Serving diverse audiences and supporting national STEM standards through interpretive curriculum-based programs at Everglades National Park Allyson Gantt, National Park Service Bob Powell, Clemson University
Acknowledgements • Greg Ramshaw and Laurie Jodice, Clemson Univ. • Marc Stern, Virginia Tech • Everglades NP Management and Staff • South Florida National Parks Trust • Toyota
Everglades National Park Environmental Education • In-park programs for local students since 1971 • Long-standing partnerships with teachers, schools, and school districts • Offered free of charge to schools • 200+ programs and 12,000 participants per year
Everglades Education Programs • Curriculum-based, meet state standards • Place-based • Interpretive • Hands-on connection to nature • Reinforce concepts learned in the classroom
Program Goals • Introduce students to their local environment • Build awareness of National Parks and nature • Motivate students to participate in community decision-making about the environment • Foster stewardship
Day Programs Shark Valley - 4th grade, 2 classes Focus on Everglades watershed Tram ride and short hike to observation tower 3.5 - 4 hours E X P E R I E N C E Y O U R A M E R I C A
Day Programs Royal Palm - 5th & 6th grades, 2 classes Hiking on 2 trails Focus on Everglades habitats and wildlife observation 3.5 - 4 hours E X P E R I E N C E Y O U R A M E R I C A
Camping Programs 2 Campsites - Hidden Lake and Loop Road 5th & 6th grades, maximum 26 students Camping in tents 3 days, 2 nights E X P E R I E N C E Y O U R A M E R I C A
Camp activities include: Wet walk for habitat exploration Night hike and campfire Reflective sunrise activity Mock debate on water issues Canoeing or tram tour
Everglades Education Program Staff • 3 permanents, 8-9 seasonals, 4 VIPs • Hire people who like working with children • Spanish speakers for local population • Many have an interpretation background
Everglades Education Program Funding • Agency funding for approximately 50% of program costs including 3 permanent employees • Donation and grant funding through friends group for 50% since 2003 • Donations and grants to assist 60% of schools with transportation
Evaluation of Everglades Curriculum-Based Education Programs
Everglades EE Evaluation Goals • Measure immediate student outcomes • Measure teacher outcomes/opinions • Assess long-term impacts • Provide information to facilitate learning and improvement
Design and Methods • 4 Programs: – Shark Valley Day Programs – Royal Palm Day Programs – Hidden Lake Camping Program – Loop Road Camping Program • Grades 4-6 • Assess Outcomes – Student surveys (pre-post) – Teacher surveys (post only)
Student Outcomes • Objective Learning (15 Items) • Subjective Learning (9 Items) • Interest in Learning (6 Items) • Comfort with Experiencing Nature (5 Items) • Environmental Stewardship (8 Items) • Park Stewardship (5 Items) • Home Stewardship Behaviors (9 Items) • Appreciation for Everglades National Park (6 Items)
Activities • Stratified systematic sampling of schools • Census of all students in selected programs • 929** 4th, 5th, and 6th grade students from 33* schools • Surveys completed 3-5 days prior and then again 2 days after attending the program. • 47 Teachers completed surveys 10 days after *Schools that participated by returning both pre and post student surveys. **Students that completed pre and post surveys.
Race/Ethnicity of Participants
Results: Student Outcomes ROYAL SHARK LOOP DAY CAMP HIDDEN LAKE Outcome PALM VALLEY ROAD Self Assessed 4.35 4.45 4.30 4.40 4.49 4.42 Learning Response categories: 5= a great deal; 4= a moderate amount; 3=a little; 2= almost none; and 1=none. >80% of students reported learning a great deal or moderate amount across the 9 outcomes
Results: Student Outcomes ROYAL SHARK LOOP HIDDEN DAY CAMP Outcome PALM VALLEY ROAD LAKE OBJECTIVE 26% 14% 26% 26% 18% 11% LEARNING INTEREST IN 1.7% 5.1% 1.7% 1.4% 7.6% 3.2% LEARNING COMFORT EXP. 2.8% 4.4% 1.1% 4.6% 7.0% 2.2% NATURE ENVIRONMENTAL 3.5% 4.2% 3.8% 3.0% 4.7% 4.0% STEWARDSHIP PARK 11% 8.8% 11.5% 10.2% 8.6% 8.7% STEWARDSHIP HOME STEWARDSHIP BEH. 2.9% 3.8% 0.8% 4.2% 5.5% 2.3% APPRECIATION FOR 2.9% 5% 1.8% 4.0% 5.2% 4.5% EVER Darker Shaded Cells Indicate Significant Change
Teacher’s Opinions and Impacts
Teacher Outcomes • Meeting State and National Curriculum Standards • General Academic Influence • Impact on Students: appreciation, stewardship, knowledge, understanding, and interest • Teaching Behaviors and Intentions • Teacher Confidence in EE Skills • Appreciation for Everglades National Park
Results: Teacher’s Perceptions of Student Outcomes % Agreeing or Program impact statements Mean* Strongly Agreeing This program helped my class meet state curriculum standards. 4.8 100 My students learned a lot about important topics. 4.8 100 My students had fun. 4.9 100 The program content was relevant to my students’ lives. 4.8 100 Taking my students to EVER was worth the effort. 4.9 98 This EVER experience is valuable for the students I teach. 4.9 98 This program was age appropriate for my students. 4.9 98 My students became motivated to perform better academically. 4.6 96
Teacher’s Perceptions of Student Outcomes Outcome Mean %Great Deal 4.9 89 Appreciation for the natural environment. 4.8 80 Understanding issues and threats facing EVER. 4.7 80 Interest in taking actions to conserve or improve the environment. 4.8 78 Understanding of ecological processes in the Everglades. 4.7 78 Interest in Environmental stewardship. 4.7 73 Interest in learning more about the environment. 4.7 70 Appreciation for science. 4.6 65 Interest in learning outdoors/playing outdoors. 4.4 60 Understanding the importance of biological diversity. 4.6 58 Understanding of the mission of the NPS. 4.4 53 Positive attitudes toward school. 4.3 45 Academic performance. 4.2 42 Scientific inquiry skills. Response categories: 5= a great deal; 4= a moderate amount; 3=a little; 2= almost none; and 1=none.
NGSSS Benchmarks Outcome Mean %Great Deal 4.9 85 How human actions can impact the environment. (Social Studies) 4.7 75 Interdependence (Science) The relationships between the Earth's ecosystems and the 68 4.7 populations that dwell within them. (Social Studies) 4.6 68 Environment and Society (Social Studies) 4.6 Diversity and Evolution of Living Organisms (Science) 66 4.6 Organization and Development of Living Organisms (Science) 55 4.4 Physical and cultural characteristics of places. (Social Studies) 52 4.2 Civic and political participation (Social Studies) 49 4.2 Practice of science (Science) 45 4.0 Contemporary Florida into the 21st Century (Social Studies) 38 4.1 Earth Structures (Science) 34 4.0 Earth Systems and Patterns (Science) 32 3.9 The World in Spatial Terms (Social Studies) 32
National STEM Science Disciplinary Core Mean %Great Deal 78 4.76 What happens to ecosystems when the environment changes. 75 How humans change the planet. 4.69 73 How humans depend on Earth’s resources. 4.69 How organisms interact with the living and nonliving environment to obtain matter 68 4.61 and energy. 63 How the structures of organisms enable life’s functions. 4.48 61 4.50 How organisms obtain and use the matter and energy they need to live and grow. 59 How natural hazards affect individuals and societies. 4.46 54 4.46 How organisms interact in groups so as to benefit individuals. How the properties and movements of water shape Earth’s surface and affect its 54 4.46 systems. How the environment influences populations of organisms over multiple 61 4.4 generations. 51 4.4 How organisms grow and develop. 54 What biodiversity is, how humans affect it, and how it affects humans. 4.35 52 4.35 How matter and energy move through an ecosystem. 50 4.3 Why individuals of the same species vary in how they look, function, and behave. 50 4.28 How organisms detect, process, and use information about the environment.
Impacts on Teachers • > 80% of teachers were more likely to: – Advocate for EVER – Use environmental themes – Use inquiry-based, hands- on, and outdoor activities – Encourage other teachers to participate – Use NPS materials – Volunteer
Satisfaction Teachers were very satisfied with their EVER programs (M=9.8)
Summary of Results • Positive influence on all outcomes • Positive attitudes and intentions to perform park, home and community stewardship • Teachers likely to support EVER and use EE • Programs produce very satisfied teachers
Long-term Impact of Camping Program
Long-term Impact of Camping Program • What do past participants remember? • What is the long-term influence (if any)?
Methods • On-line survey tool – Alumni identified by EVER staff – Snowball sampling • Open-ended questions – Memories about program? – How program influenced lives (education, career, interests, behaviors) • Qualitative Study – Coding – initial and focused
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