CONCLUSIONS

Overall, the results from this study indicate that there would be a high degree of interest among current and potential environmental educators in participating in PCEE-sponsored professional development workshops.

Design, Format, and Logistics

Open-ended comments from the formal education sector suggest that credit would be an incentive for participation. Results from the nonformal sector suggest that at least 30% of nonformal educators might be interested in taking a PCEE-sponsored workshop for credit, particularly graduate credit.

Location, time of year, weekday vs. weekend, and content would likely all be important considerations for potential workshop participants. The data suggest that a weekday workshop held in the winter or summer at multiple locations around the state would attract the most participants. Many potential participants would be willing or able to devote only one day for such a workshop, although those interested in receiving credit for attending would likely devote two days.

Stipends were mentioned as an incentive for attending a workshop; they might also address participants concerns about travel time and distance by paying for lodging, gas, and other associated expenses.

Content

The data indicate that there is interest in a wide variety of content areas which could be included in a PCEE-sponsored professional development workshop.

Formal Sector Content Priorities

The formal sector respondents in this study indicated particularly high interest in instructional methodologies for EE. Other top specific priorities for formal educators, in order of preference, were: program models, ecology, critical thinking, on-line learning, resource directories, program development, facility development, and grant writing.

Formal Sector Content Priority Differences by Grade Level

Within the formal education sector, there were some differences in priorities among teachers of different grade levels. One of the most significant trends was the increase in the importance placed on environmental issues as topic for professional development workshops. Elementary teachers placed it in third place rank of importance, middle school teachers ranked it second, and high school teachers ranked it as the top priority.

Elementary and high school teachers placed slightly more importance on ecology concepts for pre-service teacher education than did middle school teachers, who selected program models and critical thinking as more important.

Regarding the format for the delivery of professional development opportunities, workshops were by far the highest ranking choice for all grade levels. For their second choice, elementary teachers were about evenly split between conferences and courses. Middle and high school teachers both favored courses as their second choice for delivery format. High school teachers indicated the strongest preference for courses as a second choice.

Lastly, elementary teachers placed slightly more importance on facility development, ranking it first among choices for technical assistance. Middle and high school teachers first priority in technical assistance was program development.

Nonformal Education Sector Priorities

The nonformal sector respondents were most interested in the following topics, listed in rank order:
1. Existing EE resources
2. Current EE status and developments in Pennsylvania
3. How to develop and present programs for nonformal EE audiences
4. Learning technologies.

REFERENCES

Johnson, P. & Dzuibek, D. (1997). A needs assessment for the Pennsylvania Center for Environmental Education. Slippery Rock, PA: Department of Parks and Recreation/Environmental Education, Slippery Rock University.