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Centers of Regional
Environmental Education

Scope of Work - Year 4

Summary:

With support and money from the current EETAP States Program, Illinois has moved forward on several related fronts: a statewide database housed on EE-Link, major training initiatives for non-formal EE educators, and a network of partnerships for offering EE opportunities to formal educators.  During Year 4 we plan to solidify what was started in Years 2-3.

The emphasis during Year 4 will be the database.  Through its calendar capabilities, we plan to eliminate duplication of efforts, coordinate teacher training throughout the state, and maximize partnerships.  We will be evaluating the database and making adjustments as necessary.  We will also be working to diversify membership on the CORE² (Centers of Regional EE) Teams with the ultimate goal of reaching underserved and under represented audiences within the state.  Regions will assess the state of teacher training within their regions at the beginning and end of Year 4 using the assessment tool developed during Year 3.

During Year 4, two CASES (Cultural Diversity) workshops will be held in the state for the CORE² Teams. We expect that these workshops will provide the impetus to look closely at our regions with the intent of developing a strategy to ensure diversity within the teams.  The East Central (EC) CORE² will pilot a partnership with the Illinois Science Teachers Association’s Building a Presence (BaP) Program, which is a statewide network that has been underway for about three years.

Goal:  

Priority Objectives:

• To strengthen the ability of five regional centers (CORE²) to provide professional development in environmental education (EE) for in-service teachers.
• To promote EE professional development opportunities to all in-service teachers in Illinois by fostering collaboration and networking between EE providers and Regional Offices of Education (ROEs).
• To facilitate the sharing of programs and workshops among regions through the use of a statewide electronic database.

Outcomes:

• Five regional centers (CORE²) use assessment information and gap analysis to design and implement strategies to serve the needs of in-service teachers in their region.
• 50% of active EE providers in the state use the structure of CORE² to promote their programs and workshops through established and newly formed regional and statewide networks, newsletters, and the state calendar.
• 300 environmental educators (providers and in-service teachers) apply EE knowledge and skills gained to their work or volunteer setting.
• 50% of active EE providers in each of the five CORE² regions indicate that the electronic database is an important or very important means of promoting their programs.

Outputs:

• An assessment on the status of using a coordinated approach to in-service EE professional development completed by each region.
• Strategies for addressing any gaps developed by each region.
• The East Central (EC) CORE² establishes a partnership with the newly established Building a Presence (BaP) Program.
• Fifteen announcements of EE in-service educator professional development opportunities distributed within the EC Region through the BaP partnership.
• Fifty environmental educators, including at least two members from each of the five CORE² Regions, attend CASES workshops.
• 100 educators participate in the annual Spring EE Conference.
• 100 educators are trained in and receive the Prairie Workshop and Illinois Biodiversity Basics curricula through attending workshops.
• Twenty environmental educators who offer in-service professional development participate in the Tools for Non-formal Educators Workshop.
• Three presentations on the statewide database are given at three statewide conferences: ISTA in October 2003; Chicago Wilderness: Trends in Teacher Training in December 2003; and the EEAI Conference in April 2004.
• Three presentations about the database are made at three regional teacher conferences.
• Two articles on the database are written for Update, the state EE newsletter.
• A database bookmark is disseminated statewide through conferences, workshops, direct mailings, and e-mail.
• 20% of the currently identified EE providers within each CORE² join the statewide database.

Evaluation:

1. Identify the outcome(s) that will be evaluated.
   Active EE providers in each of the five CORE2 regions are using the electronic database to promote their programs.
2. Rationale
   The overall goal for Illinois is the coordination of statewide efforts in the delivery of professional development opportunities in environmental education for educators in order to eliminate duplication of services and to assure equal access for all.  The database has been identified by the environmental education community as the most important tool for the coordination of efforts.  It is a response to audience needs.  Through the process of evaluation we want to determine whether or not it is effective (being used on a regular basis), informative (contains necessary and important information), and easy to use (as seen by repeat usage).
3. Identify the data or type of information you will collect for each outcome(s).
   In addition to adapting the instrument Arizona designed to evaluate its database, we will be accumulating logs of use (illustrating when and how the database is used).  The information gathered will be both qualitative and quantitative.  Data from a variety of categories, such as user-friendliness, searchability, and the diversity and quality of offerings, will be collected from the audiences of end users and providers.  This will be analyzed to determine the effectiveness, preferences, and utility of the resource.
4. Describe how and when you will collect the data for each outcome(s).
   Between October and the end of January, providers will be encouraged to input their organizational and program information on the database.  Beginning in February, major marketing to teachers will be conducted.  The survey will be posted on the database at the beginning of March inviting users (providers and end users) to give feedback about their experiences working with the database.  EE providers who entered information before March will receive an e-mail inviting them back to the site to answer the survey.  Attendees at the state conference in April will receive a hard copy of the survey to answer.  Results will be tabulated and combined with those from the site
5. Indicate the sample size (as appropriate) for each outcome(s).
   The survey will remain on the database website through the end of June 2004.  During that time, the number of surveys vs. the number of actual visitors/users will be tracked.  If the sample size does not reach at least twenty percent of the users, a random list of users will be contacted.
6. Describe how you will analyze the data collected for each outcome(s).
   Questions on the survey address the value of the database in terms of the quality of information gained, as well as the frequency of use and the application potential.  The rating is on a Likert scale, making it fairly easy to tabulate.  The data will be analyzed and categorized into broad headings for action steps to refine, reformat, delete, and/or update.  Any necessary changes will be accomplished at the beginning of Year 5.

Tasks and Timeline: