education practices did you use inprogram design?

■ Clearly stated goalsand objectives

■ Achievable objectives

■ Program content and/ordelivery which targets thelearner and learner’s situation:urban/rural, income level,social conditions

■ Youth who do the plannedactivities meet activity objectivesand overall program goals

Section 5,Program goals,design and access

continued

NO BETTER WELL

Which education strategies important to programs about water did you use?

■ Water topics concern a large numberof youth in the targeted group

■ Water topic is related to many aspectsof the youth’s life and world

■ Program incorporates water scienceand ecological connections

■ Program gives participants an opportunityto relate to water issues in their community

■ Helps youth use critical thinking skillsto establish a connection to their environment(dialog, reflection, questioning)

■ Youth actually experience/manipulate water

■ Youth can choose how to be involvedin the program

■ Addresses real water concerns in the community;e.g., landfill leachate in groundwater, nitratecontamination in well water, PCB and toxic metalscontamination in fish or other water quality issues

■ Program provides an opportunity for restoration/stewardship of local water resources and withintheir watershed (streambank stabilization, beachclean-up, exotic plant removal)

■ Youth have opportunities to use skills gainedin the program in their home communities

43

NO BETTER WELL

Which, if any, of the following environmental education goalsare addressed through your program?

■ Ecological foundations

■ Conceptual awareness:issues and values

■ Investigation skills

■ Evaluation skills

■ Environmental action skills

NO BETTER WELL

Which life skills are encouraged through your program?

■ Communicating with others

■ Leading self and others

■ Learning to learn

■ Making decisions/solving problems

■ Planning and organizing

■ Planning one’s life

■ Relating to change and others

■ Identifying/clarifyingpersonal values

NO BETTER WELL

Specifically consider issues of program access

■ Convenient locationfor targeted youth

■ Fees (if any) based onparticipants’ ability to pay(or covered by partners)

■ Program meets differingparticipant needs (age, social/cultural factors, abilities)

■ Accessible setting forpeople with disabilities

How will you know if your program met the need identified in section 3 of this Checklist?

What aspects of your program design contributed to meeting program needs?

Return to Evaluationsection 1 andsummarize yourconclusions as anindividual toquestions 2-4 there.Work with theevaluation team torecommend anyneeded programmodifications. Go onto any other sectionof the EvaluationChecklist.

44

Program delivery

A program can gain momentum when it’s up and running. This will happen when thedelivery builds on the program’s strengths. What do youth actually do in the program?What strategies do instructors use? How do instructional strategies relate to goals?

What program strengths enhance program success? (proximity to water,supplement to an already popular program, great staff, etc.)


9Effective delivery

NO BETTER WELL

Specifically, which of the following program delivery strategies did you use?

■ The new approach or effort wastried with a subgroup (pilot group)before implementing the program

■ Instructors/leaders completeda structured training program

■ Fun/recreation were part ofthe education experience

■ Used appropriate science educa-tion strategies such as the learningcycle approach (exploration, conceptintroduction/application) or inquirymethod (asking questions anddesigning a method for answering)

■ Applied age-appropriate scienceprocesses (observing, communicat-ing, comparing, organizing, relating,inferring, applying)

■ Developed critical thinking skillsemphasizing dialogue, reflection andquestioning

■ Used educational strategies thataddress various learner abilities andlearning styles (visual, auditory,manipulative and global)

■ Provided shared learning respon-sibility between teacher and student

6

45

NO BETTER WELL

Which of the following opportunities that are importantfor teaching about water did you use?

■ Opportunities to practice(hands-on or interactive)learner objectives

■ Close-up observation/handling of plants andanimals in a water habitator in a laboratory setting

■ Opportunity to observechanges in water quantity orquality over time

■ Ideas of things youth cando in the community orwhen they get home

■ Opportunities to expressa desire or intention to takeaction

■ Modeling appropriatebehavior concerning thewater topic, e.g. giving youthopportunities to practiceeffective water-conservingactivities

■ Supporting appropriatebehavior, i.e., giving positivereinforcement or recognition

Did your program take advantage of the many teaching strategies available tomeet the “success” criteria described in the introduction?

Return to Evaluationsection 1 andsummarize yourconclusions as anindividual to questions2-4 there. Work withthe evaluation teamto recommend anyneeded programmodifications.Go on to any othersection of theEvaluation Checklist.

46

Evaluation

Evaluation can be used to reflect on a program, to make minor or major changes in aprogram, or to make decisions about a program. For information on how to use thissection, please see the Water Evaluation Checklist introduction. Ideas and resources tohelp you develop specific program impact measurements are in the Resources section.

What is your overall evaluation of this program?


10Evaluation

NO BETTER WELL

Who will be included in your evaluation?

NO BETTER WELL

What will you include in your evaluation? (knowledge change, changes inintentions, improved skills, etc.)

NO BETTER WELL

How and when will you evaluate your program?

NO BETTER WELL

Does your evaluation strategy provide the answers you need to meet intended usesof the evaluation?

■ Assess interest in the program

■ Report to funders

■ Reach new audiences

■ Improve delivery strategies

■ Modify design to betterreach goals

7

47

NO BETTER WELL

Did your program meet the needs you identified insection 3 of the Evaluation Checklist ?

■ How do you know?

NO BETTER WELL

In which of the following ways have you used evaluation?

■ Determine if programaccomplished what it wasdesigned to do

■ Determine if participantexpectations are met

– How did youdetermine that?

■ Relate program objectives,materials and activities toexpectations

– Did they result in theknowledge or skillchanges you expected?

– How do you know?

■ Assess youths’ attainmentof learning objectives for:

KnowledgeAttitudesSkillsBehaviors

– How did you assessattainment of learningobjectives?

■ Assess the performanceof the leaders/teachers

– What criteria did you use?

■ Verify the relationship of theprogram to community needs

– What criteria did you use?

Return to Evaluationsection 1, Looking atyour results, andsummarize yourconclusions as anindividual to questions2-4 there. Work withthe evaluation teamto recommend anyneeded programmodifications. Goon to any othersection of theEvaluation Checklist.

48

Water Quality 2000 Report — Challenges for the Future 49

National Geographic Society sample water quiz 49

Water topics and subtopics 50

Environmental education topics and subtopics 51

Questions adapted from Bennett’s Hierarchy 52

Common evaluation strategies 53

Sample questions for evaluating participant impacts 54

Agencies with an interest in water issues 55

Private groups with an interest in water issues 55

Bibliography of sources for criteria to evaluatenonformal youth water education programs 56

␣

48

RESOURCESfor YouthWaterEducationPlanning andEvaluation

PHO

TO B

Y H

ILD

EGA

RD A

DLE

R

49

True/false questions1. New sources of fresh water are being

discovered every day.

F (66% responded correctly)

2. Underground water is always cleanerthan water found in lakes and streams.


3. If you have your own well, you can besure your water is safe.


4. Our usable fresh water supply is beingused faster than nature can replenish it.

(answers not reported)

Multiple choice questions5. To the best of your knowledge, what

percentage of the world’s water is freshand available for use?1%, 10%, 50%, or 75%

1% (10% responded correctly)

6. To the best of your knowledge, whatpercentage of the world’s populationdoes not have access to clean water?10%, 20%, 30%, 40%, or 50%

30% (14% responded correctly)

7. How many gallons of water per day do youthink the average American uses? Please keepin mind all the personal and other householduses of water, such as bathing, cooking,washing clothes, flushing the toilet, etc. Giveyour best estimate.

100 gallons per day (22% responded correctly;only responses which were underestimates ofwater usage by morethan 20% were considered incorrect)

8. How many gallons of water do you think arenecessary to perform each of the followinghousehold and personal activities? Please giveus your best estimate. (Only responses whichwere underestimates of water usage by morethan 20% were considered incorrect.)

Running the washing machine

30 gallons (17% responded correctly)

Running the dishwasher


Brushing teeth

(answers not reported)

Flushing the toilet


Taking a 10-minute shower


National Geographic Society sample water quiz10

Water Quality 2000 Report—Challenges for the Future9

Following are the challenges identified by the Water Quality 2000 group:

■ preventing pollution■ focusing on toxic constituents■ coping with multimedia pollution■ promoting wise use of resources■ providing safe drinking water■ controlling runoff from rural and

urban lands

■ increasing scientific understanding of waterquality issues

■ protecting aquatic ecosystems■ protecting groundwater■ financing water resource improvements■ setting priorities■ managing growth and development

9. Water Quality 2000, 1993. Water Quality 2000 Final Report, A National Water Agenda for the21st Century. 601 Wythe Street, Alexandria, Virginia 22314.


50

1. Science of water

■■ Properties

■■ Importance to living things

■■ Hydrologic cycle

■■ Geology/hydrologydynamics__ surface water__ groundwater__ regional supply

2. Water related ecosystems

■■ Types of ecosystems__ lakes__ wetlands__ rivers__ watersheds__ ponds__ streams__ oceans__ riparian__ estuaries__ ephemeral systems

(intermittent)

■■ Major regional resource:______________________

■■ Ecological concepts

3. Drinking water supply:quantity & quality

■■ Delivery__ community/public__ private

■■ Water quality control__ well concerns__ testing

__ public__ private

■■ Treatment of drinking water__ public drinking water__ home treatment

■■ Lifestyle impacts/conservation

■■ Understanding & reducingrisks for specificcontaminants__ bacteria__ nitrates__ pesticides__ salinity__ sediments__ other chemicals

____________________

■■ Water quality indicators

7. Management & protectionstrategies for specific uses

■■ Agricultural managementpractices

■■ Chemical storage

■■ Chemical emergencies

■■ Development issues/pressures

■■ Natural disasters

■■ Recreational use

■■ Solid waste managementdecisions

■■ Wastewater treatment

■■ Wildlife habitat/landstewardship

■■ Management

■■ Zoning strategies__ shorelands/floodplains__ wetlands__ wellhead/groundwater

recharge areas

8. Government &citizenship issues

■■ Policy issues__ water quality__ water quantity

■■ Role of local government indeveloping protectionstrategies

■■ Citizen involvement &participation

■■ Legislation, regulation,incentives/disincentives

9. Water-related careers

■■ Technical____________________________

■■ Professional__________________________

4. Water use

■■ Use of water by many groups__ commercial__ municipal__ recreation__ industry__ domestic__ agricultural__ power production

■■ Conservation by user groups

■■ Issues/conflicts between usergroups

5. Sources of water pollution/contamination

■■ Point source__ agricultural sources__ public &/or private

wastewater__ industrial & business

hazardous wastes__ energy production

wastes

■■ Nonpoint source__ agricultural__ forestry__ atmospheric deposition__ urban__ mining

6. Water quality: riskassessment & reduction

■■ Curriculum addresses theconcept of how riskdecisions are made

■■ Impact of water quality onhealth

■■ Impact of water quality onhuman food sources

■■ Impact of water quality onplant & animal communities

Water topics and subtopics

In developing water education programs or reviewing materials for thelikelihood that they will help meet water education goals, these topicsshould be considered.

51

■■ Analyze results with respect to:__ ecological implications__ cultural implications

4. Evaluation skills(program provides opportunities to:)

■■ Identify alternative solutions

■■ Identify values associated withalternative solutions

■■ Evaluate alternative solutionswith respect to cultural &ecological implications

■■ Identify & clarify personalvalues & positions as they relateto issues & solutions

■■ Change personal values &positions with new information

5. Environmental action skills(materials guide development of:)

■■ Skills to work towards endsconsistent with personal values__ persuasion__ legal action__ community problem

solving__ consumerism__ ecomanagement__ political action__ education

■■ Decision-making regardingenvironmental action strategies

■■ Opportunities to applyenvironmental action skills

■■ Evaluate influence of actionstaken to effect balance betweenquality of life and quality ofenvironment

Environmental education topicsIn developing water education programs or reviewing materials for the likelihood that they willmeet water education goals, the following environmental education goals should be considered.

1. Ecological foundations(program focuses on:)

■■ Individuals & populations

■■ Interactions &interdependence

■■ Environmental influences& limiting factors

■■ Biogeochemical cycling

■■ Community & ecosystemsconcepts

■■ Homeostasis(balance of nature)

■■ Succession

■■ Humans as ecosystemcomponents

■■ Ecological implicationsof human activity

2. Conceptual awareness:issues & values(program encourages recognizing:)

■■ Ecological impact of humanculture on environment

■■ Ecological impact ofindividuals on environment

■■ Ecological & cultural implica-tions of environmental issues

■■ Alternative solutions

■■ Cultural implications ofalternative solutions

■■ Investigation as prerequisite todecision-making

■■ Role of human values & needfor personal values clarifica-tion in decision making

■■ Need for responsible citizenaction in environmental issueremediation

3. Investigation skills(program provides opportunities to:)

■■ Shape questions

■■ Formulate hypotheses

■■ Make observations andmeasurements__ Natural science settings__ Social science settings

■■ Perform tests

Recent thinking by experiencedenvironmental educators includessocio-political knowledge as a com-ponent to environmental education.11

While socio-political themes havebeen woven into the previous listing,program planners/evaluators maywish to further emphasize the follow-ing education goals:

6. Socio-political knowledge(program provides opportunities to:)

■■ Improve awareness ofeconomic, social, politicaland ecological interdependencein urban and rural areas

■■ Study and communicate howhuman cultural activitiesinfluence the environment

■■ Study the relationship betweenbeliefs, political structures, andenvironmental values ofvarious cultures

■■ Study the basic componentsof societal systems

■■ Develop geographic under-standing at the local,regional, and global levels

■■ Study patterns of change insociety and culture

■■ Understand structure and scale in societies and culture

11. Summarized by the NAAEEStandards project. Seereference below.

For more detail about environmental education goals, review the following references:

Tbilisi Intergovernmental Conference onEnvironmental Education. 1978. “Towardan Action Plan: A Report on the TbilisiConference on Environmental Education.”A paper developed by the FICE Subcom-mittee on Environmental Education.Washington, D.C., U.S. GovernmentPrinting Office, Stock No. 017-080-01828-1.

Gardella, Ronald. 1986. “EnvironmentalEducation Curriculum Inventory FormsA and B.” Northern Kentucky University,Highland Heights, Kentucky, 41076.

Hungerford, Harold, R. B. Peyton and R. J.Wilke. 1980. “Goals for CurriculumDevelopment in Environmental Education,”Journal of Environmental Education,11(3):42-47.

NAAEE background papers on environmentaleducation standards. 1995. NorthAmerican Association of EnvironmentalEducation, Washington, D.C.

Roth, Charles. 1990. “Definition andClarification of Environmental Literacy,a working paper,” ASTM EnvironmentalLiteracy Project, 1916 Race St., Phila., PA,19103-1187.

52

12. Materials developed by Bob Steelquist. Public Information Education grant program, Puget Sound, Washington, 1993.

Questions adapted fromBennett’s Hierarchy

One strategy12 which has been used effectively to evaluatenatural resource based programs uses Claude Bennett’shierarchy of program outcomes.

A wide variety of outreach programs use Bennett’s programevaluation methodology to measure effectiveness.

Bennett’s Hierarchy

1: Inputs: time expended, staff qualifications

2: Activities: educational methodology

3: People involvement: number and characteristics,continuity and intensity

4: Reactions: interest in activities, acceptance of leadership

5: Knowledge, attitude, skills, and aspirations change (KASA):direction and extent, duration

6: Practice change: individual innovation, structural change

7: End result: ultimate objectives, side effects␣

Because evaluation can be difficult, samples from the BennettHierarchy are regrouped here according to the sections of thispublication’s Water Program Evaluation Checklist. This shouldhelp by giving another set of words to consider. Questions listedafter each of Bennett’s topics were adapted from Bob Steelquist.12

Most have also been integrated into the Evaluation Checklist inthis guide. See the checklist for more details about these topics.

4: REACTIONS

– how do programparticipants view yourorganization and itsleaders?

– how will you find outhow program participantsevaluate your instructors,organization, or water issueafter involvement in theprogram?

Evaluation Checklists 4 and 7: Program support, partners,and networks; Program evaluation

1: INPUTS

– what costs will be required toconduct this program includ-ing employees and materials?

– what is the source of thefunds?

– how do you know if you havechosen the most cost effectiveapproach to solving the waterproblem addressed in yourprogram?

Evaluation Checklist 3: Why do thisprogram?

7: END RESULT

– what environmental condition will yourprogram help correct?

– how will you know if the condition has beencorrected?

– how will your program contribute tocorrecting the condition?

Evaluation Checklists 5, 6 and 7: Programgoals, design, and access; Programdelivery; Program evaluationIn Bennett’s Hierarchy, goals, program design anddelivery, and evaluation are integrated into thefollowing themes.

2: ACTIVITIES

– what activities have you planned and whatwill you have to do to prepare?

– what factors will affect the success ofthese activities?

3: PEOPLE INVOLVEMENT

– what are the characteristics of yourparticipants and how many participantsare you planning for?

– how will you reach your participants?– how will participants perspective be

represented in program planning?

5: KASA

– does change in behavior require newknowledge or skills that can be learned?attitudes or awareness that must bedeveloped? what information is required?

– how will information be transmitted toparticipants?

– how will you find out if participantsreceived, understood, or used the knowledge,attitudes, skills or awareness that they areexposed to during the program?

6: PRACTICE CHANGE

– what current behavior (or lack of behavior)contributes to the condition?

– what changes in behavior do you hope willoccur as a result of your project?

– how will you know if the behavior ofparticipants has changed as a result of yourprogram? short term? long term?

53

12. Adapted from presentation handouts developed by Bob Steelquist, Puget Sound, Washington,PIE program, 1993.

How you evaluate your program depends onwhat you want to know about it. Here areseven program areas you might want to reviewalong with a list of evidence you could collectand examine for each.12

ResourcesFinancial audit, tracking expenses, timesheets,letters of commitment of funding, in-kindcontributions, donations

ActivitiesProject timelines, work plans, activity reports,status reports, final reports

ParticipantsSign up sheets, participant lists, audiencecounts, product counts, contact lists, audiencecharacterization

Participant reactionsSelf-report evaluation form, instructorevaluation form, program audit, exit interview,instructor logs, correspondence files, newsclipping files

Knowledge, attitudes, skills, awarenessPeer review of materials, pretest - posttest,certification exam, self-reflective writing,portfolio review, instructor logs, studentjournal, group self-assessment, polling, focusgroups, informal consultation, skillsdemonstration, exit interview

Behavior changePledge, peer or participant rated exercise,incentive award, informal followup, polling,focus groups, direct observation, photodocumentation, measuring indicators

Environment or resource conditionAmbient monitoring, hasty reconnaissance,population survey, mortality reports, creelcensus, incident reports, measuring indicators

For a more complete guide to identifyingstrategies for evaluating specific programoutcomes, see Program Evaluation Kit,second edition, edited by Joan Herman.Available from SAGE Publications, the kitincludes nine separate publications. You maywant to begin with Evaluator’s Handbook,the first in the series.

Common evaluation strategies

54 Sample questions for evaluating participant impacts

Questions to ask in a self report evaluation:

1. How did participants find out about theprogram?

2. What did participants hope to learn?

3. What was the most important idea or skillthat participant gained from the program?

4. How will participant use the informationhe/she learned?

5. How would participants improve theprogram?

Other evaluation ideas:

1. Pre and post questions related to specificgoals, i.e. can you identify the boundariesof your local watershed? Can you think offive ways to reduce your use of water athome? etc.

2. Pre and post skills observation, i.e. didparticipant identify information needed tounderstand a particular water issue andsuccessfully interview a public official toacquire that information? Do parentsreport that participant remembers to turnoff the water while brushing teeth? etc.

3. Problem solving ability, i.e. participantmust plan a way to find the answer to arelevant problem. Try the same or similarproblem before and after the activity orprogram. For example, the participant isasked to develop a plan to find out how toinsure that home water is good quality?Can the participate figure out what to dofirst, second; who to call for help indesigning the plan, etc.?

4. Pre and post environmental conditionsobservation, i.e. participant decided thatthe stream needed to have trash removedto improve fish and wildlife habitat. Wasthe habitat improved as a result of thisactivity according to accepted criteria?

5. Informal group discussion about topicssuch as: what do you remember the mostabout what we did? How do you know youlearned something new? what would youdo different now that you experienced thisactivity? What would make this activitymore fun? why did we do (activity A)before we did (activity B)?

55

National 4-H CouncilEnvironmental StewardshipProgram301/961-2866 or 2833

National Marine EducationAssociationDauphin Island Marine LabPO Box 369-370Dauphin Island, AL 36528205/861-7558

Project Wet(Water Education For Teachers)National Project WET201 Culbertson HallMontana State UniversityBozeman, MT 59717-0057406/994-5392

River NetworkPO Box 8787Portland, OR 97207-8787503/241-3506

Trout Unlimited1500 Wilson Blvd., #310Arlington, VA 22209-2310703/284-9409

Water Environment Federation601 Wythe StreetAlexandria, VA 22314-1994703/684-2487

Western Regional EnvironmentalEducation Council (WREEC)4014 Chatham LaneHouston, TX 77027713/520-1936

Government agencies

National Oceanic and AtmosphericAdministration (NOAA)No contact available at present

US Cooperative Extension ServiceCheck your local phone book underCounty Government for the Coopera-tive Extension office in your county.

US Environmental Protection AgencyEPA Resource Center202/260-7786

EPA Public Information Office202/260-7751

EPA Region 5Education Computer Programs312/353-6353

US Fish And Wildlife ServiceOffice of Training and EducationPublications Unit4401 North Fairfax Dr.Mailstop webb 304Arlington, VA 22203703/358-1711

US Forest ServiceNatural Resource ConservationEducation Program (NRCEP)14th and Independence Ave., SWWashington, DC 20090-6090202/205-1545

US Geological SurveyCheck your local telephone book underUS Government, Department of theInterior for the office nearest you.

US Natural ResourcesConservation ServiceCheck your local telephone book underUS Government, Department ofAgriculture for the office nearest you.

Private groups

American Forests1516 P St., NWWashington, DC 20005800/8-RELEAF

American Water WorksAssociationPublic Affairs Department6666 W. Quincy Ave.Denver, CO 80235303/794-7711, EXT. 4114

The Blue Thumb ProgramA consortium of public andprivate groupsNational Drinking Water WeekHeadquarters6666 W. Quincy Ave.Denver, CO 80235303/794-7711

Earth Force1501 Wilson Blvd., 12th floorArlington VA 22209

Global Rivers EnvironmentalEducation Network (Green)721 East Huron St.Ann Arbor, MI 48104313/761-8142

The Groundwater FoundationPO Box 22558Lincoln, NE 68542-2558402/434-2740

Izaak Walton League of America707 Conservation LaneGaithersburg, MD 20878-2983301/548-01501/800/BUG-IWLA

National Associationof Conservation Districts408 E. Main, PO box 855League City, TX 77574713/332-3402

Agencies with an interest in water issues

56

Bibliography

Strategies forevaluatingprograms

Bibliography of sources for criteria to evaluateyouth nonformal water education programs

Strategies for evaluating programs

USDA Cooperative Extension. 1976.Analyzing Impacts of Extension Programs.

This paper describes a program evaluationmethodology developed by Claude F. Bennettwhich is used by a wide variety of outreachprograms to measure effectiveness. Thehierarchy of evidence for program evaluationincludes the following steps:

1. Inputs: time expended, staff qualifications2. Activities: educational methodology3. People involvement: number and

characteristics, continuity and intensity4. Reactions: interest in activities, acceptance

of leadership5. Knowledge, Attitude, Skills, and

Aspirations change: direction and extent,duration

6. Practice change: individual innovation,structural change

7. End result: ultimate objectives, side effects

Remaining discussion focuses on: selection ofevidence for evaluation, evaluation criteria, andstudy types.

The Extension evaluation model was recentlyapplied to an evaluation of project WILD byMargaret Tudor of the Washington Departmentof Wildlife in 1992. Her study combined Wash-ington State data with a 1990 survey byStandage Accureach to provide information foreach category suggested by the Bennett model.Tudor was not able to demonstrate any directlinkages between use of Project WILD andbehavior changes that would meet Departmentof Wildlife goals. However, the materials werewidely used with a high level of teacher satis-faction. Tudor recommends the developmentof measurable action outcomes to enhance theuse of these materials.

Bennett, Dean B. 1988-89. Four Steps toEvaluating Environmental EducationLearning Experiences. Journal ofEnvironmental Education, 20(2):14-2.

Bennett urges the need to evaluate environ-mental education (EE) programs in order toconvince the educational community that EEcan be an integral aspect of the curriculum andactually improve the learning experience. Hestates some reasons why educators avoidevaluating their programs, e.g., time, expense,complexity, fear of being evaluated, andcriticism of being too subjective. Bennett thensuggests a simplified four-step evaluationmethod to assist environmental educators tobecome better evaluators. Bennett describes thevariety of evaluation measures which could beused including: performance tests, question-naires, interviews, observations, artifactexamination, and unobtrusive measures.

McCrea, Edward J., and Glenn D. Weaver.1984. Nonformal Environmental Education :An Overview and Methodology for Evaluation.In Monographs in Environmental Educationand Environmental Studies, Vol I, edited byArthur B. Sachs, ERIC, Ohio State UniversityCollege of Education, School of NaturalResources, 1200 Chambers Rd., 3rd Floor,Columbus, OH 43212.

Authors summarize the nonformal EE history,i.e., early educational materials, agencyinvolvement, and historical events that led tostrengthening the EE movement. Since the1980s, many nonformal educators have focusedon issue-oriented programs hoping to directlyaffect positive social behavior and problem-solving. Traditional practitioners question theeffectiveness of this narrow focus as trulybeneficial in increasing public awareness.Authors then address the key points of thelearning theory as the first step in predictingthe potential effectiveness of nonformalprograms. Nonformal education programsshould possess the following attributes in orderto maximize learning potential: (1) learning is

57

based on past learning; (2) learning occurs bestwhen it is multisensory; (3) learning shouldbuild on the reality principle and use concreteexamples; (4) learning should be non-threaten-ing and reinforcing; (5) educational activitiesshould be as enjoyable as possible and bestructured to provide challenges; (6) educa-tional activities should be structured tofacilitate concepts building; (7) learning shouldbe demonstrated by a change in behavior;(8) specific attempts should be made to teachfor transfer (from knowledge to action).

Nonformal EE evaluation procedures differfrom the cognitive testing process of conven-tional education. Authors discuss settingstandards by creating a hypothetical average oran optimum program against which to com-pare EE programs. However, this process alsocreates difficulty due to the subjectivity ofsetting standards and measuring adherence tothose standards. Finally, the authors point to anevaluation tool designed by themselves for theU.S. Fish and Wildlife Service programs.Program attributes are identified, then used asthe basis for developing standards. Standardsare specific, concrete statements intended toidentify presence or absence of programelements.

Murphy, Nancy. 1993 draft. InnovativeStudent Assessment in EnvironmentalEducation. Presented at the 1993 annualconference of the North American Associationof Environmental Education. Paper availablefrom Nancy Murphy at Antioch University,Seattle.

This paper summarizes authentic assessmentresources available to evaluate environmentaleducation. The author focuses on assessmentrelevant to instructional decision making only.To that end, she recommends that instructorsevaluate: preconceptions, conceptual change,ability to apply concepts in new contexts,participation in group construction of sharedmeanings, personal behavior changes, andattitude change. An assessment model isprovided for use of the learning cycle modelwhich includes: engagement, exploration,discovery, experimentation, and extension.Examples of generic assessment tools as appliedto environmental education are also provided.Generic tools include: concept mapping; prior

knowledge charts; rubrics such as checklists,Likert scales, and scoring scales, analytical traittools, and holistic scales. Further informationand example tools using generic evaluationstrategies are provided on how to assesspreconceptions, how to assess conceptualchange, how to assess group skills, how toassess behavior change, and how to assessattitude change.

Thomas, Ian G. 1990. EvaluatingEnvironmental Education Programs UsingCase Studies. Journal of EnvironmentalEducation 21(1): 3-8.

Addresses the difficulty of evaluating programswhich involve students in citizen action.Proposes a case study approach which wouldanswer “how” and “why” questions and wouldlead to “understanding” rather than “know-ledge.” References other evaluation experts whoverify that case descriptions can be useful whenno theoretical data model exists. Reminds usersthat validity and reliability concepts must beconsidered in developing the case study model.One example described questionnaires andinterviews which sought to gain informationabout program features, especially thoseperceived to be of interest and/or worthwhile.

Evaluation criteria that could beadapted for youth nonformalwater education programs

Bennett, Dean B. 1989. Four Steps toEvaluating Environmental EducationLearning Experiences. Journal ofEnvironmental Education 20(2):14-21.

Bennett suggests a simplified four-stepevaluation method to assist environmentaleducators to become better evaluators: setexpectations; plan the evaluation; determineresults; use the results. Expectations include:knowledge and understanding objectives,thinking skills objectives, values and attitudesobjectives, action skill objectives; and allowingfor unanticipated outcomes.

Bibliography

Strategies forevaluatingprograms

Adaptableevaluationcriteria

58

Dwyer, William O., Frank C. Lemming, et al.1993. Critical Review of BehavioralInterventions to Preserve the Environment:Research Since 1980. Environment andBehavior, 25(3): 275-321.

Authors note that from 1970-1990, behavioralintervention studies that focus on environ-mentally relevant behavior peaked in 1977 andthen steadily declined into 1990. The researchwas restricted to behavior-change interventionsand obtained 54 intervention studies withantecedent and consequence strategies. Theyconcluded that over the past decade, much ofthe research did not allow for meaningfulcomparisons among other interventions whilefew studies included critical follow-upprocedures. Without follow-up, techniques thatproduce long-term behavior change may beoverlooked. Authors note some accomplish-ments from the 1980s research.

The techniques that have resulted in consistentbehavior change are antecedent conditions,commitment, modeling, and goal-settingstrategies. The authors then offer severalspecific suggestions to address the metho-dological problems and general research.

Gardella, Ronald. 1986. EnvironmentalEducation Curriculum Inventory Forms A andB. Northern Kentucky University, HighlandHeights, Kentucky 41076.

Translation of 1978 Tbilisi definition ofenvironmental education and 1980Hungerford, Peyton and Wilke goals forenvironmental education into a checklist usefulfor reviewing curriculum materials for theirenvironmental education components.

Hungerford, Harold R., and Trudi L. Volk.1990. Changing Learner Behavior ThroughEnvironmental Education. Journal ofEnvironmental Education 21(3): 8-21.

Research into environmental behavior has notbeen able to show that increased knowledgewill change human behavior. To achieveresponsible citizenship behavior, individualsmust be given the opportunity to develop thesense of “ownership” and “empowerment.”Individuals who act have “expressed anintention to take action” and “possess a desireto act”. Authors also found that to changelearner behavior, strategies should be imple-

mented across all grade levels. The cooperationof nonformal education agencies as well aslocal and regional educational resources wouldmaximize this opportunity for success.

Lisowski, Marilyn, and John F. Disinger. 1991.The Effect of Field-Based Instruction onStudent Understandings of EcologicalConcepts. Journal of EnvironmentalEducation, 23(1): 19-23.

Authors assess comprehension and retention ofselected ecological concepts when using fieldstudy instruction techniques. Results showedthat students learned effectively through field-based instruction in conceptual development.Used the Student Ecology Assessment (SEA)for evaluating concept development.

Niedermeyer, Fred C. 1992. A Checklist forReviewing Environmental EducationPrograms. Journal of EnvironmentalEducation, 23(2):46-50.

Increasingly, various forms of environmentaleducation materials are reaching schools.The author provides educators a checklist toidentify the technical characteristics whenreviewing or developing EE programs. Thesecharacteristics are those which instructionaldevelopers determine as highly desirable,e.g., clearly stated objectives, student oppor-tunities to practice objectives, and field-testedprograms.

Skills important to success inyouth nonformal water educationprograms

Berger, Ida, E. and Ruth M. Corbin. 1992.Perceived Consumer Effectiveness and Faithin Others as Moderators of EnvironmentallyResponsible Behaviors. Journal of PublicPolicy and Marketing, 11(2), 79-89.

The authors use a 1989 environmental opinionpoll of the Canadian population to examine theinfluence of perceived consumer effectivenessand faith in the efficacy of others on therelationship between environmental attitudesand consumer behaviors. Results support theconcept that “Consumers need to be empower-ed to rely on their own capabilities to achievevalued environmental outcomes.”

Bibliography

Adaptableevaluationcriteria

Importantskills forsuccess

59

Berman, Shelley. 1991. Thinking in Context:Teaching for Open-mindedness and CriticalUnderstanding in Developing Minds:A Resource Book for Teaching Thinking,ed. Arthur Costa. Educators for SocialResponsibility, Alexandria, VA.

Educators for Social Responsibility claim thatstudents lack the necessary thinking skills tounderstand complex social issues. Under thewhole-language approach, thinking is aintegrative process that is enhanced whenplaced in the context of real, meaningfulsituations. Berman lists nine strategies thatenrich students’ thinking abilities throughempowerment and confidence including:creating a safe environment, collaborativethinking, teaching interconnectedness, multipleperspectives, and providing opportunities toact on their thinking. If youth are to becomeactive participants in society, they must feelconfident that others value their thinking andthat their thinking makes a difference byimproving their own lives or influencingothers.

De Young, Raymond. 1989. Exploring theDifference Between Recyclers and Non-Recyclers: the Role of Information. Journal ofEnvironmental Systems, Vol. 18(4), 341-351.

This study found no difference between theattitudes of recyclers and non-recyclers. Thosewho did not value recycling (as demonstratedin attitude studies six months prior to theinitiation of community recycling) participatedin recycling activities as often as those who didvalue recycling. As a result, the authorrecommends that environmental educationfocus on how to turn intentions into actions,rather than on changing attitudes.

De Young, Raymond. 1993. ChangingBehavior and Making It Stick: TheConceptualization and Management ofConservation Behavior. Environment andBehavior, 25(4): 485-505.

Due to the complexity and ubiquity of environ-mental issues, the need to find strategies tochange conservation behavior while minimi-zing the need for repeated interventioncontinues to challenge EE program developers.Environmental education professionals haveused the following techniques of intervention:informational techniques, positive motivationaltechniques and coercive techniques. Five

evaluation techniques should be used tomeasure the impact of the interventiontechnique on behavior change: reliability, speedof change, universality, generality, and dura-bility. Under these criteria, positive motivationtechniques produce the best results, especially ifthey focus on intrinsic motivation. Commit-ment strategies provide this opportunityreliably producing both quick and durablebehavior change.

Disinger, John F. 1990. Teaching CreativeThinking Through Environmental Education.In ERIC/SMEAC Environmental EducationDigest, Columbus, OH 43212 (614) 292-6717.EDO-SE-90-33.

Creative thinking has been defined as oneaspect of higher-order thinking necessary forproblem-solving, invention and achievement.If teachers are to teach creative thinking instudents, they must first develop their owncreative talents. Authors point to severaltechniques to foster creative thinking, such asstorytelling, brainstorming, guided imagery,and reflective writing. Environmentaleducation can act as a mode for learning howto think creatively by identifying alternatives,using multiple resources, and identifying realand potential impacts of existing problems andpotential solutions.

4-H National Program. National 4-H Criteriafor Curricula Development. National 4-HProgram Leader, USDA Room 3860 S.Building, Washington, DC 20250-0900.

A resource developed specifically for thosecreating curriculum materials to be used by4-H clubs.

Gigliotti, Larry M. 1990. EnvironmentalEducation: What Went Wrong? What Can BeDone? Journal of Environmental Education,22(1):9-12.

The author argues that although environmentaleducation has been successful at producingecologically concerned citizens, people aregenerally unwilling to change their personallifestyles in ways which are necessary to solvesome environmental problems. Citizens whohave learned misconceptions or myths aboutthe environment have criticized the behavior ofothers, but lack the knowledge and convictionto change their own behaviors. Gigliotti statesthat every citizen needs a basic understanding

Bibliography


60

of ecological principles, information on thealternatives and consequences of actions, andinformation on possible individual action. Tohelp change the myth that people are separatefrom the environment, environmentaleducation messages must make the connectionbetween environmental information andindividual actions and solutions toenvironmental problems.

Howe, Robert W., and John Disinger. 1988.Environmental Education That Makes ADifference —Knowledge To Behavior Changes.In ERIC/SMEAC Environmental EducationDigest, Columbus, OH 43212 (614) 292-6717.EDO-SE-90-12.

Students who are given the opportunity toengage in long-term, realistic environmentalissues tend to demonstrate responsibleenvironmental behavior. Authors describeseveral variables involved in developing thisaccountability. Such individuals exhibit: (1)knowledge of relevant environmental concepts,(2) knowledge of environmental problems andissues, (3) concern for the quality of theenvironment, (4) knowledge of actionstrategies that may be used for resolving anissue, (5) belief that their action can make adifference, (6) commitment to take action, and(7) experience in action-based activities.Authors then list three sets of materials shownto have a significant effect on student learningand behavior: (1) Conservation and Children(National Diffusion Network, 1988); (2)Investigating and Evaluating EnvironmentalIssues and Actions: Skills and DevelopmentModules (Hungerford, 1988); and (3) Decisionsfor Today and Tomorrow: Issues in Science-Technology-Society (Iozzi, 1987).

Howe, Robert W., and Charles R. Warren.1989. Teaching Critical Thinking ThroughEnvironmental Education. In ERIC/SMEACEnvironmental Education Digest, Columbus,OH 43212 (614) 292-6717. EDO-SE-89-22.

Critical thinking skills are an intricate part ofdaily life. Students are asked and expected tomake complex choices, judgements andevaluations everyday. Authors list severalcritical thinking skills definitions, includingEnnis’ (1987) definition: the process and skillsinvolved in rationally deciding what to do or

what to believe. Business and industry continueto report that many employees are not able tothink critically in job situations. Authors arguethat schools need to re-evaluate how and whatthey are teaching and how to better preparestudents for various societal situations. EE isthought to be a good mechanism in teachingcritical thinking skills due to the scope, breadthand reality of environmental issues.

Jones, Jo, and R. Dale Safrit. 1992. CriticalThinking: Enhancing Adolescent Decision-Making. Journal of Home Economics, 84(3):4-7.

Critical thinking skills involve problem-solving,decision-making, and evaluating one’s positionon issues. Key elements in the critical thinkingprocess are dialogue, reflection, and question-ing. These elements underlie the authors’ 13“effective strategies” to foster critical thinkingin teens. Such strategies include debate teams,dramatizations, journal writing, listeningteams, and considering alternatives. Eachstrategy presents teens with realistic situationsin which they are asked to consider the pointsof view of those involved in the conflict.

Katzev, Richard D., and Anton U. Pardini.1987. The Comparative Effectiveness ofReward and Commitment Approaches inMotivating Community Recycling. Journal ofEnvironmental Systems, 17(2): 93-113.

This study investigated the value of commit-ment to an environmental action. Variousstudy components compared commitments vs.monetary incentives, single request vs. multiplerequests for commitment, and verbal commit-ments vs. written commitment. Another studyby Theodore Wang and Richard Katzevexplored the individual vs. group commitmentoption. (1990. Group Commitment andResource Conservation: Two Field Experimentson Promoting Recycling. Journal of appliedSocial Psychology, 20(4): 265-275.) Resultsshowed that commitments work better thanmonetary incentives for their ability to produceshort term involvement and enduring behaviorchange. Commitments must be explicit for aspecific action. They are enhanced if they areindividual, public, written, and voluntary.Commitments to a specific act may lead to amore generalized commitment.

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Monroe, Martha C., and Stephen Kaplan.1988. When Words Speak Louder ThanActions: Environmental Problem-Solving inthe Classroom. Journal of EnvironmentalEducation, 19(4): 38-41.

Authors promote using case studies to teachenvironmental problem-solving skills in placeof action-oriented projects. Encouragingdiscussion of actual problems and presentingexamples of successful solutions increasesstudents’ familiarity with optional solutions.Authors argue that action-oriented environ-mental projects may actually discouragestudents from future environmental action.They support this claim stating that projectsare challenging to carry out and do notguarantee a positive experience for all students.Action projects also impose classroom con-straints and require a very special commitmentfrom the teacher. Authors further state thatfuture studies should directly test the students’knowledge rather than rely on the teachers’impressions.

Neilson, Allan R. 1989. Critical Thinking andReading: Empowering Learners To Think andAct. ERIC Clearinghouse on Reading andCommunication Skills, Smith ResearchCenter, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN.

Neilson argues that students’ lack of criticalthinking skills reflects our current educationalsystem and the assumptions it holds about thenature of knowledge, teaching and learning.Educators place an overwhelming emphasison teaching and considerable faith in directinstruction (lectures, readings, drill exercises)as the primary means of transferring facts andskills. When students have little active involve-ment in their education, compliance, ratherthan independence, in students’ thoughts andactions tend to be valued. Neilson addresses thequestion “How to better prepare our childrenfor the world beyond the classroom?” by sug-gesting application of an alternative frameworkthat encourages personal independence.

Newhouse, Nancy. 1990. Implications ofAttitude and Behavior Research forEnvironmental Conservation. Journal ofEnvironmental Education, 22(1):26-32.

Most environmental attitudes are formed as aresult of life experiences vs. a specific programdesigned to change attitudes. One explanation

for the discrepancy is the possibility thatattitudes being taught do not correspond wellto behaviors which are being measured.Attitudes have been found to be changedthrough certain types of experiences. A sense ofloss, repeated exposure to a stimulus, hands-oncontact, information, and modeling by arespected or liked person are perceived ashaving the potential to promote attitudinalchange. Yet, in order for persons to take action,they must believe in their ability to bring aboutchange through personal behavior. Addition-ally, change is accompanied by individual senseof responsibility, a clear understanding of theissues, and a supportive atmosphere.

Renner, John W., and Edmund A. Marek.1986. The Learning Cycle and ElementarySchool Science Teaching, chapters 4-7 and 9-10. Heinemann, Portsmouth, NH.

These chapters summarize key componentsand philosophy of the learning cycle asdeveloped by Robert Karplus based oneducation principles described by Jean Piaget.The learning cycle focuses on development ofthe ability to think rather than memorizationof knowledge. The learning cycle approachincludes three stages: exploration, conceptualinvention, and concept implementation.Programs designed around the learning cyclestrategy have been demonstrated to producestudents as knowledgeable about content asstudents in a traditional course of study, butmore able to apply what they have learned ina new situation.

Spinner, Nancy R. 1992. Using Learning Stylesto Empower Youth and Families. Journal ofHome Economics, 84(3): 8-11.

Learning reflects our response to environmen-tal, social, emotional, physical, and psycho-logical stimuli. Spinner describes studiescomparing American and Asian student familysituations. These studies suggested thatAmerican mothers tend to believe that schoolsuccess results from an innate ability, whereasJapanese and Chinese mothers believe more inthe relationship between hard work andsuccess. Spinner also notes various learningstyles: visual, auditory, manipulative (kines-thetic), and global learning. The style that suitsa child’s interest can best be determined by theparents. Determining a child’s learning style

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and encouraging parental involvement in thechild’s education may lead to higher achieve-ment. Through greater parental expectations, achild may express him/herself through positivelearning attitudes, self-confidence, curiosity,initiative, and persistence.

Wals, Arjen E., Almut Beringer, and WilliamB. Stapp. 1989-90. Education in Action: ACommunity Problem-Solving Program forSchools. Journal of Environmental Education,21(1):13-19.

The Action Research and CommunityProblem-Solving (ARCPS) model is adaptedfrom a social science model (1940s) used toresolve disputes with a group. Under thismodel students isolate and thoroughly exploreone environmental problem for study. ARCPSapplies a systematic approach to learning thataims to equip students with the self-esteem andskills necessary for them to become confidentand capable participants of society.

Water education programs andrecommendations

Brody, Michael J. 1993. A Comparison ofMaine and Oregon Students’ ScienceKnowledge Related to Marine Science andNatural Resources. Presented at the annualmeeting of the American EducationalResearch Association, Atlanta, Georgia.

Approximately 160 4th, 8th, and 11th gradestudents were interviewed in each state todetermine knowledge about marine environ-ments. The study demonstrated that whilemost students had some understanding ofmarine environment principles, most learningtook place in the elementary grades. Overall,understanding of the concepts and principlesrelated to marine ecosystem dynamics, resourceutilization, management, and decision-makingprocesses was low.

Brody, Michael J. 1993. StudentUnderstanding of Water and Water Resources:a Review of the Literature. Presented at theannual meeting of the American EducationalResearch Association, Atlanta, Georgia.

The author investigated education literatureabout water topics in the areas of physics andchemistry education, biology education, earth

systems education, and water resourceeducation. In general, studies showed thatstudent understanding of science terms relatedto water and water resources is superficial.Students are not able to apply concepts whichshould underlay a particular term to othersituations. Students showed particular diffi-culty explaining evaporation, diffusion,osmosis, etc. even when they had been intro-duced to appropriate molecular concepts.Students prefer explanations of commonphenomena that they have acquired throughpersonal experience. Models of water-relatedphenomena are too abstract and do not seemto relate to the everyday experiences of child-ren. Although individual subject areas such asphysics, chemistry, and biology address watertopics, little effort is made to connect conceptstaught in one subject with those in another.Research about student understanding ofhistorical and cultural contexts of water doesnot exist.

A resource of note identified by this literaturereview is the Water Resource KnowledgeAssessment (WRKA) described in WaterResource Knowledge Assessment of College BoundHigh School Graduates, by T. Mills, inProceedings of the Oklahoma Academy ofScience, 63: 78-82.

Fortner, Rosanne W., and Thomas G. Teates.1980. Baseline Studies for Marine Education:Experiences Related to Marine Knowledge andAttitudes. Journal of EnvironmentalEducation, 11(4), 11-19.

This study summarizes the results of a marineawareness measure, The Survey of OceanicAttitudes and Knowledge (SOAK). Results forVirginia’s 10th grade students were comparedwith marine related experiences by the samestudents. Statewide average on the knowledgesection was 49%. Those who scored higher alsohad more positive and less variable attitudestoward marine issues. Since ocean preservationdoes not make personal demands, positiveattitudes were not interpreted as a measure ofdepth of commitment to improvement ofocean resources. A comparison of oceanawareness activities such as watching NationalGeographic TV specials, class activities,recreation activities, aquarium visits, indicatedthat students with the greatest access to theseopportunities had the most knowledge andmost positive attitudes. This suggested to the

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authors that socio-economic status was afactor, leading them to recommend improvedaccess for all youth to a variety of marinelearning experiences.

Symposium on Water Resources Education:A Lifetime of Learning and Changing Rolesin Water Resources Management and Policy.June 1993. Proceedings of the American WaterResources Association annual conference.

This conference included eight papers aboutwater education. They are summarized below.

— Symposium on Water Resources Education.Bixby, R. O. 1993. Environmental EducationInitiative.

Describes a watershed tutorial module using agraphical user interface (Arc View, a GISprogram). Target audiences for the programwere: decision makers, junior and senior highschool students, and undergraduate collegestudents. The project was initiated by the SouthTwo River Watershed District which has anaggressive policy of public education. Theenvironmental education initiative includespartnerships with a variety of local resourceagencies, a state university, and two schooldistricts. The effort is part of a comprehensivelocal water plan. One of the plan steps includedworking with two local school districts toprovide curriculum materials on local geologyand the impact of human habitation on waterconcerns. The resulting interactive computermodule uses an existing data base on surfaceand ground water quality and quantity.

— Symposium on Water Resources Education.Brown-Babcock, M., and J. Zilligen. 1993.Marine Debris Curriculum: Awareness toAction.

Describes “Save Our Seas,” a comprehensivemarine debris education program for gradesK-12. The program includes curriculummaterials, a teacher training network, and localevents. The curriculum seeks to develop a senseof stewardship and instill a commitment totake personal responsibility to protect naturalresources. It provides practical approaches torestoring the environment. Each unit includes a“cleanup” activity. At the secondary school levelstudents design a model for cataloging andmeasuring the amounts of debris found duringtheir cleanup. Data is analyzed, then studentsbrainstorm solutions. If possible, theyimplement one of the solutions.

— Symposium on Water Resources Education.Dyckman, Claire, N. Hansen, A. Murphy, K.O’Laughlin, and W. Scherrer. 1993. WatershedEducation: Lessons from the Northwest.

Watershed education efforts in the PacificNorthwest have led to a number of conclusionsabout what it takes to provide successfulprograms. Programs focus on adult audiences,including adults who work with children.Programs include stream teams, adopt-a-stream, wild Olympic salmon (a 25 ft. fiber-glass walk-in salmon), field based environ-mental education for schools with aninterdisciplinary focus. All programs:

• focus on understanding the entirewatershed

• provide information specific to aparticular basin

• conduct most instruction in the field• limit programs to small groups• promote long-term action and

environmental problem-solving• cooperate with different interest

groups and agencies• integrate school and community

activities• address scientific, technical, political,

and individual aspects of watershedmanagement

• employ a variety of interactiveteaching methods

• furnish models for participants toteach to others

Program planners have been challenged by theneed to educate so that individuals develop along-term commitment and so that individualcommitments are supported by local institu-tions. They recommend long-term funding forthe best results. They also suggest proceedingslowly, including as many groups as possible,and addressing controversy. To make complexwatershed topics manageable to audiences, theyrecommend keeping education as simple andconcrete as possible.

— Symposium on Water Resources Education.Handley, S. M. 1993. Streamwalk: A Dynamicand Successful Education and PublicInvolvement Project.

Developers of the Streamwalk programattribute its success to the fact that it providesthe lay person with an opportunity to becomeinvolved in environmental protection.

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Participants answered 11 stream descriptionquestions and several questions about land useand stream bank condition. Explanations ofsignificance of each question are described inthe materials. Results are entered into an EPARegion 10 data base. In each major geographicarea, a lead agency or consortium of agencieshas assumed responsibility for local Streamwalkprograms. Local groups, students, andindividuals can be involved in the program.Other support materials include a Streamwalkgame for young children and a campaign toinvolve state workers into the program. TheStreamwalk activities were also successfullyintegrated into the Boise River Festival.

— Symposium on Water Resources Education.Higgins, Susan H. 1993. Trends in WaterEducation: Results of the Western WatercourseAdult Education Needs Survey.

The Western Watercourse conducted a study in1992 to determine the water education needs ofcitizens in 17 western states. Survey participants(300 out of 900 water-related professionalsresponded) identified nine water topics asfundamental water education components.Topics include: (1) water conservation, (2) howto become personally involved in water qualityprotection, (3) where does water come from?how we harness and allocate water? (4) thebasics of water science and the public process,(5) groundwater: take the mystery out and tellus what it really is and how to protect it,(6) water rights, (7) science and protection ofwetlands and riparian areas, (8) integratedresource management: how planning and landuses in a watershed impact water quality andquantity, and (9) water and economics: what isthe value of water? In order to increase publicparticipation and commitment in water scienceand water use issues, it was determined thatthese nine topics should be addressed in apublic water education program. Respondentsstated they believe the general public receivesmost of their information about water resourcesfrom television programming, newspapers andmagazines, or newsletters. In response, surveyrespondents view the challenge as lying indeveloping new communication media aboutwater resources and management.

— Symposium on Water Resources Education.Hoenig, E. 1993. Public Involvement andEducation: A Framework for LocalGovernment in Urbanizing Communities.

Describes Public Involvement and Education(PIE) strategies for Olympia, Washington.

Olympia has integrated the conventionalfunctions of public information, involvement,and education into its staff team for the WaterResources Program. This allows staff to beinvolved in all elements of public involvementand education. The Olympia program is basedon the Puget Sound Water Quality Authorityplanning process. Key policies emphasizepublic involvement and education. A water-shed, or basin, approach is an importantelement in all water resource programs. Majorprojects were: Stream Teams — short and longterm projects for citizens; Operation WaterWorks — for businesses; and Project GREEN— for schools.

Recommendations were that a municipal unitbegin its education program by identifying ageographic unit of planning. Second, a needsassessment should be completed. Goals shouldbe developed based on this need. Programelements should include: community grants,education and training for a variety ofaudiences, public information and outreach,coordination and evaluation, technicalassistance, data management.

— Symposium on Water Resources Education.Koenings, J., and J. Mountjoy-Venning. 1993.Comprehensive Water Resources EducationTechniques in Thurston County, Washington.

Outreach methods for public educationinclude: springs tours by bus, restaurant tabletalkers, low tide beach tours, septic systemhomeowner workshops, beach booths,volunteer monitoring.

— Symposium on Water Resources Education.Mercer, M. 1993. Forging School Partnershipsin an Era of Change.

Seattle’s water utility has chosen to developschool partnerships as a means of connectingwith the community. Steps for a successfulrelationship include: determining whether apartnership is compatible with agency needsand goals, gaining administrative support,developing a familiarity with the schoolenvironment, selecting a school, developingmutual goals and levels of involvement,developing a final budget, setting a time line,recruiting and training volunteers, trackingactivity levels, and communicating results.

Bibliography


This material is based upon work supportedby Cooperative State Research Extension andEducation Service, USDA, under special projectnumber 93-EWQ1-1-9046.

The Cooperative Extension System’s programs areopen to all citizens without regard to race, color,sex, handicap, religion, age or national origin.

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