Process Level Evaluation

Although you often want to ask what the impact of your program is on your audience(s) or visitors, sometimes you want to examine the programs or curricula themselves. The former is sometimes called level or participant , and the latter is sometimes called process level evaluation. In population level evaluation you might be evaluating students, visiting families, or teachers; with process level evaluation, you might evaluate curricula, sites and facilities, or staff training and recruitment. This is also the type of evaluation that can help you consider how to make your programs more culturally relevant, improve the among your staff or volunteer base, or reach a broader swath of your . 

Use these methods listed below to learn from your staff, participants, and to improve your program. These approaches will take time and careful consideration. Come into these approaches ready to listen and open to learning.

The Tools include:

  • Cultural Responsiveness Self Tool
  • Special Education and Self Tool
  • Instructional Resource Self Tool
  • Checklist for Effective Environmental Education Programs: A Guide to Formative Reflection

Checklist for Effective Environmental Education Programs: A Guide to Formative Evaluation Reflection

Outcome Process Level Evaluation
Audience
Method

This tool is a short series of 15 prompting questions to help environmental educators reflect on their program and their program development process. There are four categories of questions that are based on an understanding of how people learn.

Cultural Responsiveness Self-Evaluation Tool

Outcome Process Level Evaluation
Audience
Method

This is a self- tool that is designed to support programs in becoming more culturally responsive. The goal is to use this to engage in reflection and discussion with your staff and team members in order to understand whether your program(s) are inclusive and meaningful to all participants. The ultimate goal is that these team conversations will promote programmatic and organizational changes as needed, and lead to meaningful and positive experiences for participants.

Instructional Resource Self-Evaluation Tool

Outcome Process Level Evaluation
Audience
Method

This tool is useful for programs that wish to self-evaluate their instructional and curriculum. It is not meant to rank or grade a program, not to increase the similarity or standardization of programs. The goal is conversations had in the process of using this tool will promote curriculum, program, and organizational changes as needed, and lead to a meaningful and positive experience for participants.

Special Education and Accessibility Self-Evaluation Tool

Outcome Process Level Evaluation
Audience
Method

This is a self- tool that is designed to support programs in becoming more inclusive and accessible, specifically for students with exceptional needs. The goal is to use this to engage in reflection and discussion with your staff and the in order to co-develop improvement goals for high-quality, accessible and inclusive programming.