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| Paper: |
Why Counting Attendees Won't Cut it for Evaluation in the
21st Century: Planning and Evaluating Informal Science Programs |
| Volume: |
457, Connecting People to Science |
| Page: |
9 |
| Authors: |
Korn, R. |
| Abstract: |
Yogi Berra once said, “If you don't know where you are
going, how will you know when you get there?” One could ask the same
question to those of us who work in science education and outreach—if you
haven't articulated clear goals about what you would like your program to
achieve, how on Earth will you know whether you have achieved them? While
all of us want to do the right thing for our audiences, knowing that we
have actually done so is another story. Without sound planning (clarifying
outcomes) evaluation is a moot point, and with more and more funding agencies
asking their grantees to evaluate their informal science education efforts,
planning with the end in mind is becoming a necessity. With budget, staffing,
and time limitations, it's easy to lose track of the value of planning and
evaluation. And evaluation can seem a daunting task for those who have not
done it, especially when an audience is temporary or spread out over a
region or the entire nation.
To respond to the demands, many good books are now available with ideas for
evaluating projects outside the formal classroom, including several
published by the National Research Academies and NSF. In this article,
we will discuss the importance of planning and evaluation, no matter what
your budget size, we will share examples of how unusual projects have been
evaluated, and we will suggest questions you can ask yourself and your
audiences that will help you think like an evaluator. To achieve results,
program leaders must first clarify what they want to achieve and then align
all actions and resources towards achieving those ends. Will your strategic
and daily work change as a result? Absolutely! But only if you want your
program to make a difference in people's lives. |
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