Getting Ready for Evaluation Chuck Lennox

Storming the Sound - South 2010 © 2009 Cascade Interpretive Consulting LLC Getting Ready for Evaluation Why this Workshop Session? Previous work with clients Accountability – do what we say we do Change the culture of informal education and outreach Increased value for education and outreach as a viable tool for change

Storming the Sound - South 2010 © 2009 Cascade Interpretive Consulting LLC Getting Ready for Evaluation Learning Objectives for this Session: Following the session, participants will be able to: –Identify two resources that will help them get started in program evaluation –Understand how a Logic Model might be used at their site or location –Develop a simple “back-of-the-envelope” evaluation plan to implement back home Keep me honest – let’s remember to measure these!

Storming the Sound - South 2010 © 2009 Cascade Interpretive Consulting LLC Getting Ready for Evaluation Questions to Answer: What is the mission of your organization or agency? What are goals and objectives of your organization or agency? How are you expected to accomplish them (plan, resources, time)? Does your organization or agency have a Strategic Plan or Annual Work Plan? Does the program or activity you want to evaluate have goals and objectives?

Storming the Sound - South 2010 © 2009 Cascade Interpretive Consulting LLC Getting Ready for Evaluation Goals and Objectives – What’s the Difference? –Goals are broad; objectives are narrow. –Goals are general intentions; objectives are precise. –Goals are intangible; objectives are tangible. –Goals are abstract; objectives are concrete. –Goals can't be validated as is; objectives can be validated.

Storming the Sound - South 2010 © 2009 Cascade Interpretive Consulting LLC Getting Ready for Evaluation Program Goals: List your program goals here Program Objectives: List your program objectives here. At the conclusion of (my program/activity), participants will be able to:

Storming the Sound - South 2010 © 2009 Cascade Interpretive Consulting LLC Getting Ready for Evaluation Sample logic model for the Backyard Habitat Program From: Terry O’Conner, Education Special Projects Manager at the Woodland Park Zoo in Seattle, Washington. Program goals: To involve audiences in action to conserve Washington’s wildlife and habitat To encourage the restoration and preservation of backyard habitat for resident and migratory birds To support the effort to control invasive plant species in King County through citizen science Program objectives: At the conclusion of the Backyard Habitat Workshops, the adult participants will be able to: List the common names of five Northwest native plants that can be planted in backyards to provide food sources for songbirds Select appropriate bird feeders and houses for their backyards Apply three non-chemical methods of garden pest control Recognize three invasive plant species that are being monitored in King County Report an increased awareness of the problem of invasive plant species in our community Agree to avoid the use of chemical pesticides and herbicides in their gardens Create a work plan and timeline for converting their garden into a backyard habitat

Storming the Sound - South 2010 © 2009 Cascade Interpretive Consulting LLC Getting Ready for Evaluation

Storming the Sound - South 2010 © 2009 Cascade Interpretive Consulting LLC Getting Ready for Evaluation

Storming the Sound - South 2010 © 2009 Cascade Interpretive Consulting LLC Getting Ready for Evaluation Continued from previous slide

Storming the Sound - South 2010 © 2009 Cascade Interpretive Consulting LLC Getting Ready for Evaluation IslandWood School Overnight Program (SOP) Logic Model Program Goals (official): Create a wondrous place where students can engage in hands-on projects and outdoor field experiences that appeal to different learning styles and interests, encouraging life-long learning. Support Puget Sound area schools to improve student learning through a multidisciplinary curricula that support Washington State learning goals and objectives. Empower students to become responsible community citizens by building an understanding of how their actions make a difference in the world. Offer a model for resource conservation and community living by operating from a sustainably designed campus. Continuously evolve as an organization by regularly assessing the effectiveness of our programs and activities. Serve students and teachers in communities that do not have available resources to provide a residential environmental education experience.

Storming the Sound - South 2010 © 2009 Cascade Interpretive Consulting LLC Getting Ready for Evaluation Program Objectives (unofficial): During the IslandWood School Overnight Program, student participants will: demonstrate a higher level of teamwork in their field groups following their team course session (as measured/observed by their field group leader) be able to observe and draw a natural history object (plant, animal, rock, etc.) At the end of the IslandWood School Overnight Program, student participants will be able to: state a definition of habitat by naming its four components (food, water, shelter, space) list one impact humans have on their environment recall their ABC’s (abiotic, biotic and cultural) as taught in their field sessions describe an example of a producer, consumer and decomposer Following the IslandWood School Overnight Program, student participants will: demonstrate an increased level of cooperation as a group (as measured/observed by their classroom teacher)

Storming the Sound - South 2010 © 2009 Cascade Interpretive Consulting LLC Getting Ready for Evaluation IslandWood School Overnight Program Logic Model

Storming the Sound - South 2010 © 2009 Cascade Interpretive Consulting LLC Getting Ready for Evaluation

Storming the Sound - South 2010 © 2009 Cascade Interpretive Consulting LLC Getting Started with Program Evaluation

Storming the Sound - South 2010 © 2009 Cascade Interpretive Consulting LLC Getting Started with Program Evaluation

Storming the Sound - South 2010 © 2009 Cascade Interpretive Consulting LLC Moving Forward with Program Evaluation

Storming the Sound - South 2010 © 2009 Cascade Interpretive Consulting LLC Moving Forward with Program Evaluation Remember - Questions to ask yourself: What are we doing? Why are we doing it? How does it connect to our mission? How well do we doing it? (or what are participants learning?) And……HOW do I know how well we are doing it?

Storming the Sound - South 2010 © 2009 Cascade Interpretive Consulting LLC Getting Ready for Evaluation Learning Objectives for this Session: Following the session, participants will be able to: –Identify two resources that will help them get started in program evaluation –Understand how a Logic Model might be used at their site or location –Develop a simple “back-of-the-envelope” evaluation plan to implement back home

Storming the Sound - South 2010 © 2009 Cascade Interpretive Consulting LLC Seattle, Washington Chuck Lennox