Links & Resources

These guides provide instructions on how to perform an environmental education evaluation. They provide steps, hints, and examples related to EE specifically.

• Evaluating EE in Schools: A Practical Guide for Teachers.
  Bennett, D.B. (1984). UNESCO-UNEP.
  Beginner Intermediate
  One of the first guides written on EE evaluation, this resource provides timeless advice for planning your evaluation, implementing it, and making the most of your data. Particularly useful are Bennett's "action verbs" for developing measures of knowledge and understanding, thinking skills, and action skills. The guide also provides easy to understand explanations of different evaluation designs (e.g. posttest only vs. pretest and posttest), instrument types, and research methods. Step-by-step instructions for collecting and analyzing data help readers avoid common mistakes.
• Does your project make a difference? A guide to evaluating environmental education projects and programs.
  Department of Environment and Conservation, Sydney, Australia. (2004).
  Beginner
  Information in this guide is laid out in an easy to digest manner, making it very user-friendly for evaluation newcomers. In addition to describing important considerations in each step of evaluation, "Does your project make a difference?" uses hypothetical case studies to help readers think through the logic of their programs, the types of questions they might ask about their program's impact, and how those questions can be measured using indicators. The guide also provides an "Outcomes Hierarchy Framework Template" for planning evaluations, which some readers may find easier to complete than traditional logic models.
• Evaluating Your Environmental Education Program: A Workbook for Practitioners
  Ernst, J., Monroe, M. & Simmons, B. (2009). North American Association for Environmental Education.
  Beginner Intermediate
  Evaluating Your Environmental Education Program: A Workbook for Practitioners is an interactive tool for environmental educators new to evaluation. This user-friendly workbook provides a comprehensive six step evaluation process (i.e., focus your evaluation, develop an evaluation plan, develop data collection tools, collect data, analyze data & interpret results, and communicate and use evaluation results) and includes examples from a variety of environmental education program evaluations. Readers have the opportunity to learn about key evaluation concepts, methods as well as about how to apply these. Each step includes (1) short quizzes to allow readers to "check for understanding," (2) exercises to assist readers in applying information to their program, (3) tables that organize and add to the information presented (e.g., comparing the purposes, advantages, and challenges of various data collection methods), and (4) worksheets that practitioners can use in evaluating their own programs.
• Designing Evaluation for Education Projects.
  NOAA Office of Education and Sustainable Development. (2004).
  Beginner
  This is a useful and easy-to-read primer for learning the basics of evaluation. In addition to outlining the steps of planning your evaluation, the guide provides brief explanations of the different types of evaluations, the questions each type might help you answer, and a review of what different evaluation tools can help you accomplish. Particularly useful are the appendices which include tips on writing objectives, selecting a sample, and choosing appropriate evaluation tools.
• Evaluating Environmental Education.
  Stokking et al. IUCN Commission on Education and Communication. (1996).
  Beginner Intermediate
  Evaluating Environmental Education provides an in-depth look at conducting an evaluation. For each step of the process (e.g. formulating objectives, selecting instruments, collecting data, etc.), the guide provides clear explanations of the choices an evaluator has as well as important factors to consider when choosing among options. Numerous examples are used throughout to make the concepts more concrete.

These guides provide information about a specific topic (for example, logic models). The topics often have nuances not covered in other guides.

• Evaluation Publications available at the University of Wisconsin Extension Program
  Development and Evaluation Unit.
  Beginner
  The Evaluation Publications section of the UW-Extension site offers user-friendly guides on various topics such as planning an evaluation, questionnaire design, sampling, collecting data, analyzing data using Excel, using graphics to report results, and more! Although focused on evaluating Extension programs, the information is applicable to almost any evaluation setting.
• W.K. Kellogg Foundation Logic Model Development Guide.
  W.K. Kellogg Foundation. (2004).
  Beginner Intermediate
  This guide describes what a logic model is and how it can be used to direct your evaluation efforts. Fictitious examples are used throughout to help readers understand the processes of both developing a logic model and using it to frame your evaluation questions. Helpful tips are also provided for establishing indicators to measure success. The appendix offers logic model templates as well as checklists of important things to consider when constructing each part of the model.
• Using a Logic Model to Review and Analyze an Environmental Education Program
  Marcinkowski, T.J. (2004). NAAEE
  Intermediate
  The paper demonstrates how logic models provide "conceptual guidance and visual support" in analyzing and comparing environmental education programs. To illustrate this point, Marcinkowski guides readers step-by-step through a logic model-based examination of Hungerford et al.'s Issue and Action Orientation program.

These guides are excellent resources for all evaluators to consider, regardless of field.

• The 2002 User Friendly Handbook for Project Evaluation
  Frechtling, J. (2002). National Science Foundation. 
  Beginner
  The 2002 User Friendly Handbook for Project Evaluation targets managers who need information about what evaluation is, the main components of an evaluation, and the important issues to consider when planning one. The guide covers a range of topics including evaluation design, sampling, and reporting and also provides worksheets for several phases of the planning process. In addition, the handbook dedicates a chapter to the complexities of being culturally responsive in evaluation.
• Evaluator's Handbook
  Herman, J. L., Morris, L. L., Fitz-Gibbon, C. T. (1984). Newbury Park, CA: SAGE Publications. 
  Intermediate Advanced
  This guide is written in a handbook/workbook format to provide evaluators with practical advice, information, and samples addressing how to conceptualize, plan, and conduct evaluations. The workbook provides step-by-step guides as well as questions to ask stakeholders, sample budget planners, and worksheets for each step of the evaluation process. Separate sections and worksheets are included for summative and formative evaluations.
• Participatory Evaluation Essentials 2003: A Guide for Non-Profit Organizations and their Evaluation Partners
  Bruner Foundation (2003). 
  Beginner Intermediate
  Written in a handbook format, Participatory Evaluation Essentials 2003 provides an excellent overview of critical questions to consider as you plan your evaluation. Guidance is provided on topics such as identifying and working with evaluation stakeholders, developing a logic model, selecting appropriate data collection techniques, and writing the evaluation report. For each of these, worksheets are provided to help readers apply the information to their respective programs. Particularly noteworthy is the section on data collection methods, which reviews multiple ways to conduct surveys, interviews, and other techniques.
• User-Friendly Handbook for Mixed Methods Evaluations 
  Frechtling, J. and Sharp, L. (1997). National Science Foundation . 
  Intermediate
  This publication is designed to help evaluators learn about mixed methods evaluations and how to plan and conduct them. Specifically, it provides information on how to include qualitative information with a quantitative study. The handbook includes worksheets for determining what questions to focus on and what methods to use in responding to those questions.
• W.K. Kellogg Foundation Evaluation Handbook
  W.K. Kellogg Foundation (1998). 
  Beginner
  Part II of this handbook, "Blueprint for Conducting Project-Level Evaluation," provides a brief overview of different types of evaluations (e.g., needs assessment, implementation/formative evaluation, and summative/outcome evaluation) as well as three techniques for developing a logic model. Chapter Five provides an overview of important considerations at different stages of the evaluation process. Particularly helpful are the worksheets and advice for budgeting an evaluation and choosing an evaluator. The handbook also discusses various methods of data collection and gives advice for selecting the methods most appropriate to different needs.

These resources are mostly web sites that provide networking opportunities, tools for conducting an evaluation, and sample evaluations. They should be helpful to evaluators across fields.

• American Evaluation Association (AEA)
  The AEA is a professional association of evaluators dedicated to the application and exploration of evaluation. AEA has several topic interest groups, including ones on Environmental Program Evaluation and K-12 Educational Evaluation. AEA also sponsors an active listserv, Evaltalk.
• Evaluation Center
  Western Michigan University
  The Evaluation Center at Western Michigan University offers several tools and resources for evaluators. These include glossaries of evaluation terms, checklists (i.e. lists of criteria to consider) for a variety of evaluation components, and several listservs for those interested in learning more about evaluation.
• Informal Science
  There are three main sections to this site: knowledge, evaluation, and community. The Knowledge database allows users to search through citations and synopses of journal articles, theses, and dissertations of informal science education evaluations. The Evaluation section of the site provides resources to help users learn more about evaluation, find an evaluator, and connect to other evaluation sites as well as a searchable database of informal science evaluations. Finally, the Community section lists networking resources for those interested in informal learning.
• Innovation Network
  Visitors who register at the site (for free) gain access to Point K, a collection of web-based tools for planning evaluations, developing logic models, and creating surveys. Registered users are asked step-by-step questions about their program's goals, resources, intended outputs, and outcomes. Point K then transforms that information to print-ready evaluation plans and logic models.
• The Program Development and Evaluation Unit, University of Wisconsin Extension
  University of Wisconsin Extension
  This site provides downloadable publications to assist evaluators in the planning, implementation, analysis and reporting stages of evaluation. UW-Extension also offers professional development opportunities in evaluation. Be sure to check out the Quick Tips on topics such as using comparison groups, getting a good response rate, collecting data, retrospective post-then-pre test designs, and writing evaluation reports. The site's information on logic models is some of the best available in the evaluation community.

The resources in this section are similar to those in the general resources category, but they target evaluators of programs related to the environment (EE or otherwise).

• EPA Public Involvement – Feedback and Evaluation
  Environmental Protection Agency
  This section of the EPA’s Public Involvement site features questionnaires used in various public participation settings as well as a database of nearly forty evaluations conducted of EPA public involvement activities.
• Place-based Education Evaluation Collaborative
  PEEC is a partnership between several nonprofit organizations concerned with place-based education. The Tools section of the site provides actual instruments used by the partners in their evaluations as well as links to resources on other websites. To see examples of actual evaluations, look at the Reports section.
• Digital Library for Earth System Education (DLESE)
  This site features resources to assist educators and developers in providing quality Earth system science curricula and programs. The Evaluation and Assessment portion of the site features the Evaluation Toolkit, a searchable database of articles, reports, and resources related to planning and implementing Earth system science evaluations.

There are many free data analysis tools available on the web. The resources presented in this section present a select group of tools for the user that cannot afford to purchase/learn a major statistical package such as SPSS or SAS.

• Open Stat
  Open Stat is a free software package for performing statistical analyses. It is relatively simple to use and you can paste in data from Microsoft Excel. There are some quirks in the functionality, but it supports a variety of simple to complex analysis procedures (Frequencies, T-Test, ANOVA, Multiple Regression, Factor Analysis, etc).
• AM by AIR
  This software package was designed for "analyzing data from complex samples, especially large-scale assessments." It has many functionalities, from simple statistics such as frequencies, to more complex procedures such as regression and complex weighting schemes. Users can import data from a variety of sources (e.g., Excel, SPSS, etc) and output can be displayed in a text file or a web browser. The user interface is not immediately intuitive and would work best for users who are experienced with a variety of statistical techniques.
• Using Excel for Analyzing Survey Questionaires
  University of Wisconsin-Extension
  This guide, provided by University of Wisconsin-Extension, is helpful for those unfamiliar with data analysis. It provides step-by-step instructions for using Microsoft Excel to: Create a database of responses, Code data, Display frequencies and percentages, Calculate average(mean), range, standard deviation, etc., and Create crosstabulations/pivot tables.