Four Steps to Evaluating Environmental Education Learning Experiences

Abstract The process of evaluating the effects of environmental education learning experiences on program participants involves knowing what evaluation is, its importance, obstacles to evaluation, and the role of educators and participants as evaluators. Program evaluation may be organized around four steps: step one—deciding what to evaluate, developing objectives, and allowing for intuitive and unanticipated outcomes; step two—determining the evaluation design and developing instruments; step three—collecting, analyzing, and interpreting data; and step four—reporting results and improving the educational program.