Extension, outreach and education professionals from all fields are invited to an Environmental Education Measuring Impacts Workshop on Oct. 22 at the Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Extension Center at Dallas. The training will cover how to use mapping tools, surveys and storytelling to both evaluate the impacts of science education programs and boost program growth.
The workshop will be from 8:30 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. at 173360 Coit Rd, in Dallas. Participants must register at tx.ag/EEMIW by Oct. 20, and the registration fee is $30, which includes lunch. Educators can contact Kelly Albus, Ph.D., Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Texas Water Resources Institute research scientist in Dallas, at kelly.albus@ag.tamu.edu for more information.
“How do you know if your environmental education programs are having an impact? There are actually many exciting new tools that can help us measure those impacts and tell our stories,” Albus said. “Telling the success stories, or lessons learned, from your science education programs is so important for growth, getting people involved and getting more funding.”
The event is hosted by the Texas Children in Nature Network, Texas A&M AgriLife, the institute, and the Tarrant Regional Water District.
“This training will help strengthen evaluation skills to help with program planning, community engagement, and telling your story to partners, sponsors and your communities,” she said.
Attendees will learn about successfully implemented survey and map projects that resulted in growth and achieved objectives for the communities served. Representatives from Texas Parks and Wildlife, the Trust for Public Lands, EcoRise and more will share case studies and success stories. Participants are asked to bring a laptop or tablet to the workshop.
“There are so many incredible projects that are successfully reaching communities all over the state and country, resulting in real, positive impacts on environmental stewardship,” Albus said. “Measuring these education impacts can be very challenging. This workshop will help walk educators through some of the tools that have worked for us.” Visit tx.ag/EEMIW for more information.
