AMBIENT Evaluation AMBIENT Evaluation Did it make a Did it make a difference?difference?

Hilarie B. Davis, Ed.D.Hilarie B. Davis, Ed.D.

Hilarie@techforlearning.orgHilarie@techforlearning.org

What is evaluation?What is evaluation?

The problems that exist in the world The problems that exist in the world today cannot be solved by the level today cannot be solved by the level

of thinking that created them.of thinking that created them.

Albert EinsteinAlbert Einstein

The year is 2005 and you find The year is 2005 and you find yourself at University of Miami. yourself at University of Miami. You are meeting people from all You are meeting people from all

over because …over because …

Problem Based Learning

You have been selected as You have been selected as an AMBIENT teacher. You an AMBIENT teacher. You will be learning about how will be learning about how

to teach environmental to teach environmental health.health.

The Scenario

The problem is we need to know The problem is we need to know what difference this makes? what difference this makes?

What is the effect on your teaching What is the effect on your teaching and your students’ learning?and your students’ learning?

The Problem

Your mission, if you choose to Your mission, if you choose to accept it, (which you have by accept it, (which you have by signing showing up :-) is to …signing showing up :-) is to …

The Task

The Task: Your The Task: Your MissionMission

1.1. Identify what you and your students Identify what you and your students needneed

2.2. Identify the AMBIENT resources to Identify the AMBIENT resources to meet those needsmeet those needs

3.3. Describe how you use the resources Describe how you use the resources and who you will use them withand who you will use them with

4.4. Plan to measure, describe and Plan to measure, describe and report the effect (evaluate)report the effect (evaluate)

What questions do you need to What questions do you need to answer to use AMBIENT to make a answer to use AMBIENT to make a

difference? difference?

What do you need to know to What do you need to know to show you made a difference - to show you made a difference - to

measure the effects of your measure the effects of your activities on the needs?activities on the needs?

Think - List your questions (1 min)Think - List your questions (1 min)

Pair -Share with one other person Pair -Share with one other person (2)(2)

Share with whole group (4)Share with whole group (4)

Self-Assessment

What do you know about evaluation? What do you know about evaluation? (3 minutes)(3 minutes)

Jot down a definition - individuallyJot down a definition - individually

Rate yourself on how comfortable you are Rate yourself on how comfortable you are 1-4 (most)1-4 (most)

Rate yourself on how knowledgeable you Rate yourself on how knowledgeable you are 1-4are 1-4

Self-Assessment

Step out of your Step out of your mediummedium

If you live in water, If you live in water, you don’t notice it you don’t notice it

because it is all you because it is all you knowknow

Effective evaluation causes you to Effective evaluation causes you to stop, reflect, find an audience (not a stop, reflect, find an audience (not a

water dweller) and talk about what you water dweller) and talk about what you learnedlearned

In order to do In order to do evaluation, you start evaluation, you start

with the goalswith the goalsEnvironmental Health, Toxins, EthicsEnvironmental Health, Toxins, Ethics Increase student Increase student knowledgeknowledge Increase student Increase student interestinterest Increase student interest and knowledge in Increase student interest and knowledge in

careerscareers Increase teachers use of inquiry through Increase teachers use of inquiry through

professional developmentprofessional development

Evaluation is central to Evaluation is central to InquiryInquiry

Evaluation makes learning more Evaluation makes learning more effective. effective.

If you know what you need (needs If you know what you need (needs assessment, pretest), then you are assessment, pretest), then you are focused on learning. focused on learning.

When you check on what you know When you check on what you know (outcomes assessment, posttest, (outcomes assessment, posttest, project analysis), you reflect on what project analysis), you reflect on what you know, how you know and its value, you know, how you know and its value, so you consolidate what you learned.so you consolidate what you learned.

The Goal: Know, Value The Goal: Know, Value and Use Environmental and Use Environmental

HealthHealth Pre/post on your knowledge of Env Pre/post on your knowledge of Env

HealthHealth Your use of AMBIENTYour use of AMBIENT Your use of inquiryYour use of inquiry Pre/Post on your students’ Pre/Post on your students’

knowledge, interest and careers knowledge, interest and careers environmental healthenvironmental health

Here is a printout of the results of our recent standardized tests and here are the same results printed with a very small hard-to-read font, to make the implications less obvious.

You Have Anonymity and You Have Anonymity and ConfidentialityConfidentiality

Not everything that can be Not everything that can be counted counts, and not counted counts, and not everything that counts everything that counts

can be counted. -- Albert can be counted. -- Albert EinsteinEinstein

Formative - SummativeFormative - Summative

Write it down, Take Pictures

How are we doing? (formative)Checking in, being honest, critical friends

How far have we come? (summative)Facing the music - benchmarks for progress, pre/post

What is good evidence of What is good evidence of effect?effect?

Think PowerReflection

Evidence + reflection

Evidence + reflection + context

Evidence + reflection + context + comparison

Think QualitySelf-report - how you think and feelProducts rated on standard rubrics - by multiple people What, when, where, how and why you did it, what you think of it, what people producedCompare people’s results based on if, or how much they participated

Now what?Now what?

Plan to tell your story (context) Plan to tell your story (context)

with evidence - numbers with evidence - numbers

(ratings, tests) (ratings, tests) and artifacts and artifacts

(examples with ratings)(examples with ratings)