The Earth Force Survey

The Earth Force Survey
 
We Want to Know What You Think!
PROGRAM INFORMATION
Please Print Clearly!
1.      What is the name of the school or community organization where your Earth Force program meets?
. . . . . . . . . . . . . .
2.      Who is the teacher/adult leader for your Earth Force program? (Ms./Mrs./Mr.)
. . . . . . . . . .
 Please answer the questions below as carefully and honestly as you can. There are no right or wrong answers. We just want to know how you think or feel.
 For each statement below‚ please tell us if you feel that the statement is Very True for you‚ Sort of True for you‚ Not Very True‚ or Not True at All. Please be sure to fill in the circle completely.
 
Very
True
Sort of
True
Not
Very
True
Not
True at
All
1. I want to help solve environmental problems
 
 
 
 
2. I would be willing to change my personal habits if it helped improve the environment
 
 
 
 
3. I feel that it is my responsibility to help solve environmental problems in my community
 
 
 
 
4. I think each person in the community should do what he or she can to protect the environment
 
 
 
 
5. My Earth Force experience makes me want to learn more about the environment
 
 
 
 
6. I believe that what I do every day can have an impact on the environment
 
 
 
 
7. I am committed to working on environmental issues now and later in life
 
 
 
 
8. I am aware of environmental issues in my school or community
 
 
 
 
9. I know where to find information on environmental issues
 
 
 
 
10. I know how to contact adults in my community to get information on community or environmental issues
 
 
 
 
11. I know what it takes to change the rules and laws that affect the environment in my school or community
 
 
 
 
12. I know how to work with others to solve an environmental problem in my school or community
 
 
 
 
13. I believe that I can personally make a difference in my school or community
 
 
 
 
14. I believe that young people can persuade other youth and adults to do things to improve the environment
 
 
 
 
15. I believe that people working together can solve community problems
 
 
 
 
16. I am confident in expressing my opinions in front of a group of adults
 
 
 
 
17. It is important to listen to people on all sides of a community issue if we want to find a solution that will work well for everyone in the community
 
 
 
 
18. I think it is more important to look for ways to help the environment for a long time than to do something that will just make a difference for a few days
 
 
 
 
19. I talk about local environmental issues with my friends or parents
 
 
 
 
20. I pay attention to local environmental issues when I hear about them.
 
 
 
 
21. I will act in ways to protect the environment for the rest of my life.
 
 
 
 
 Please tell us a little about your Earth Force experience:
 22. Did you work on one or more Earth Force projects in your school or community this year?
… Yes
… No
 23. Did you discuss or research what caused the environmental problem you worked on before you took action?
… Yes
… No
 24. What kind of issue or problem did your Earth Force project or projects address? (Please fill in the bubbles for all the answers that apply.)
 …  Air Pollution
…  Water Use or Pollution
…  Energy Use
…  Protection of Ecosystems (forests‚ wetlands; etc.)
…  Habitat Creation or Preservation
…  Waste Disposal/Reduction
…  Recycling
…  Wildlife Protection
…  City Parks/Neighborhoods
…  Gardens/Community Gardens
…  Endangered Species
 
… Other (Please describe)
 25. Do you feel like your project made a difference in your school or community?
 .. Yes … No … Not sure
 26. Would you like to continue to work on this issue‚ either on your own or with your Earth Force group?
 … Yes … No
 27. Do you feel like you have a better understanding of environmental issues in your community as a result of your experience with Earth Force?
 …  Yes …  No
 28. How would you rate your experience in Earth Force?
 …  Excellent …  Good …  Fair …  Poor 
29. If possible‚ would you want to be in Earth Force again?
…  Yes …  No
 Please tell us a little about yourself
 30. How old are you?
 31. What grade are you in?
 32. Are you a boy or a girl? …  Boy …  Girl
 33. How would you describe your racial or ethnic background? Please feel free to mark all the answers that apply 
…  African-American
…  White
…  Hispanic/Latino
…  Asian/Pacific Islander
…  Alaskan/Native American
…  Other (Please describe) ________________________________
 34. Have you participated in an Earth Force project before?
 …  Yes …  No
 35. Finally‚ we would like to know more about some of the skills you learned as a result of being in Earth Force this year. For each of the following questions‚ please tell us how well you could do each type of task at the beginning of the school year and now. Could you do it Not at all? A little? Pretty well? Or Very well?
 For example‚ in the sample question below‚ we ask you how well you could ‘identify an environmental problem in your community.’ To answer‚ first you need to fill in one of the circles on the left side of the page to tell us how well you could identify an issue at the beginning of the year. Then‚ you would fill in one of the circles on the right side of the page to tell us how well you think you can identify an issue now now. In the example below‚ we have filled in the circle indicating that you could identify an issue ‘a little’ at the beginning of the year and ‘very well’ now.
 
 
At the beginning of the
school year
How well could you do each of the following?
Now
Not at
All
A
Little
Pretty
Well
Very
Well
Not at
All
A
Little
Pretty
Well
Very
Well
1
2
3
4
a. Identify an environmental issue in your community (sample question)
1
2
3
4
 
 
 
 
b. Find the right person to give you information on a community or environmental issue.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
c. Identify what is good or bad about an idea of how to solve an environmental problem.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
d. Change what you are doing on a project to make it work better
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
e. Decide whether a piece of information is likely to be correct and useful.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
f. Make decisions based on clear criteria.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
g. Make decisions only after looking at both sides of an issue.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
h. Talk to people you don’t know about an issue you think is important.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
i. Write letters‚ brochures‚ or stories to inform people about a community or environmental issue.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
j. Work with other youth and adults to identify and solve a community or environmental problem.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
k. Look at different ways to solve a problem until you find a solution.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
l. Identify the steps you need to take to put a project into action.
 
 
 
 
Dear Educator:
We hope you will take a few minutes of your time to respond to this survey and help us learn about your experience with Earth Force this year. Your perspectives on the Earth Force program and its impacts are critically important as we work to strengthen and expand the program in your community and around the country. The survey should take no more than 5-10 minutes to complete. Please return your completed survey to your local Earth Force representative.
 Please note that your name does not appear anywhere on the survey – we hope that you will be candid in your responses. To ensure confidentiality‚ feel free to fold your completed survey and staple it closed‚ or to place the completed survey in a sealed envelope before returning it to your local Earth Force representative.
 Thank you for your help!
 
 
A. Background
Please tell us a little about yourself‚ where you work‚ and the types of Earth Force programs you are involved in.
1. Which Earth Force community is your school or community-based organization located in?
… ch‎arleston‚ SC … 
Philadelphia‚ PA (Delaware Valley EF)
… Chicago‚ IL (Windy City EF
) … Portland‚ OR (Cascade EF)
… Denver‚ CO (Front Range EF)
… Tampa/St. Petersburg‚ FL (Suncoast EF)
… Erie‚ PA (Lake Erie
Allegheny EF) … West Palm Beach‚ FL (Pine Jog EF)
 2. Which Earth Force program(s) are you involved in (Check all that apply):
 …  Earth Force CAPS Program
…  Earth Force After-School Program
…  Earth Force GREEN Program
…  Other Earth Force Program (specify)
 3. How long have you been using the Earth Force program? ______ Years (include the current year)
 4. Does your Earth Force program take place in a school-based or community-based setting‚ or both?
 …  School-based
…  Community-based
…  Both
5. What are the grade level(s) of the students that you are working with on Earth Force? (Please check all that apply) 
…  Pre-K or K …  7th Grade …  1st Grade …  8th Grade …  2nd Grade …  9th Grade …  3rd Grade …  10th Grade …  4th Grade …  11th Grade …  5th Grade …  12th Grade …  6th Grade …  Other: _____________________________
6. If you are using Earth Force as part of a regular school course‚ what kind of course is it?
 …  English/Language Arts …  Elective/Advisory Period …  Math …  Vocational Education …  Science …  Special Education …  Social Studies …  Other ______________________________
…  I am not using Earth Force as part of a regular school course
 7. On average (please give your best estimate)‚ what percentage of your Earth Force participants are low income or eligible for the Free/Reduced Cost Lunch program? What percentage of the students in your school or community-based organization as a whole? 
Earth Force participants: _____% School/CBO as a whole: _____%
 8. To what degree are administrators‚ other teachers/staff in your school or organization‚ parents of your students‚ and other students in the school familiar with your work on Earth Force (for example‚ do they know how you are using Earth Force in your class/program‚ know what projects your students are involved in‚ etc.)? Please give your best estimate for each group.
 School principal/administrator
Very Familiar
Familiar
Not Very Familiar
Not Familiar At All
Other teachers/staff
 
 
 
 
Parents of my students
 
 
 
 
Other students in the school
 
 
 
 
9. If you work in a school setting‚ to what extent are you receiving the support you need from the leadership in your school for your work on Earth Force? On a scale from 1 (No support) to 5 (All the support I need)‚ how would you rate the support you have received from your school principal or other key leaders? Please circle the number that best describes your assessment of the level of support you are getting.
 No Support
2
3
4
All I Need
10. If you work in an after-school or community-based setting‚ to what extent are you receiving the support you need from the leadership in your program or organization for your work on Earth Force? On a scale from 1 (No support) to 5 (All the support I need)‚ how would you rate the support you have received from your program or organization director or other key leaders? Please circle the number that best describes your assessment of the level of support you are getting.
No Support
2
3
4
All I Need
11. Are there steps that you believe Earth Force can take to help increase the support within your organization for your work on Earth Force? If yes‚ what are they?
 
 
 
12. Have you participated in any of the following Earth Force-related activities this year?
 …  Had one or more individual conversations (in person or by telephone) with your local Earth
 Force representative or local program staff?
…  Attended at least half of any Earth Force educator meetings that took place in your community?
…  Took part in at least one Earth Force training or orientation session?
…  Attended or expect to attend the Earth Force Summit in your community?
 13. Have you used any of the following Earth Force materials or Resources? If YES‚ on a scale from 1 (Poor) to 5 (Excellent) how would rate each of the materials you have used in terms of its usefulness/value to you in your work with young people?
 Materials/Resources
Have You Used?
Rating
(1=Poor‚ 5=Excellent)
Yes
No
Earth Force CAPS Educator’s Guide
 
 
 
Earth Force CAPS Student Handbook
 
 
 
Earth Force Tips Cards
 
 
 
Earth Force After School Kit
 
 
 
Protecting Our Watersheds Action Guide
 
 
 
GREEN Books and Multimedia materials
 
 
 
GREEN Water Monitoring Kits and/or Equipment
 
 
 
Earth Force Educator Survey 4 Spring
 
 
 
14. To what extent are you receiving the support you need from Earth Force‚ in terms of support from local or national Earth Force staff? On a scale from 1 (No Support) to 5 (All I need)‚ how would you rate the support you have received from Earth Force? Please circle the number that best describes your assessment of the level of support you are getting.
No Support
2
3
4
All I Need
15. What additional kinds of support do you need from Earth Force in order to use the Earth Force program effectively (for example‚ additional training‚ curriculum materials‚ more one-to-one assistance‚ more web-based resources‚ etc.)? Please be as specific as you can.
 B. Impact of Earth Force on Your Students
16. One of the key questions for Earth Force is that of the kinds of impacts the program has on participating young people. For each of the following statements about student impacts‚ please indicate if you believe that Earth Force has had a Large Impact‚ Small to Moderate Impact‚ No Impact‚ or Negative Impact for a majority of your participants.
 
Has Earth Force had any of the following impacts on the majority of your participants?
Large
Impact
Small to
Moderate
Impact
No
Impact
Negative
Impact
a. Increased my students’ awareness of environmental issues in the community
 
 
 
 
b. Increased my students’ commitment to working on environmental issues
 
 
 
 
c. Increased students’ sense of belonging in the community
 
 
 
 
d. Increased my students’ belief that their opinion matters to others in the community
 
 
 
 
e. Increased my students’ engagement in learning
 
 
 
 
f. Increased my students’ belief that they can make a difference in the community
 
 
 
 
g. Increased my students’ commitment to being involved in community issues as adults
 
 
 
 
h. Improved my students’ ability to write and speak persuasively about community issues
 
 
 
 
i. Improved my students’ ability to find information about an issue or a problem in the community
 
 
 
 
j. Taught my students how to evaluate information for usefulness and accuracy
 
 
 
 
k. Taught my students problem-solving skills that they can use in other life situations
 
 
 
 
l. Taught my students decision-making skills
 
 
 
 
m. Increased my students’ leadership skills
 
 
 
 
n. Helped my students meet academic standards
 
 
 
 
o. Helped my students make the connection between the skills learned in school and their use in
the ‘real world”
 
 
 
 
p. Increased my students’ confidence in working with and talking to adults
 
 
 
 
q. Increased my students’ understanding of the value of listening to different points of view when
trying to solve a problem in the community
 
 
 
 
r. Increased my students’ understanding of the value of teamwork in addressing community issues
 
 
 
 
s. Increased my students’ ability to plan and carry out a project in the community
 
 
 
 
C. Impact on You and Your School or Program
17. We would also like to know how your participation in Earth Force has affected you and your school or program. For each of the following items‚ please indicate if has Increased‚ Decreased‚ or if there has been No Change as a result of your participation in Earth Force.
How has your involvement in Earth Force affected the following:
Increased
Decreased
No Change
a. My knowledge of environmental issues and resources in my community
 
 
 
b. My emphasis on environmental issues in my classroom or program
 
 
 
c. My use of community issues and resources in my classroom
 
 
 
d. My use of student-led projects in my teaching and/or work with youth
 
 
 
e. The amount of discussion of controversial issues in my classroom or program
 
 
 
f. The amount of time I spend lecturing in my classroom or program
 
 
 
g. My belief that young people can make a difference in their communities
 
 
 
h. My personal commitment to improving the environment
 
 
 
i. My enjoyment or satisfaction in teaching
 
 
 
j. My capacity to customize my instruction to meet the needs of individual students
 
 
 
k. My ability to address state standards in my teaching
 
 
 
l. My day-to-day workload
 
 
 
m. My access to resources and people (materials‚ grants‚ professional development) that help me improve the quality of my work with young people.
 
 
 
n. The existence of partnerships between my school or program and other organizations in the community
 
 
 
o. The use of community or environmental issues in the classroom or program by other educators in my school or community organization
 
 
 
p. My role as a valuable resource for colleagues in my school or program
 
 
 
q. My connections with other educators who share my interests and ideals
 
 
 
r. My sense that I am confident and capable as an educator
 
 
 
18. Overall‚ what do you see as the major strengths or benefits of participating in the Earth Force program?
19. What aspects of the program or supports offered to Educators would you most like to see improved?
20. Do you plan to use the Earth Force programs again next year?
.. Yes … No
 If No‚ why not?
21. Would you recommend Earth Force to other educators for use in their classroom and/or program?
 … Yes … No
22. Do you have any other comments or suggestions?
 
x