Evaluation

We have established, over the past quarter century, a rigorous curriculum development process that assures PLT materials are balanced, effective and useful to educators. Hundreds of people provide input through multiple drafts. Assessment and evaluation begins at the beginning. Master teachers pilot test new activities to determine whether they work with students. Technical experts, from a variety of disciplines and backgrounds, review curricula for accuracy. Ultimately, final versions are formally tested in dozens of classrooms by independent teams led by university professors.

More than 300 professionals participated in a formative evaluation by pilot testing the PreK-8 curriculum in classrooms around the country. This was followed by a summative evaluation, conducted by the Research Commission of the North American Association for Environmental Education. The evaluation consisted of both traditional pre-test/intervention/post-test procedures and alternative assessment techniques. The evaluation confirmed increased knowledge and positive attitudinal growths among students exposed to PLT.

The secondary modules have also undergone similar formal evaluations. The Focus on Forests, Forest Ecology, and Municipal Solid Waste modules were evaluated by Dr. Louis Iozzi at Rutgers University-Cook College. The Risk module was evaluated by Christina Gomez-Schmidt and Dr. Michaela Zint at the University of Michigan.

The result is a program that has taken root and spread in all 50 states – with 20,000-30,000 educators attending day-long workshops every year so they can learn how to use PLT with youth. Our active-user database includes over 200,000 educators. It grows every year – and 60% of new users say they came to PLT because another teacher told them about it. Eight educators in 10 say, in independent studies, that PLT helps their students develop broader knowledge about the environment, better reasoning skills – and even helps improve performance in other subject areas.

The system of facilitator and educator workshops is important to the success of the curriculum. PLT programs in Alaska, California, Louisiana, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Oregon, and Utah have surveyed participants to ensure that PLT materials and workshops are meeting educators' needs.

In addition to the PLT directed evaluations, the NAAEE and the California Department of Education each reviewed the PLT materials through their curriculum evaluation projects. PLT was given excellent evaluations in both publications. For more information see the Spring 2002 issue of The Branch newsletter, and www.NAAEE.org for information on their Guidelines for Excellence Project including the resource reviews.

For general information about the impacts of environmental education check out the following reports:

• From the National Environmental Education and Training Foundation and the North American Association for Environmental Education:
  • Using Environment-Based Education to Advance Learning Skills and Character Development. October 2001.
  • Environment-Based Education: Creating High Performance Schools and Students. September 2000.

• From the State Education & Environment Roundtable:
  • California Student Assessment Project. March 2000
  • Educational Efficacy of Environmental Education. November 1995