TheE[vi]onmeIlalEducation

EE Toolbox-Workshop Resource Ma nua I

Designing

WorkshopsEffe$ive

Judy A. Braus

\YorldWildlife Fmtl'V/ashington, D.C.

Martha C. MonroeUniuersity of MichiganAnn Arbor. Ml

This project has been funded by theUnited States Environmental ProtectionAgency under assistance agreement numberEPA-G"NT901 935.01.0 to the Universityof Michigan School of Natural Resourcesand Environment.

School of NaturalResources and Environment

University of MichiganAnn Arbor, MI 48109-1115

313 998-6726

Workshop Resource ManualManaging Editors:

Martha C. MonroeDavid Cappaert

Copy Editor:

Nancy A. Osborn

tsBN 1-884782.02-7

The contents o{ this documentdo not necessari y reilect theviews and policies of theUnited States EnvironmentalProtection Agency, nor doesmention o{ trade names orcommercial producis consti-tute endorsement or recom.mendation for use-

Ocopyright 1994 by theRegents of the lJn vers iyof N4 ichlgan

Educators may photocopythese materials for thenon.commercial purposeof educatlonal advancement.

Printed on paper containing50% tota recycled t bet/25%post.consumer fiber using soybased ink.

Designed by lvlargaret Re

Typeset in Sabon,News Gothic, and FranklinGothic Number 2

t

Contents

Introduction .........1

\..-

@

@

O Building Supportldentify Key Players 3

KnowYourAudience ......... 4

Designing an Experiential'WorkshopTheSeven-StepSession Design . ...... 8UsingtheSeven,Step Model. . ....... 10

Scheduling a Workshop 12

@ SelectingtheStrategyLectures 14

Small Groups ....... 15

Role Plays 18

Case Studies 19

FieldTrips ....21.Media .......22

Facilitation Skills You Can'r Live WithoutFour Key Skills. . 23

OtherFacilitationTips ....... 25

O Phnning for Ongoing SupportSupport for New ldeas . .

Ongoing lnformation and Reminders . .

Checklist for a "Perfect Workshop" . . . 32

Resources ....35

27

27

28

29

30

30

31

31

O Evaluating Your Success

Reaction

Learning

Behavior

Results

ASelf-Evaluation...Reports and Records

Introduction

HE RooM IS JUST ABour READv. The chairs are arranged just the wayyou want them. A giant groundwater map is tacked up in the back,and posters of everything from parrots to pollution hot spots

decorate the walls. A stack of transparencies sits next to the overheadprojector, and two flip charts, stocked with fresh pads of recycled paper, standside by side in the front. Handouts, markers, extra masking tape, and activityprops sit on a side table.

As the smell of freshly brewed coffee drifts to the front of the room,you suddenly begin to panic. In ten minutes you will be in front of a groupof teachers you have never met, trying to get them excited about environmentaleducation (EE). \X/hat if you cant get them to interact? \7hat if they're bored?\X/hatif...?

This unit is all about designing and implementing a successful EEworkshop and helping you prepare for the "what ifs" of training. It includessections that focus on how to conduct a needs assessment, find institutionalsupport, design a workshop, build support for teachers into your program,improve facilitation skills, and measure success. The resource section includesa workshop checklist that you can adapt to fit your needs and a resource list thatbuilds on information presented here.

The information presented in this unit is based on the following trainingtips. By keeping these six tips in mind, you can design and implement successfulprograms for any situations.

Build Suppott

Without buy-in from colleagues, adminis-trators, financial supporters, and other keyplayers, your workshop program will notbe as successful as it otherwise could. Mak-ing sure your ideas will enhance and com-plement the mission of the institution isan important first step. It is also critical toinvolve key players in planning, implement-ing, and evaluating your workshop. (See

page 3 for more about building support.)

KnoutYourAudience

You might think you know how your targetaudience will feel about taking part in aworkshop you are designing, but you reallywon't know until you ask. Conducting aneeds assessment before a workshop willhelp you develop a more effective and suc-cessful program. Make sure to ask partici-pants about their expectations, needs, andinterests as well as prior knowledge andskills on the topics you hope to cover. Thenuse the information to develop your work-shop goals and objectives. (See page 5 fora sample needs assessment and pages 7-13for more about designing workshops.)

Desigr/rg Eff ectt v e Vy'a r ksh o ps

Engage th e Particip ants

Although there are many ways to designeffective workshops, the best ones engagethe participants in thought-provokingactivities and discussions directly relevantto their lives. It doesn't take long for partici-pants to tune you out if they cant make theconnection between the workshop and theirown experiences.'We recommend that youincorporate the experiential learning cycleinto all your workshop sessions to ensurehigh interest, relevance, and engagement.We also suggest that you model effectiveadult education strategies that involve parti-cipants and show them how they can usethe same techniques in their own classes.(See Sections II and III in this unit to helpyou design experiential workshops andselect appropriate training strategies.)

Set the NghtTone!7hen a group of educators files into a roomto take part in a workshop or training session,each parricipant brings certain expectations.fears, and experiences. As a teacher educator,you need to build on their knowledge andbackground to create a welcoming climate.It's also important to remember that all ofus have specific learning styles along witha desire to take part in activities that willgenerate positive feedback and peer respect.Good workshop design and engaging activi-ties are only part of the formula for a suc-cessful workshop. The rest is you. By honingyour facilitation skills and paying attentionto how adults learn best (see box on page7), you can build an atmosphere of trustand help your participants get the most outof the experience. (See Section [V for moreabout facilitation skills.) You can also designopportunities for ongoing supporr into yourworkshop activities and assignments (see

Section V).

Eualuate andReuise

Before you start each workshop, alwaysthink about how you will evaluate it. Thenuse the evaluation to revise and improve yourworkshop. There are many ways to conductworkshop evaluations, from paper and pen-cil evaluations to small group discussions.Use whatever works best, but make sureto do something. (See Section M for moreabout workshop evaluation. )

Be Prepared

This might sound easy, but it's not. Design-ing and implementing a workshop takes aIot of thinking and a lot of work. After youhave decided what to do, make sure thateverything-from handouts to equipment-is ready so the workshop runs smoothly andlearning can occur. Participants should haveclear expectations for your workshop andhow it fits into larger EE efforts. (See SectionMI for a checklist that reviews the mostimportant steps in planning, conducting,and implementing a workshop.)

l,/a r ks i t i i) Re :,o u ft:e i / e il t t a 1

Building Support

fa o you wANr ro DESTcN eN EE woRKSHop. What's the first step? you

\ will needtoaskalotofpeoplealotofquestions. onesetofquestions

. I should be directed to people with whom you will work: coordina-\,J tors, supervisors, directors, and managers of the school or institu-

tion. Another set should be directed to the people who will attend yourworkshop. This section suggests ways of thinking about both audiences soyou can design a program with input from the top down and the bottom up.

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ldentify Key Players

Before you begin to draft your workshopdesign, it's important to garner support fromthe key players. In some cases, the supportis a given. For example, if you are askedto conduct an EE workshop for a schooldistrict as part of a larger EE program, youwon't need to "sell" people on the valueof EE. But you would still need to talk tothe lead administrator, the staff developmentcoordinator, and the educators who willparticipate.

'Whether you are offering a workshopmodeled on a national program (such asProjects WaILD or \XGf) oi if you are origi-nating the workshop concept ("Six I7aysto Use the Main Street Cemetery in Mathe-matics"), you still need to identify the keyplayers and develop a base of support.This is often a function of asking the rightquestions and winning the trust of key indi-viduals. You might think about who haspower in your local education system orstate, and what influences the system. Cur-riculum coordinators often promote specificstaff development programs-is this truein your area?l \7ho needs to approve theworkshop? \X4ro might gain if the workshopis a tremendous success? Think about whoneeds to be informed of the workshop, whattype of support or commitment you needfrom each person, how much each personwants to be involved, and how you can buildsupport if it is lacking.

Analyze your "support base"-thefunding. personnel. oriisour.. materials youreceive from your partners and co-sporsors.

The type, amount, and flexibility of the sup-port base could have a significant impact onthe credibility and ultimate success of yourprogram. The demands of your backersmay constrain your program, affecting, forinstance, your abiliry to offer graduate credit,your decisions about whether to charge forworkshop materials, and your freedom todiscuss controversial issues such as popula-tion growth. Of course, if you decide to gowith fewer financial backers, you may endup with another problem: higher workshopfees, which limit the number of people whocan afford to attend.

The range of institutional supportsources is quite broad, including for-profit,non-profit, private, and governmental agen-cies that operate in the local, state, national,and international arenas. Whether you arelooking for resources and support fromthe EPA, a school system, a nature center,a university, or the National Science Foun-dation, an evaluation of this support baseis important. The next page offers somegeneral points to consider.

By using these questions as a generalguide, you can increase your chances ofrunning a successful program. To betterunderstand the type of support base youneed or want, add more detailed questions.If you run into problems, you can work onfinding an alternate support base or estab-lishing a partnership or consortium of pro-viders-these can balance each other outso that a problem with one source becomesless significant overall.

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D. s i g n i n E Eff e.t ) v e V,b r kstL c p s

Qustions for Assessing Your Support Base -- ls the support institution in philosophical agreement with you?

Some environmentalists are not willing to take money from certain industries.For instance, a strong preservationist may have difficulty working withan institution that promotes consumptive use.

and agreed upon by all parties?

-What resources willthe institution contribute to the program?Most take the form of funds, personnel, materials, or facilities.

- What resources will,the institution, supp$ qsrincentives forrtEacher par:ticipaiion?

,.' Option5,1 1ciude. sti pends,, university credit, rand f r:ee'mat*ilals. :

. nre att ttri mater.iali: relevant, oJ high quallty ahd appropr:iate ., r :, ' ,

for your audience?

-What timeline:doe5 the arrairigefient'have?When wilI a reviewror',chan€q] i

taKe place/

- l9 it ctearr who maintains awnerchip o-f pt'oducts produced during the prograr,n?

- What record-keeping is expected of the teacher educator?

- Does everyone understand and agree on how the program wrll be evaluated?

Know Your AudienceConducting a needs assessment before theworkshop will help you match your effortsto the needs and interests of the participants.You can get useful information throughwriften surveys, participant interviews, ora few questions on the registration form.You should consider contacting as many partic-ipants as you can as well as administrators,supervisors, and others who might have ideasabout what the workshop should include.

Needs assessments are not only usedfor designing workshops but are also usefulin refining the agenda once you have regis-tered participants. In either case, your effortsto understand the participants' interests,needs, and experiences will help you designthe most useful program. A needs assessmentis a chance to explain some of your expecta-tions to participants and elicit their ideas,setting the stage for a good workshop expe-rience. Most teachers will be delighted thatyou asked for their input.

Realisticallg you cant always sampleeveryone who will attend. However, it'simportant to get a representative sampleand include participants who are new to thetopic. Particularly as EE programs offermore services in urban areas and to new

populations, some of the assumptions thatare built into materials or workshop designsmay not be appropriate. To make sure youhear from everyone, you might need tofollow up with certain participants or sendreminders to encourage them to completequestionnaires.

The chart on rhe opposite page pro-vides some ideas of qreitlo.rr that can helpyou bemer understand your participants.

Questions like these can be used in surveys,questionnaires, group discussions, inter-views, or casual conversations, Ifyou havea small group, you can also add some open-ended questions to your survey that askparticipants to list priorities or needs. Forexample, you might ask them to list thethree things they would most like to get outof your workshop.

Use the results of the needs assessmentto develop the goals and objectives for yourworkshop (see page 11 for tips on writingobjectives).

i-p Workshap Resau rce M a nu al

Sample Needs Assessment QuestionsTo know more aboui a group of teachers . , ,

ln total, how many years have you been teaching?

To know more about what the participants think about your topic . . .

I feel comfortable teaching about hazardous wastes and related issues.

_ strongly agree _ agree _ not sure _ disagree

_ strongly agree _ agree _ not sure _ disagree

A need exists for teacher workshops thai provide educators withabout what biodiversity is and why it is important.

_ strongly drsagree

the knowleds: a:d skills

_ strongly disagree

To get a sense of their teaching style . . .

How helpful would you find the following resources {or enhancing your efforts to teachabout biodiversity? (1 = not helpful, 5 = very helptut)

printed background information I 23 45

How often do you engage your students in the following fearning methods?(1 = rarely, 2 = monthly, 3 = weekly, 4 = frequently)

articles for studentsvideo or videodiskinstructional activitiesnnctorc

guest speakersCD"ROM

field tripshands-on activitieshomeworkcreative writing

1234512345123451234512345t2345

1234123412341234

To understand teachers' perceptions of their constraints . , .

ls there anything thai prevents you from ieaching more about biodlversity?lf so, what woutd be the main barrier?

a. I don't understand the issues well enough.b. I lack materials.c. lt doesn't fit in my curriculum.d. I feel uncomfortable with controversial issues.e. other:

To assess teachers'workshop preferences . . .

How interested are you in the following activities for an after"school inservice program?(1 = not interested, 5 = very interesbdl

video and drscussron 7 23 45small group activity 7 2345speakerand discussion I2345

Designing an Experiential rMorkshop

HERE ARE DozENs of ways to design an effective workshop or inser-vice program. How you decide to do it depends on your personalstyle as a facilitator, the needs of your participants, the amount oftime you have to prepare, and many other factors. Some work-

shops are very instructor-centered, where the facilitator controls most of thelearning that takes place. Other workshops are much more learner-centered,where the participants share the responsibility for their learning with workshopfacilitators. And many workshops fall in between, with a mix of activities thatmay be dominated by the instructor or by participants.

In this section, we emphas rze anexperiential approach to training. Thisapproach has participants take part in ayarreq of experiences, then analyzeand discuss them. Using insights gained from the analysis, they apply what theylearntotheir ownteaching situations. Thisworkshop model is based on certainassumptions about how adults learn best. These assumptions include a need tobuild onparticipants'experience and expectations andto create an atmosphereof trust that helps bring out their best. Although there are many similaritiesbetween adult and student learners, adults walk into your workshop with morelife experiences and, often, greater expectations.

Learners in gmeral:

-expect to be treated with respect and. recqgnition,

- need ihe support of their peers in their learning,

- have different leaming styles that ref lect their "*puri"n.u.

and personalities,

-want practical solutions to real life problems,

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-.can be motrvated by ttre possiUility of fulfilling their personal needs and aspirations,

- need to communicate their feelirigs in Culturally appropriate ways, and

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- focus on issues that participants care about and that connect to th6ii workplac"es,"

-involve them jn discussing ideas and sharing experiences, and

- provide choice and f lexibility in the schedule and activities.

Deslgrrrg Effe cti v e Wor ks h a ps

,ReSearcllirshows,that people of :af l agmrJeal.'n bed,bytahlng part,irn aitivities,that buildon,what th€y,al.readtr know..rTh€ exper,ienfial tear,niflg rnodel 'beleiw,is,based o1 this

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far,e;{app1g;,,,9u nriEht:eondu!! sQveia,l,experienqes befqr.c,rprtocessing;,:generalizing;and applying. The important thingto remember is that each session should involve

.ain:,.ln|€i.aqYjidexte'iienaertlat:,ery$agqiq,the,rparit;cipant$;,rfollowed byr:tim.9'to processlbe,exp*{aefrcq;':g'enelel,izeAhloutwhat rook,;p{a(q,and,ap,ply'whatrYvas learned"' '

Although there are many trainingmodels to help you design an effectiveworkshop, we recommend those thatemphasize learner-centered training.In this section, we are using an experi-ential model developed by the TiainingResources Group, Inc.3 This model,which is explained in the accompanyingbox, is the foundation of the Seven-StepSession Design that follows.

The Seven-StepSession Designril4ren designing a workshop, we recom-mend that you build on the basic experi-ential learning model by adding elementsthat help participants understand whatwill happen and how it applies to theirwork. In the following seven-step design,you'll see that the experiential learningmodel makes up the core. In some cases,

if you are conducting a very short pro-gram, your workshop will be one long

session and will use each of these sevencomponents once. In other workshops, youwill be conducting many sessions within aworkshop, and this model will repeat severaltimes throughout the workshop.

Here's a general overview of how a

workshop or workshop session should flow.An example of a session with each of thesecomponents follows.

1 Set the ClimateOpen the workshop with something thatmotivates participants and gets them excitedabout the topic. The opening can also providea rationale for why the subject is importantto participants and how it will be useful tothem. This is the time to make introductions,conduct a relevant ice-breaker, read a moti-vational quotation or story or use a specialdemonstration or gimmick to get the atten-tion of the participants and draw them intothe workshop. If this is not the first session,

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Warkshap Resaurce l\,lanual

you can use part of this time to describehow the new session fits into the overallframework of the workshop. After that,you might want to ask a question or rwoto help participants focus on the topicof the new session.

Room arrangement is more importantthan you might think. You need to set upyour workshop space to facilitate learningand interaction. If you have designed smallgroup activities throughout the workshop,you might want four or five participants seatedat each table, which is angled so everyonecan easily see the front of the room. If youhave a large group and don't plan to use

smaller discussion sessions, try arranging thechairs in semicircular rows, with a middleaisle and space on all sides. Posters, maps,and other visual aids can help enliven theroom. Your goal is to create an environmentwhere everyone feels comfortable, whereyou can walk around and interact with par-ticipants. and where everyone can see every-one else.

2 Review Goals and OhiectivesBefore a workshop begins, it's importantfor you to present the purpose of the train-ing activity to the participants. Make sureworkshop goals and objectives are writtenclearly on a flip chart or overhead so thatall participants can see them. Clearly statewhat information and skills you want theparticipants to gain by the end of the work-shop as well. (See page 11 for more aboutwriting goals and objectives.) This is alsothe time to discuss how you used informa-tion from the needs assessment to developthe workshop goals and objectives and todesign the workshop. You might wantto build some options into the agenda sothat participants can help design their ownschedule based on the needs they wish tofulfill.

Make sure to give the participantsan opportunity to ask questions about thegoals or objectives, add ideas, or raise con-cerns. You can also conduct an expectationsactivity: Ask participants to list their expec-tations on a flip chart and then explain howmost will be met during the course of theworkshop. Post their expectations and referto them at the end of the workshop.

3 Conduct the ActivityThis is the core of the workshop. Participantsengage in an activity that provides themwith an opportunity to "experience" a situa-tion relevant to the goals of the training ses-

sions. In turn, this "experience" becomesthe data-producing event that participantsanalyze as they complete the leaming cycle.Common experiences involve role plays,case studies and small group activities. Theycan also include practicing new skills andtaking field trips. (See Section III for moreabout types of activity approaches; see other-Workshop

Resource Manual w'trts for activrtysuggestions).

4 Process the ExperienceAfter participants take part in an activity.allow them to share their individual reac-tions. This will help them begin the processof analyzing and understanding the experi-ence. As facilitator, it is your role to guidethis process. It is important to choose proc-essing questions related to the group task-you should only need three or four. Typicalprocessing questions include: "What hap-pened in this experience?" "V/hat did youfind difficult about the experience?" "\7hatworked well?" "\7hat would you change?'l

5 GeneralizeAlthough this step is often left out of thecycle, it's one of the most important partsof a workshop session. By trying to identifykey generalizations about the experience,participants can see how the activify relatesto themselves. Questions such as "'What in-sights did you get from this experience?" or"\7hat was the most important lesson fromthe session and why?" can help participantsbegin to think about how the experiencerelates to their everyday lives. !7hen gener-ahzing, participants can learn by listening toothers and may even change their attitudes.\7hile processing questions relate directlyto the content of the activity, generalizingquestions nudge the participants to broaderlevels of analysis: instead of reviewing andcommenting on specifics, they might addressan overall perspective, insight, or attitude.

De s i gn i n g Eff ect i ve Vy'a rks hops

6 ApplyUsing the insights and conclusions gainedfrom the previous steps, the participantsidentify and share how they plan to incor-porate these new insights into their lives. Thisis a critical step in adult education programsbecause it gives participants the time neededto incorporate the new inJormation into theircontext in meaningful ways. Questions suchas "Now what?" and "How can I use whatI learned?" can help participants begin theapplication process.

7 Reach Closure1 Although some people end workshops withI the application step, we recomrend that

{ you .lor. by briefly summarizing these eventsT and making links to the goals and originalexpectations. It's important for participantsto feel that you accomplished what you setout to do, that their expectations were met,and that there is closure. You can also usethis step to close one session and make alink to the next one.

Using the Seven-Step Mode!To give you a better idea of how the seven-step model works, here's a example. Itoutlines a two-hour session near the endof a three-day EE workshop for elementaryteachers. This session focuses on helpingteachers generate ideas for overcoming bar-riers to implementing EE in their schools.

I

Setting the Climateand Intraducing the Session

"'W'e've discussed and experienced a lotof different ideas for integrating EE intoyour school curriculum over these threedays. You probably have some good tipsand can also see some barriers to imple-menting EE. In this activity, I'd like youto work in small groups to think aboutsolutions to these challenges."

2

Explaining the Abiectiues ior the Session

"ln this session, you have two mainobjectives:

-to list several important barriers to inte-grating EE into your school, and

-to describe several strategies for over-coming each barrier."

3

Concluctircg th e Expefience

Put the participants in small groups, distrib-ute paper and pencils, and refer to the tasksoutlined on newsprint or the chalkboard.

"In your groups, brainstorm a list of barri-ers that inhibit your ability to integrate EEinto your school. After five minutes, prioritize these barriers and write the main threechallenges on a separate piece of paper."

W&en participants have completedthis task, collect their lists and distributethem to different groups. Give the groupsa new task:

"In your groups, brainstorm and discusssolutions to eachof these barriers. Be creative.Be prepared to report your solutions to theentire group in 15 minutes."

4

Prctcessing the Expeiercce

Ask each group to present its list of barriersand describe its solutions. Open a generaldiscussion and ask for additional solutionsthat might help teachers in each case:

"In your groups, where did there seem to bethe most agreement? Disagreement? \7hichwere the most creative ideas and why?"

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C en erulizittg to llra a der'{!t entes

After all the groups have reported, ask:

"V41at insights about solving challengesto EE did this exercise give you?"

" What state of mind would be most pro-ductive for you to have if you were to tackleany of these barriers?"

Wo t its lt a p Re 3a u t c.: i'/l t ti u a i

Writing Goalg and Ohiectives

Developing clear goals and objectives is the f irst step in designing a suc. :

cess{ul workshop, You need to know what you hope to accomplish in theworkshop and be able to convey this to the participants. We suggest youhave one or two maior goals that frame the workshop plus seveial mea-surable objeciives that clearly outline what wilt be accom$lished. We also .

suggest that each session have one or two measurable objectives so thatif all the participants rnaster the session objectives, they can also fulf illthe overalI workshop goals and objectives.

Workshop GoalsThe goals should describe in very broad, general terms what you hopethe workshop will accomplish, Here are sample goals for an introductoryEE workshop for teachers:

- to increase the number of teachers using EE materials in the SpringdaleSchoo/ District; and,

- fo increase the number of Springdale En$ish teachers using environ-mental literature in c/ass.

Workshop and Session ObjectivesObjectives should explain specifically what participants will be able todo by the end of the workshop. For longer workshops. we suggest thatyou also write one or two objectives for each session. Your obiectives willhelp you design the overall workshop and measure your success.

Ask yourself the following questions to ensure that your objectives areappropriate:

- Are they realistic, attainable by the end of the session?

- Do they describe what the participants will be able to do by the endof the session?

- Does each objective include an action verb that can be measured?

- Is each objective as specific and clear as possible?

\bu'll find that most of your objectives will stress information or skills.For example, objectives that start with the words "list," "describe," or"explain" usually allow participants to simply note information they haveabsorbed during the session. Objectives that focus more on skills startwith verhrs such as "demonstrate," "draw,l' "practice," or "illustrate."Atiitudinal objectives are harder to incorporate into a workshop but coulduse verbs like 'lexpress," "evaluate," or "clarify."

Here are two examples of workshop objectives:

- By the end of the workshop. participants will be able to deslgnan experiential EE workshap for their school; and,

- By the end of the workshop, participants will be able to demonstratea methad for infusing EE inta their science curriculum.

6Applying tb e Th eme to Th eir

-World

Then ask participants to connect this exer-cise with their experience.

"Name one barrier you are likely to facewhen you integrate EE into your classroomor expand your EE program to other teach-ers. Write down several solutions you mighttry to overcome this barrier."

7

Clasing the Session'S7rap up the exercise and move on tothe next:

"You have all generated some very creativeand workable solutions to these commonchallenges to EE. If you ever run into thesebarriers, I hope you remember these sugges-tions and recall the 'can-do' attitude you'veall expressed here today."

Scheduling a WorkshopThese seven steps can be used to builda session, a weekend program, or a semestercourse. They can help you think about howto create a learning environment. But thereare other aspects of the workshop that needto be factored into your plans when you sitdown to create the agenda. Here are someadditional suggestions for designing theoverall workshop schedule.

Framing the DayIf you are designing a one-day workshop,start with the opening and closing timesand set aside at least 45 minutes for lunch;if people need to go out for lunch, or ifyou need to set up and clear away food,Iengthen the lunch period. Starting timesshould accomodate distances that partici-pants will be driving as well as their typicalwork day routine. If you are asking peopleto give up a free day, you might want toconsider something shorter than an eight-hour day. Once the day is framed, scheduleseveral breaks.

BreaksAdults generally have a hard time sittingfor more than two consecutive hours,so it's important to have one 15-20 minutebreak in each of the morning and afternoon

sessions. Besides allowing participantsto get coffee and visit the restroom, thesenon-teaching times are opportunities forparticipants to meet each other, exchangeideas, and take a mental break. Breakscan also be used as "assignmen6g"-for instance, you can encourage to take awalk outdoors and contemplate a question.

Time BlocksYour schedule should consist of three orfour blocks of teaching time. You can buildthe day much like the seven-step outline,from an introduction to the topic (perhapsa speaker, story, lecture, or demonstration)to the application stage. Participants are morelikely to be drowsy after lunch, so make surethe early afternoon block is engaging. Eitherwithin or across the blocks, use a varietyof methods that engage learners to keep theday moving. Section III offers some pointersfor good education strategies.

Short Workshops: Less Than One DayShorter workshops can present a time chal-lenge, so make sure your objectives are veryfocused and reasonable. You may be limitedto just providing some new in{ormation andfacilitating a very short discussion of howit might be used in various grade levels.

Don't make the common mistake of tryingto cover too much material.

LongerWorkshops: MoreThan One DayA program that lasts more than one dayoffers additional opportunities for reflec-tion, practice, and projects. Ifteachersreturn after a week in the classroom, buildthat time into an assignment and then askthem to share results. Ifparticipants arewith you overnight, they might design andorganize projects, units, or programs oftheir own. It is very important to buildin opportunities for them to practice newskills and get feedback from peers.

Wotkshap Resaurce Manual

Selecting the Strategy

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The Lecturc Circuit:Using Interactive Lecturcs

A lecture is a great way ro communicareinformation quickly and efficiently to a largegroup. Unfortunately, some lectures bombbecause the material is unclear, the present-er is boring or unprepared, the talk is toolong, there are no audiovisuals, or the con-ditions do not encourage learning (uncom-fortable room temperature, uncomfortablechairs, unreadable overheads). Lectures arealso teacher-centered and tend to be theleast effective way of preparing participantsto actually use the knowledge they gain.

Although we recomnend that youdon't use lectures exclusively, a short, inter-active talk can be a very effective workshopexperience. Flere are some quick tips formaking the most of a lecture.

Start With a "Grabber"Begin with a provocative question, videoclip, brain teaser, demonstration, or someother opener to engage the group. Youcould present the results of your needsassessment or ask a series of short questionsthat participants respond to with a showof hands.

FACILITAToR, you can choose from a yarteqv of teaching methods toaccomplish your workshop goals. You can use role plays, surveys,slide shows, lectures, field trips, and many other experiences to helpyou cover the material and maintain a high level of interest. \7hen

choosing a strategy, think about your specific objectives for the session, anyconstraints that might limit your choices, and the needs and desires of youraudience. AIso think about your total workshop design and try to use a varietyof approaches to hold participants' attention and keep enthusiasm high. Finallyremember that you are modeling good teaching. The methods you use most willlikely be the ones your participants will try first.

In this section, we'll look closely at five workshop approaches: lectures,

small group activities, role plays, case studies, and field trips.'We've also includeda list of audio-visual resources you can use to enhance any of these teachingstrategies. The example on pages 16 and 17 explains how facilitators can weaveseveral of these strategies into one workshop.

Use VisualsFlip charts, handouts, slides, video clips,and other audio-visual aids can dress upyour lecture. Use them throughout yourpresentation and make sure that what youuse is well-designed and effective. It maybe good to distribute an outline or briefsummary so participants can follow yourtalk-they won't be bothered with takingnotes and can listen more attentively.

Keep It Short and SweetAlthough some people can keep an audienceentertained and interested for more than 30minutes, most of us cant. This is especiallytrue if we don't use engaging visual aids.'We recommend that you keep your lecturesshort (less than 15 minutes) to maintain ahigh level of interest and keep sessions mov-ing. Remember, you may know more aboutthe subject than your audience, but theyprobably don't want to know everithingyou know. Above all, select three to fivepoints that are most important and use yourtalk to explain and illustrate them.

lt/a t | \hap R€.a0 t ac x/i d nt n I

Make It InteractiveThroughout your presentation, ask thegroup probing questions and encouragethem to be thinking. You can also introducea few short group activities into your lectureto encourage interaction. Tiy not to reada prepared "speech" or "paper." Ifyou talkabout the subject in your own words andIet your natural enthusiasm show through,the audience will be more engaged.

Keep It LivelyAlthough lectures are a great way to reacha lot of people with information or a partic-ular message, you need to always thinkabout the "entertainment factor." If peopleare bored by the presentation or deliverythey won't be receptive to the message.Since you can't individualize the learning,do your best to choose words, concepts,and examples that are creative, Iively, image-rich, and thought-provoking.

Organize, Organize, OrganizeMany speakers ramble, and as a result theimportant points of their presentations arelost. Make sure to outline your presentationso you are better able to emphasize yourmain ideas.

FollowWith anActivityAfter a talk in which information is givento participants, try to plan an activifythat allows them to apply what they justlearned to their situations. Small groupdiscussions, role plays, or "buzz time"(where teachers simply talk to each otherabout how to incorporate the materialinto their curriculum) are a few possibilities.

Divide'em Up:Using Small Groups

Many facilitators prefer using small groupactivities over a lecture because this approachallows more people to interact, encouragesparticipants to learn from each other, andshifts the "work" to the participants. Smallgroups also encourage more participationfrom people who shy away from speakingout in larger groups. You will also havemore time to circulate and hear how eachof the groups are progressing.

To make small groups work, you needto plan for them carefully. You need to knowhow you want the large group divided, whatyou want the groups to accomplish, how

long they have to work together, and howyou will have the smaller groups report tothe full group. Here are some suggesrionsfor how to make the most of small groups.

Have an End Produa in MindMake sure you explain what you wanteach group to produce in the allotted time.For example, you might want the groups tocome up with a definition, a list of pros andcons, of a strategy for getting support. Postthe chosen task on a flip chart and go overthe instructions so all know what to do andhow they're supposed to accomplish it.

SpecifyTime LimitsGive small groups a specific amount oftime to complete the task, or series of tasks,and write this on the flip chart. It will helpthe groups organize their time to effectivelyaccomplish the task. Don't give groupstoo much time-they'll become bored anddistracted.

Get the Numbers RightYou can divide your group into pairs,threesomes, or larger groups. The optimumnumber depends on the task, number ofparticipants, available space, and amountof much time the group will have to com-plete the task. The best rule of thumb isto make the groups as small as you can:In general, you'll get the most interactionwith groups of five or fewer participants.

Logistics of Choosing GroupsIn some cases, you might want to makesmall group assignments to break the routineor combine people who haven't yet workedtogether. You can use name-tag codes, count-ing off, alphabetical ordering, pre-arrangedtable groups, or picking numbers or colorsout of a hat. Usually, you won't want towaste time with complicated directions forgetting people in groups. But sometimes-especially in longer workshops-you mightwant to use a creative technique to dividethe group.

Assigning RolesIn some cases, you may want to assignroles to participants to help facilitate smallgroup discussions and reports. For example,you might ask each group to assign a groupleader or facilitator (to keep the discussionmoving and involve everyone), a groupreporter (to present the group's findings or

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Des ign ing Effecti ve Wor kshaps

Picking a StuaterySteve and Miguel didn't have a lot of time. The workshop was only one month away, and theystill needed to figure out what they would be doing in each session.

out the details. "lt's a good start, and the participants already got it in the mail." steve'sconfidence was a reflection of the dozens of EE workshops he had organized foi teachers,although this was the f irst to focus on biodiversity. '. ..., . ::

i, . :: . .".'

iWe1l, lrstill think we harvera:ton oljwork tordo today,'l rllrmbled Mlguelras,he pointed to theh*ge pi}e o{, EE resqu,rees spread.out on the floon:,"Y0ulve done this beJore,'but to rne itlg new,1 want,,to:leave:tqday,.knorying vJhich sessions llrn:doing io ,:l ean:,orgaRizerslides or flipchartsor whatever tll!:need.1:Miguel,wasra good,:6nough' fac]titatot:toiiealize what:$reparation wasneeded; ev:en:though:the:'aud:iencerfof .thi!,wor.kshop-ttiachers*was differ'entfrom the adulteducatlon coursss he had: conducted for the Dcbaltn:]e:nt.of Natural Reisurces.

'lOK, Ietlsitarl lv,ith.thefirstday,'l,saidStevq,'lLerghlalllot'will opentheworkshai,,., , ,,

with a few ':efflarks;,Then:1:eh6uld

probqbly atso give a suiCk welcome, as tfre District'sLL person.',

"sounds good." agreed Miguel. "How about if I Iead the ice-breaker, review the goals andobjectives, and ask for their expectations?"

. :.:l ... . ,

"Perfect;f' $teye responded. llsee, welre already up to 10:00 a.:m:l Didn't we,think the f irstsession would briefly look at 'excellent' education?,-Fhat could be a large group discussjon."Steve quickly jotted down the ideas. organizing them into the agenda.

"But I thought the second session on'What is EE?'would be a large group session. Thatseems like a lot of large group stuff," Miguel observed. "l think we need to give more peopletime to talk first thing in the day."

ideas to the larger group), a group secretaryor recorder (to keep notes on the groupdiscussion or to create flip charts), and atimekeeper (to ensure that the group finishesthe task on time). You might also needto assign a person to gather and return anyspecial equipment or props. By modelingthis technique, you will reinforce the effec-tiveness of "cooperative learning. "

Monitoring Small GroupsAs the participants work, it's importantfor you to move from group to group andbe available for questions from the partici-pants. The groups might need clarification,or they might get side-tracked and needyour help to pull them back to the task.Be on the look-out for participants who areeither dominating their groups or not takingpart. It's also important to periodically let thegroups know how much time they have left.

Sample Group Assignments\flondering what to do in the groups? Mostany question that you would ask a largegroup can be mulled over and answeredin smali groups. The difference is that youcan structure an activity so that all partici-pants interact. Here are some examples.

- Think, Pair, Share: Give the large groupa question and ask each person to thinkabout the answer individually. Next,have the participants discuss the questionwith a neighbor. Finally, process with theentire group.

- Tiads: Divide into groups of threeand give each person one ofthese roles:interviewer, participant, or observer.The interviewer asks questions, leads thediscussion, or practices a skill; the partici-pant responds accordingly; the observerkeeps notes on the interaction. You can

Warkshap Resau rce l/ta nLt ? !

"That's true." Steve thought out loud. "lnstead of us defining EE for them, they can createtheir,$Wn'deiin,iti0rie;A gmal] igibupit6ak! We,can:rus6thd iufgestlons,,in,,ihis bdokril:He :,. ,:::,r.,i:, r'.

picked up the Workshop Resource Manual,leafed to the activities in the "Defining Environ.

"This will work," Miguel commented as he skimmed one activiiy. "After this small groupthing, we.can take a break and return for the first biodiversity session. But l m'not sure howto handle, lhatl'Shoufd wd go outside and do an activi$, or uisa a:ihortr:lec!.uie;.to:,gine:thqrir ,,,.,.,:,

an overview?"

"lt never hurts to go outdoors, unless you need to save the activity for mid-afternoon'whenfolks really need to stretch," Steve said from experience. "Maybe you could start with a shortlecture:io.gite aft:overview,of ,:biodiv€riitiand'uie thatvideo you have to llven itUp.rAfte.rward;' ,,:you could take them outside for an activity."

Miguel and Steve continued to hash out the day's agenda. sharing ideas about how to meettheir objectives and vary the strategy. They agreed to lead a model biodiversity activity andthen ask smail groups:tor'read ancl efjtigue 1hrres oifour diffefentr aclitjtieci.a{telr.,lxnqhr,.aer1r,l:r:;,::: :;11.

cording to criteria they would all develop. The day would end with each group reportrng the.ir

,r€sulti':ort flewsprint and a lar,ge,rg-r,oup discu$sian,snlh.ow,,th{'rleaalittu r*td,,in!egiAte:elw,!.:,,,,. ,,

versity into their curriculum.

"Do you think we're trying to cram too much in to the first day?" Miguel asked.

other day comes together. At least we've included large and small group work, an outdoor

:compbngnl;: and,,t1me fo{ them to discuss and reflecl,on,theif 'ownr,i-0achins,:,,,:r;,,oarp'ii;:i]t,,,,,:::::::,t:,,1,,:t,r,i:t:

In tess than an,lhoUr;.SiAve arrd Miguel mapped outthefiisf day,logethei,6rrdl,.cOrniinueiir,,'r,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,:,

on to the remainder-of tihe workshop. Then they deaided'*hicl'i:of them:would:lttd,l6aeh:r:"liir:i::, i:

session and lalked about the resources and equ iprnent:theyr,Would flBed. $1115s: snd i.r ',. r' I rr: r .r i : ::

of the.day, Miguel was more relaxed about the event and both facilitators looked forwardto the workshop.

then have the participants switch roles.It is helpful to have role-definition cards.

- Rownd Robins : This reinforces listeningskills and helps each person contributeto the task. Give each group a questionand ask each person to respond in turn.Explain that as each person answers,he or she must first repeat the key pointfrom the previous person. Don't alwaysstart with the same person!

- Generating Ll'srs: Ask groups to generatelists of such things as criteria, advantages,disadvantages, memories, and similarities.Vhen they report out, ask each group tocontribute one item, such as the one con-sidered most important or most innovative.

- Field Stations: Groups can practice cer-tain skills by rotating through a physical

layout of different stations. At each site,group members complete a different taskand then move to the next station.

- Jigsaws: The use of jigsaws is a coopera-tive learning technique that gives eachparticipant a chance to be an "expert."At first, all participants are grouped bytopic. In each group, members develop"expert" knowledge on a topic eitherby pooling their collective knowledgeabout it or by processing informationprovided by you. Then the groups arereorganized so each has one expeft fromeach topic. These groups share informa-tion, with every member contributinga different type of expertise. After that,the original expert groups may reconveneif needed.

De s i gn i n E Eff ecti v e Vla t ks h a p :

Here is an example of how to use jig-saws. Divide a group of 12 people into threeteams of four. Give each team (A, B, and C)a different task or assign each team new in-formation to collect. Each person in eachteam will be responsible for explaining thatteam's information to others; on each team,all four people become equally expert. Thenre-divide them into four groups of three,putting one expert from each original groupinto the second set of groups. After sharingtheir information, and teaching everyonein their small group about their own exper-tise, the expert groups may wish to recon-vene to review what they learned from theother two groups.

- Group-to-Group Reports: If you haveseveral small groups and limited time,you might have each group report to oneor two other groups, but not to everyone.You may need two rooms to separate thesimultaneous presentations.

- PartinlRepods.'Instead of asking thegroups to report on everything theydiscussed, you can select one or tr,vothings that are most critical for makingthe point clear.

- Swmmary: After posting all the sheetson the wall, the facilitator can point tointeresting comments, ask for responses,and call on groups to explain.

- No Repo*.' lnstead of having the groupsreport, you can facilitate a discussion andask for specific comments and answersas you go. This saves time; the problemis that it can miss some of the originalinsights generated by the groups.

Playing the Fart:Using Role Plays

Role plays can offer participants an oppor-tunity to build confidence, learn new infor-mation, practice new skills, or improveability to work with others. To make roleplays effective, it's important to plan themcarefullg make participants feel comfort-able, and be clear about why you're usingrole playing instead of another trainingmethod.

Good role plays should have specificgoals and be relevant, realistic, and interest-ing. They also should be fairly short (5-10minutes), open-ended (not scripted), andsimple. In addition, they should containan inherent dilemma or conflict and includeclear roles and character descriptions. Tiyto assign roles that represent different viewsor create some type of compelling interactionthat will help participants learn.

On the next page are some key stepsfor introducing and facilitating a role play.a

As you get started . . .

- Set tbe Climate. Get the participantsinterested in the role play and what'sabout to happen. Try to link it to previ-ous sessions; schedule it to occur after

Processing Small Group WorkBefore you start the session, think abouthow you will process the small groupwork. It will help you decide on the com-plexity of the task and the amount of timeyou want to give the groups. Here are somecommon ways to do it.

- Flip-Chart Presentations.' Have thegroups prepare presentations on a flipchart and tell them they will be presentingtheir findings to the rest of the group.(This type of report takes the most time.)

- GalleryWalk:Have all groups summa-rize their discussions on newsprint andpost them around the room. Give partici-pants time to wander around and read thewalls. Then process the findings in a largegroup, highlighting certain points fromeach group.

Wo r ks h a p Re saLt rc e l'/) a nu a l

participants have had time to becomecomfortable with one another.

- Share the Purpose. Clarify the goalsof the role play. Give some insight intowhat participants might learn. For exam-ple, if the role play is demonstrating howto lobby for increased support for EE,you might want to show some of theways to influence people.

- Prouide an Oueruiew of the Situation.Explain the role play to the group,including descriptions of characters andsituations and any important backgroundinformation.

Giving Roles

- Hand out Rob Descriptions. Pass outcopies of the overall scenario and theindividual roles. Keep the characterdescriptions short and simple. (If they'retoo complex, you'll make it hard on thevolunteers.) You might want to have theparticipants pair up to discuss how theywill prepare for the roles.

- Ask forVolwnteers. Solicit volunteersto play each role. Also explain thatif people feel uncomfortable duringany part of the session, they can say"freezer" and the group can help supportthem and give them ideas about howto proceed. It's important to make thisactivify as non-threatening as possible.

- Use Obseruers. Give observers a task sothey are engaged during the role play andhave a common focus."Write the taskon the flip chart and link it to the purposeof the role play.

- Coach RoIe Players. Help the playerswith the roles if necessary. Give themtime to prepare and feel comfortable.You might want to have them rehearsein another room.

Cameras...Action!

- Set the Stage. When the role playerscome into the room, explain where theyshould sit. Introduce them as the charac-ters they're playing. For example, "Thisis Mr. Kempke, the science supervisorfor the district."

- Stop theRole Play. The role play shouldnot last more than 10 minutes. Youmight want to aim for five to six minutesof actual role playing time and about15 minutes of processing, or debriefing.Briefly turn the floor over to the observerbefore leading a discussion about whatjust happened.

Wrapping up

- Debief Role Players. Ask each personabout his or her chosen strategy. ("'!7hatwas your plan? \)7hat were you tryingto accomplish? \Vhat impact do youthink you had on Mr. Kempke?")

- "De-Rob" Players. Thank the partici-pants, using their real names) and havethem take their seats. It's importantfor them to step out of their roles andreturn to the group.

- Generalize, AWly, and Reach Closwre.Complete these steps of the experientialcycle (see pages 9-10) to ensure that a1l

the participants have time to reflect onwhat happened and to think about howthey can use what they learned in theirclassrooms. Thke time to close the sessionand link it to the next.

Making the Gase:Using Gase Studies

Case studies are stories or scenarios thathelp participants improve their problem-solving skills and increase their understand-ing of complex issues. In your workshops,you can model using case studies to sparkdiscussion of environmental issues andsolutions. You can also use teaching casesto help teachers better understand differentaspects of EE in the classroom-for example,a case study might explain how a teachertried to get support for an EE program inhis or her school. Gening Started: A Guideto Bringing Enuironmental Education toYowr Classroomhas 35 short stories illus-trating teachers' different approaches to EE.

The best case studies involve real,relevant, and interesting situations thatleave plenty of room for interpretation anddebate. Participants get a chance to discuss

Dcsignirg Ef le ci i ve V/o r ks h o p s

workable solutions, listen to different per-spectives, and improve their critical think-ing skills. Beiause case studies present anunresolved situation, you might want to usethe following types of questions to stimulatediscussion in small groups, lead a large dis-cussion, or guide participants as they read.

- \X/hat seems to be the underlying issue?

- How would the different charactersdefine the issue?

- \X/hat would you do in this situation?

- \7hat questions do you need to askbefore you can determine what youwould do?

- \X/hat are the likely outcomes of thesedifferent actions?

- Which outcome would be best for yourstudents?

Case studies can either include a solu-tion or withhold it to promote discussion.They are often written, but could also bepresented in video format. If the case islong, you might want to assign it as outsidereading or use small pieces of it throughoutthe workshop; if the case is short, you canask participants to read it during the work-shop. \X/hatever the format, the case shouldfit participants' experience levels and inter-ests. Before starting the discussion, remem-ber to ask if there are any questions aboutthe case.

There are many ways to use case studiesin your workshop. In some training sessions,

a complicated case is the focus of a work-shop. In other instances, a series of cases

may be one part of a workshop.'We suggestthat you process case studies using smallgroups (see page 15 for tips on organizingsmall group activities), so that you canencourage more discussion and interactionamong participants. Make sure to post thesmall group task and give enough timefor individuals to read and think about thecase study before they move into discussiongroups.

Don't forget the generalization andapplication stages of the workshop model(see pages 9-10)-you want to make surethat participants have time to reflect on thecase study discussion and make generaliza-tions that go beyond the case presented.For example, you might ask for any insightsthey've gained from the particular problempresented, or for preliminary conclusionsthey've drawn from the discussion. Encour-age participants to think about how toapply what they learned from the case studyto the rest of the workshop or to their"real" lives as teachers,

Below are some sample case study top-ics that address general education concernsand specific EE issues. Most of these topicsare covered in other units of the'V/orkshopResowrce Manwal with background infor-mation, stories, and activity ideas.

- multicultural concerns

- specific environmental problemsand solutions

- managing a field trip

- choosing criteria for decision making

- values in the classroom

- cooperative learning

- advocacy vs. education

- group management and discipline

- giving feedback

Workshop Resaurce Manual

Take a Hike: Using Field Trips

From touring a water treatment facilityto visiting a legislative representative, fieldtrips can add much to your workshop.First-hand observations, discussions, andexperiences can make a powerful impacton iearners of all ages.

A field trip during a teacher workshopcan also model how teachers can use fieldrrips to give students direct experiences.You might take a field trip to a beautifulnatural area-a place participants mightnot otherwise have a chance to see-andconduct some activities. Or, you can discuss

the advantages, disadvantages, and "how-to's" of field trips without leaving yourworkshop site. Another Workshop ResowrceManual urit, "Using Community Resources,"

contains handouts and additional guidelinesfor building teachers' confidence about tak-ing field trips. Briefly, here are some tips forconducting a field trip during your work-shop. These are also good discussion pointsif you will just be talking about field tripswith participants.

Have ObjectivesMake sure that the trip is appropriate forthe workshop and explain these connec-tions to participants. Let people know whatto expect on the trip and what to bringto make the excursion most useful. Makesure trip activities meet trip objectives.

Rehearse the ThipSeveral days before the workshop, runthrough the entire trip yourself. Check onbathrooms, phones, parking places, transi-tion areas, route, and other importantdetails.

Conduct Pre-Thip ActivitiesHave a pre-trip activity to set the stage,familiarize participants with the location,and interest them in the trip. A map maybe a helpful orientation tool.

Have a Back-Up PlanKnow what you will do if the weather turnsbad, if the bus doesn't arrive, or if otherproblems come up.

Have Aaivities for the Trip ltselfHave several definite tasks for participantsto accomplish during the trip. Observationscan occur here, too. Don't forget transitiontimes-traveling, meals, or waiting forspeakers. Try to use all field trip locationsto their maximum potential.

Include Post-Tlip ActivitiesBack in the workshop or classroom, havean activity or two that will allow peopleto reflect on their experiences. comparethose experiences to others', and ask ques-tions that didn't get answered during thetrip. Use these activities to extend the tripto your on-site objectives.

Thank Your AssistantsRemember to send thank-you notes to theappropriate people and agencies so you can

easily rap their resources next time.

Potenua: Sscu*sio(i t$& t @, ,.,

- What are iome effieient ways to overcome the traditionat'l' : .

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',Whai ro16 rshould.the::ieacherr:rp1ry: d*rin6,a tiip,,,that hasa guide?

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-What are the pros and cons of takrng f ietd trips?

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'',Whtat hrtg bedn..'exedllenf:,{ietd,tiip, destlnatlons.'in the pbstand why?

Desrgning Ef f ect i ve V/o t ks h a p s

Pietr^rres bVorth 3.,$0& Words:Using lUledia'Workshop

presenters should use a varietyof audiovisual aids to enhance the work-shop design and address different learningstyles. Each type of media has specificadvantages that can make your programmore effective. A good slide show or film,for example, can bring nebulous environ-mental concepts to life. Good handouts,overheads, or flip charts can emphasizea point, draw attention, and enable parti-cipants to focus on the topic. Your choiceof medium will depend on many things-room design, workshop format, topic,amount of time available, time of day, andpersonal preference. Here are a few waysto think about the choices.

Newsprint/ Flip Chart/ChalkboardThese are the most common of educators'tools. Remember to write large enoughand with a heavy hand; letters shouldbe21lz inches high to be read at the backof a room. A pad of newsprint or flip chartpaper, however, has several advantages overa chalkboard: Pieces of paper can be savedand hung on the walls as "visuals," and thepapers can be prepared before the work-shop and saved from one to the next. Don'thesitate to use several colors, but try to keepthe amount of text per page to a minimum.

Overhead ProjectionFor larger audiences, "overheads" workbetter than chalkboards or flip chartsbecause the image is larger and the speakerfaces the group as she or he writes. Writingisn't even necessary during the presentationif transparencies are prepared in advance.Most photoduplication machines can copyimages from paper to transparencies; be sureyou purchase the correct tlpe of transparency.Again, keep the text to a minimum-onlyyour key points-and use large letters. Also,you may need to practice orienting andfocusing the transparency.

SlidesIflell-composed slides can add an excitingvisual element to a presentation. Make sureslides with written text are concise andreadable. Unlike overhead presentations,a slide show requires a room that can bedarkened. Don't talk to the screen-let theimages enhance your talk. You may not be

the best judge about how quickly to changeimages or how much to discuss each slide,so practice with a helpful audience.

Slide/Tape ShowA good synchronized slide/tape presenta-tion requires a machine that plays a cassettetape and forwards the slides on cue from aninaudible signal. Some slide shows use mul-tiple projectors for a superb effect. The pro-duction costs for this type of program arefar cheaper than film or video, although it'smore expensive, more complicated, and less

flexible than a simple slide presentation.

FilmCommercially prepared fi1ms tend to be ofextremely high quality and are quite infor-mative, but they can quickly become out-dated. Showing only a portion of the filmmay be a good use of limited workshoptime. For large crowds, films are superior tovideos because the image can be projectedonto a large screen.

VideotapeVideotape recordings (videos) are becomingvery popular in schools. They are easyto duplicate, distribute, and show. But theimage is shown on a relevision screentso a large audience might have difficultywatching unless several TVs are cabledto the same VCR. Videos are now easierto produce, given the advent of personalvideo cameras and the availability of localpublic access television station equipmentfor editing. Note that tapes from foreignsources are usually incompatible with U.S.equipment but can be translated for a fee.

Computer ProjectionYou can demonstrate a computer programor show a room full of teachers the manyresources available on the Internet by pro-jecting the image that normally appearson the monitor. This is accomplished byattaching the computer directly to an LCDplate-a thin, liquid-crystal-display devicethat sits on top of an overhead projector.This setup often takes some fiddling to getthe contrast and light right. And, of course,if you are demonstrating online resources,the room must have a phone line and modem.

Facilitation Skills You Can t Live\Without

GooD TEACHER oR woRKSHop LEADER needs to be a good facilitator.A facilitator's role is to help individuals communicate with eachother inways thatmove the grouptoward specific goals and objec-tives. A facilitator can help bring out the best in students or

participants and help them feel at ease. He or she can also encourageparticipants to clarify their thinking or feelings about a subject, talk more freely,and build their own understanding from workshop activities.

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Four Key SkillsFour key facilitation skills can help youdeliver a more effective workshop. Eachrequires a lot of practice and excellent lis- :,,

tening skills. Following is a brief summary.:

Ask QuestiottsAsking the right questions can do moreto guide a discussion than any other fac-ilitation skill. The best questions are open-ended-they help participants reflecton activities, elaborate on their thoughtsand feelings, and dig deeper into the discus-sion. Un-fortunately, most of us tend to askquestions that have one "right" answer.One way to help yourself ask good ques-tions is to write them out before the work-shop starts. This helps you avoid havingto improvise at the same time you're tryingto facilitate a discussion and keep the work-shop on track. Here are some examplesof open-ended questions:

- "What are some different ways thisactivity could be used?"

- "How would you explain EEto a colleague?"

- "How could your students influencea decision important to the community?"

In some cases, you might want toencourage participants to think before theyrespond: "Think about this for a moment,then raise your hand," or "I'11 ask a seriesof three questions and then we'll talk aboutall of them." Be sersitive to cultural differencesamong participants regarding direct eye

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contact and speaking in large groups-youmay need to wait for answers or use smallgroups more frequently.

Paraphrase

This is an important facilitation skillfor clarifying and ensuring comprehension,highlighting a point, or valuing a comment.Paraphrasing means that you rephrase whatsomeone else says. For example, you mightsay, "I hear you saying that . . ." or "DidI understand you to say . . ." By paraphras-ing, you invite a participant to say, "Yes,that's what I meant," or "No, what I meanttosaywas..."

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Desigr/rg Eff ert | rc Vy'a r ks h a D s

Exercise on Frcilitation Sldlls

?iy ttls exercls e if you are helpinga group of edueators developfacilitation skills.

Arrange participants in small groups of four or five; Explainthat eaqh person will be,a facilitator for five rninutes, leadinga diseussion,with the others in that group. Each person willal$o have a turn as a recorder, neiing the types ol questionsand responses the faeilitator'gave- ' ,. , '

Supply the participants with three somewhat controversialquestions to discuss: Ask each perscn to choose one and pre-pare.good que*ti-ns, crmments, and probes that witl help keepthelr-,discussisngoin6 lt'mav hetp to ehoose a topic aboutwhich they either'know a lot or don't,care,very rnucll, so thecontent of the discussion won't distract their attention.

- How can we reduce the waste stream in our area?

* Which energy coosefvation,measures shguJd we promote?,

* What is good and bad about eur current health care systern?

Give them flve minutes to think about their,practice session,then,ask for two volunteers iR each group. One will facilitaie;the other will record.

When all the groups have finished, ask the recorders to sharewith,their groups the types of questions and cornrnents thathelped keep the.srnall gr,oup diseussions focused and produc-tive. Jf there,is. time, Jaci l itate a,'targe group'd iseussion arou ndwhat the f aci I itators' learned, f roff 'the experience and howthey might,con:tinue to praeticeJaeilitation skillsas ihey lead

You can use paraphrasing to helpquiet a persistent talker who is "hogging"the floor. For example, you might say:"Dale thinks we need more feedback fromthe principals. Does anyone else have anythoughts?" Paraphrasing can also helpmove the discussion along. For example,you might say, "If I could interrupt fora minute-You've made several importantpoints and I'm afraid we're going to losethem."

Although paraphrasing is a key fac-ilitation skill, it's important not to overdoit. Participants don't want to hear what theysay parroted back continually.

Summarize

Like paraphrasing, summarizingtakes a lotof practice. It allows you to pull importantinformation together, guide a discussion,or make a transition from one session or

one point to another. You can also sum-marize to help check for clarity and revie-nv

progress. For example, if you feel that theparticipants are confused during a session,you might say something like "It soundslike the most important things we're comingup with here include . . ."1 then list thosepoints and ask, "Am I right? Does anyonehave anything to add?"

You can also ask participants to sum-marize the discussion to get more peopieinvolved in helping to clarify what has hap-pened during a session.

Offer Encowrdgement

There are many techniques you can useto help participants feel at ease and toencourage discussion. Most are just goodlistening skills that people use naturally;others will take practice. Here are someexamples.

Wc tkshop ResaLt rae Lle Du a I

Ten,Fttfalls of,Facilltatior ,,:

1..' Being unprepared,,or discrganized. , ' ,

2. Not saying,"l don't knclvl" when,you'ought' '

3.''Not e$tablishingpersonat r-apport with the group: l

4. Apologizing for yourself or your organization.

5. Using poor audiovisual aids.

6. Not sticking to the schedule--especially, failing,.-, l to end:$,n tirne. ,t .., ':'.t ,: :i,

:r:: :r r- r'" ': ,'7. Not involving participants.

9' Using sexist or racist csmrneftts- : 'i ,, ,

10r Not usingevery#orkshop as a lear*ingexperience.

- From the start, make sure the tone of theworkshop is one of acceptance. Commu-nicate to the participants that there areno "bad" questions. Answer every ques-tion with sincerity.

- Maintain eye contact with the particpantswho are speaking. Let them know you arelistening.

-'When you understand what a participantis trying to say, nod or give some type ofsignal that says, "I'm paying attention."

- Use encouraging body language. Leantoward the person talking and pay atten-tion to what he or she says.

- Call people by name. Also, refer to partic-ipants by name when you want to empha-size a point they have made. For example,you could say, "Phil's comment aboutcooperative learning is exactly what we'retalking about now."

- 'J7hen asking open-ended questions orencouraging participants to summarizea discussion, make sure you give themenough time to think.'Wait five secondsbefore calling on anyone.

Other Facilitation Tips

- Don't forget to introduce yourself andestablish credibiliry but be sensitiveto the problem of setting yourself apartby over-emphasizing your expertise.Make sure rhar the participants get achance to introduce themselves and estab-lish their own credibility with the group.

- Recognize the expertise of the groupmembers and defer to them when you areable. Learn to say, "I don't know-whatdo others think?" without apologizing.

- Be flexible. Some things won't happenas planned. Just remember to "go withthe flow." Make transitions without abig fuss.

* Try to avoid distracting habits, such aspacing back and forth, talking too fast,or saying "um" or "uh" repeatedly.

*'lfrite on newsprint or the chalkboardonly when necessary, because it takestime and can slow the group down.However, it is very helpful to highlightkey words or concepts as they come up.

- Dress for the part. Tiy not to be over-dressed or under-dressed, but alwayslook professional.

The checklist beginning on page 32has additional suggestions for organizingthe workshop and setting a tone that helpsmake facilitation easier.

Des ign i nE Effective Wotksha ps

Plannirg for Ongoirg Support

(^loue ADMrNrsrRArons have little faith in short-term workshops and

\ programs because real change often takes much more effort. Teach-

. I ers may not have more than a Saturday to give to EE, and program\J developers may not have the money to orchestrate a lengthy course

or process. This makes short-term workshops the most feasible option, andsome level of ongoing supporr is absolutely crucial for their success.

Ongoing support may take the form of money resources, newsletters,e-mail accounts, or collegial support; you may have to think creatively to finda strategy that will work in your area. It is important to consider how you couldcontinue to interact with the participants after the workshop, and theseopportunities should be designed into the workshop and budget. This con-tinued interaction may help overcome the constraints teachers feel aboutimplementing EE.

Your needs assessment probably gave you some ideas about how tosuggest changes, some of which you built into your workshop. Other con-straints, however, may need to be addressed over time and in several settings.The ideas in this section are based on several assumptions:

r. Making a commitment to a colleague provides an incentiveto try something new,

an important barrier may be a lack of tried-and-trueresources, and

3. just knowing that others are in the same boat is very helpfulwhen the seas are rough.

Warkshop Resource Manuai

Ways to Build Supporttor New ldeas

- Register participants in pairs and requirethat at least two from the same schoolattend. You can design the workshopso they work together and learn thatthey can continue to count on each otherfor support.

- Give partners an assignment to conductafter the workshop. Ask them to trysomething new, meet with each othera few weeks later to share their results,and send a postcard report to you.

- Have participants pair up for workshopactivities. After each activity, have pairsevaluate and report on their effors.By having them practice giving andreceiving feedback from colleagues, youmay increase the chances that they con-tinue helping each other once they getback to school.

* Get publiciry for the EE programs. If thenewspaper prints glorious pictures andexplanations of a school's environmentalprogram, it may give a boost of encour-agement to the teachers, parents) andadministration.

Ways to Provide Ongoinglnformation and Rerninders

- Schedule a follow-up meeting a few montlrafter the workshop and ask participantsto report on their experiences to each other.

- Give them an assignment to return to youin several weeks. To avoid feedback thatis too weak or delayed to be meaningful,make short, relevant assignments in whichteachers react to their practice and con-sider new ideas.

- Stay in touch with your participants.Send e-mail messages, make phone calls,or arrange to visit their schools.

- Send a postcard or make contact withparticipants several weeks after the work-shop to remind them of their interest andcommitment to EE. You might have theteachers write postcards to themselvesduring the workshop; you could collectthese and mail them three months later.

- Consider providing an incentive to gentlyencourage participants to return informa-tion and assignments. Additional materials,a new activify idea, a T-shirt, or a certifi-cate may motivate them.

- Start a newsletter and send it to all work-shop participants; encourage them tocontribute their ideas, too. You could alsomaintain contact by sending out a posteror a new resource periodically.

- Teach participants to write proposals andbe able to offer funding to carry out theirEE activities with students. Resourcesfrom state and federal land managementagencies are sometimes available for con-servation projects or habitat restoration.

D e s i ?,n i n g Ef f e cti v e Wa r ks h aps

vALUATIoN IS A cRITICAL IART of an effective EE training program.It can give you important feedback about what works and u-hatneeds improvement. It can also help justify your program to sup-porters, administrators, and supervisors. You want to be able to

sa5 "These programs work." A good evaluation strategy can help you knou'.Although there are many types of evaluation, in this section we will use

four categories defined by Donald Kirkpatrick.6

Reaction: How much did the participants like the program?

Learning:'What principles, skills, facts, and techniquesdid they learn?

Behavior: What changes in participants' teaching behar-iorresulted from the program?

Results: \7hat were the tangible results of the programin terms of student learning or environmental improvement?

Facilitators and program coordinators may also use a checklist to evaluate a

program themselves. The form on page 31 is derived from research evaluatingthe value of short-term professional development programs.

Evaluating Your Success

Reaction

Collecting information about the partici-pants' reactions to the program is an impor-tant way to gauge the program's strengthsand weaknesses and start the process ofmaking improvements. You can do thisseveral ways.

A

Ask participants for written reactionsto three questions at the end of each day:

- "\7hat is going well?'S7hat do you likeabout this program?"

- "What is not so good about the program?"

- "How could things be changed to improverhe program?"

The advantage to conducting a quick eval-uation is that you will be able to respond tothe participants before the program is over.You will be able to address misunder-standings or inappropriate expectationsby saying, "I see you want X but your bosswants this workshop to cover Y." You ri-illalso be able to make the reasonable changesthey request, such as scheduling an extraafternoon break or asking people to speaklouder. They will appreciate your respon-siveness. M ore comprehensive corurrentscould help you adjust the agenda to meetparticipants' needs by meeting with somepeople separately changing the smal1 grouptasks. or creating alternatives.

V,/c rks h a p Re s a u rc e lil a nu a l

B

A pencil and paper evaluation form allowsyou to ask specific questions and collectconsistent data from a large number ofparticipants. The same form can be usedin several workshops as a way to compareprograms. Typical end-of-workshop reac-tion questions, such as those in the follow-ing sample, use a five-point scale to rateresponses:

Sample Written Evaluation Form

Overall, what did you find most useful aboutthe workshop?

What did you find least useful about theworkshop? How would you have made changesto better suit your needs?

Please circle the appropriate number(1 = poor, 5 = excellent) to rate the workshopfacilitator's ability to:

1. hold the interest of the grouP

2. present material clearly

3. make objectives understandable

4. choose useful exercises

5. use audiovisual aids

6. help the group apply content I 2 3 4 5

7. adequately cover the material I 2 3 4 5

B. presentaccurate information I 2345

On the same 1-to-5 scale, please ratethe following:

Small group discussions or interviews aregood mechanisms for collecting reactionsto broader questions. In this evaluationscheme, randomly selected participantsspend 30 minutes answering a few ques-tions in a small group. The interaction with-in the group may lead to a greater sharingof ideas than individualized responses. Somesample questions are:

- "How valuable was this workshopto you, compared to other workshoPs?"

- "How will your teaching be differentas a result of this workshop?"

- "\7hat, if anything, did you gainfrom the workshop?"

- "\7hat recommendations do you havefor improving the workshop?"

LearningEven if participants react positively to atraining program, they may have learnedlittle. If your goal goes beyond entertain-ment and professional interaction, you willwant to know more than what these reac-tion questions can offer. You will want toknow if participants changed or clarifiedtheir attitudes, if they gained knowledge,and if they had an adequate chance topractice their skills. Also, did the teachersgain confidence in their abilities to leadEE activities? Is this confidence supportedby competence?

The most typical strategy is to useeither a pre-test or a control group to docu-ment the incoming level of knowledge andattitudes, following with a similar instrumentafter the rn orkshop to measure the difference.These surveys most often use quantifiable,close-ended questions that can be analyzedstatistically. Other mechanisms for evaluat-ing learning include making performanceevaluations, hosting focus groups, and con-ducting interviews. The box on the nextpage illustrates sample learning questions.

1234512345123451234512345

i. suitability of facility

2. qualily of food

3. effectiveness of workshoppublicity

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t2345

Close-ended questions are easier to sulrllna-rize, but they give you limited information.Open-ended questions, where participantswrite out their responses, take more timebut also tell you more about what the par-ticipants think is important. A mix of bothquestions is often ideal.

D e s i En i n g Effecti v e Wa r ks h aps

Sample Prc-TesUPost-Test Questionsfor a Teacher Workshop 7

Please circle how knowledgeableyou are about the following for teaching EE(1 = not at all, 5 = a great deal):

a. Conductingclass outdoors 7 2345b. Using high-tech equipment or

computers 12345c. Using information about

environmental careers

- "How confident do you feel in -vour abili-ties to conduct an environmental activin-or help students investigate an issueilVhat might increase your confidence level?'

- "To what extent are you interested ilparticipating in future EE traimng pro-grams (none, a little, a fair amount, a

great deal)? \X/hich topics are 1'ou parricu-larly interested in?

ffiesults

Do the new knowledge, attitudes, skills, andbehaviors have any effect on the classroomor the students? Measuring the results ofa workshop is difficult because it is hardto presume the workshop was responsiblefor specific changes. Nevertheless, you ma\-want to know about changes in the educa-tional process, in the knowledge and skillsstudents have acquired, or in the localenvironment.

One of the most useful strategies lbrmeasuring results is an interview or ques-tionnaire distributed three to six monthsafter the training program. Scheduling rnter-views with a select number of participantswill help you avoid the problem of selecedquestionnaire returns (where only thosewho feel strongly respond). You can aska few questions on the phone or in personand often learn about something you didn'teven think to ask. You might also taik tothe school administration to see if there isan increased interest in environmental ques-tions and activities in the school. Anotherform of evaluation is the documentarion ofchanges in the environment where projectswere done (e.g., energy saved, water qualin'improved, trees planted, incandescent lightbulbs replaced, or letters written).

Given the great variation in the person-alities of teachers and students, and in theirdifferent styles of teaching and learning,it is difficult to use student assessment as

a measure of workshop success. It is oftenconsidered more professional and moreempowering to teachers to ask them toconsider ways to evaluate changes in theirteaching practice and to give them responsi-bility for measuring the value of the work-shop, rather than to engage their studentsin the evaluation process.

t2345

Please circle how often you planto use the following to teach EE(1 = not at all, 5 = a great deal):

a. Demonstrations 12345b. Mentors or role models I 23 4 5

c. Visual aids(maps, posters, charts) r2345

BehaviorAwareness, knowledge, and skills are onlya few of the prerequisites for changingbehavior in the classroom. Factors such as

administrative support, peer support, availableresources, confidence, and available rewardsalso affect the degree to which teachers canbegin to teach differently. You can influencethe likelihood of change by designing aprogram with administrators, building peersupport groups, asking teachers to committo try new teaching strategies, and providingresources and reward systems \see page 26,"Planning for Ongoing Support;). Eifective

-

programs usually employ these strategies.You can measure the degree of behavioralchange by directly observing participantsafter the workshop or by asking them toobserve and measure their own behaviorwith specific questions such as the following.

- "Now that you have been back in theclassroom for several weeks, have youbeen able to try any of the strategies andactivities you practiced in the workshop?If yes, which ones and what were theresults; if no, why not?"

- "Since the workshop, have you hadopportunities to incorporate environmen-tal content into your teaching? How oftenhave these opportunities occurred, andhow have you taken advantage of them?"

t'y'ornshop k-cscuraa ili rrr;

A Self-Evaluation

Sometimes it is helpful to have your ownchecklist to review as you prepare fora workshop or reflect on the one you justfinished. The following list of questionsand categories may help prompt yourthoughts. Feel free to adapt it to meet yourown style. You might want to adapt thesequestions for the participant evaluation.

Short-Term ProlessionalDevelopment Checklist 8

This checklist is designed to assess a short-term training course or workshop. For eachcriterion, circle the number that reflects yourworkshop plan or experience.(1 = very little, 5 = very much).

Reports and Records

It is often helpful to keep a record of whatyou did at each workshop. You may findyourself going back to those notes moreoften than you think! Specifically you mayneed a record of your workshop for a pro-gram evaluation or grant report. The fol-lowing outline describes a reporting systemthat trainers in the National Park Serviceehave found useful. It lists the componentsof the standard workshop report.

- All pertinent administrative documents,including copies of the needs assessmentform, announcement, agenda, objectives,roster, demographic make-up of thegroup, correspondence with coordinatorsand guest speakers, assignments, mailings,and handouts.

- Summary narrative of the interviews,planning, development, and implementa-tion of the program. This should includeproblems, unexpected developments,key supporting agencies or individuals,and a summary of the needs assessmentresults.

- Evaluation of the workshop, includingparticipant evaluations and comments,instructors' reactions to the agendaand individual sessions, tr...ir of eachactivity, budget analysis, and an overallreview of how well the program metits goals.

- Overall recommendations on the agenda,activities, instructors, media, logistics,field trip site, food, facilities, and generalinformation that would be helpful to sub-sequent workshop trainers.

Responds to an identif iedneed or priority.

Has a planning component that:

-defines clear expectations I 23 45-encourages collaboration 1 23 45- considers participants'

needsandbeliefs 12345- has a clearly def ined agenda

or timeline

Has high-quality training sessions that:

-treat participants as professionals 1 2 3 4 5* encourage the exchange of ideas 1 2 3 4 5

- allow for f lexibility

- allow for creativity

- have a demonstrated effecton teaching and learning

Has a follow-up component that:

- is planned

- provides for realisticimplementation

- is supportive of applicationand practice

- allows for institutionalreinforcement

Has an evaluation component that:

- provides for reviewof presenters by participants

- examines impact on learning

- reflects program purpose

72345

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De s i g- n i n g Eff e ct i,,te l /a r ks h a p s

woRKSHoP LEADER must be prepared. Designing and implementinga workshop takes a lot of thinking and a lot of work. There area million things to plan and decide. To remember some of thosedetails, you can use the workshop planning checklist below. Feel

free to adapt. it to suit your needs. Good luck!

Checklist for Pulling

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Off the "Perfect \Torkshop"

Making lnitial Plans

Discuss the workshop with administra-tors, colleagues, collaborators, fundingorganizations, and others who shouldbe involved from the start (see page 3for more about building institutionalsupport).

Determine how the workshop willbe funded. ITill participants pay? \7i11you have an outside sponsor? \7ill itbe part of an ongoing teacher trainingprogram sponsored by your schoolor organization?

Identify your audience and conducta needs assessment (see page 4).

Starting Work on the ProgramPrepare workshop goals, incorporat-ing resuhs of the needs assessment (see

page 11).

Choose a date, time, place, and time-frame will last. Can inservice or releasetime be arranged during the workday?

Decide if you need a co-facilitator. If so,make arrangements with your colleagueas soon as possible. Plan the agenda andworkshop sessions, including objectivesfor each session. Make sure to include avariety of activities and techniques thatwill hold the interest of your group andthat will work with a variety of learningstyles (see page 1,4-22).

tr

If you will be inviting special guests,make arrangements as soon as possible.Listen carefully to what potential guestssay they can contribute. Then discussthe needs of your audience in detailso guests can plan appropriate presenta-tions or activities. Put specific instruc-tions in writing. Agree on the q'pe ofcompensation your guests wi,ll receive(honorarium, mileage reimbursement.expenses, free meals, etc.). Make sureyour guests know where the workshopwill take place and what time youexpect them. And have a backup planin case they don't arrive on time.

Determine what materials you willbe distributing during the workshop-and who will gatheq duplicate, anddevelop them.

Working Out LogisticsReserve a room or area that is appropri-ate. It should have enough floor andwall space, electrical outlets, displaytables, ventilation, comfortable chairs,and so on. It should also provide access

to the outdoors. Arrange to have theroom set up in the way that best suitsyour needs (see page 9).

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Workshcp Resaurce N4anual

T Determine what incentives, if anY,

you will offer to encourage teachersand other participants to come to theworkshop-these may include continu-ing education credits, free or low-costmaterials, or ceftificates. Considerhanding out prizes such as snacks orposters for folks who arrive on time.

Decide how you will publicize theworkshop (announcements, flyers,word-of-mouth).

Determine how you will evaluate theworkshop.'S7hat type of evaluationforms do you need?

'What type offollow-up efforts will you be askingof the participants? (See pages 27-31,).

Decide what kinds of food and drinks,if any, you will provide. Have themdelivered to a separate room at least

30 minutes before you need them.\7ill you charge participants additionalmoney? !7here will they eat?

Order workshop supplies, such as

pencils, activity resources, notebooks,hand lenses, and curriculum packets atleast two months before the workshop.

Determine which audio-visual equip-ment (flip charts, VCR, slide carousel,overheads, extension cords) you willneed, and make sure to order or reserve

them well in advance of the workshop.Make any field trip arrangements as

soon as possible. Check on costs, dis-counts, group limits, special clothing,transportation, and so on. Let partici-pants know in advance if they will be

iaking a field trip and whar they shouldbring and wear. Pack a first-aid kit andplan an alternate event in case of badweather or unforeseen complications.

lLast-Minute Reminders

Set up early so you can relax and talkto your participants as they arrive.Display charts, crafts, posters, props,and other materials. Unlock the doors.

Put signs along the route and in thebuilding so teachers can find yourworkshop.

See that food and drinks are ready togo. Set out name tags with narrow-tipmarkers, and wear one yourself. Makesure the room is arranged suitably.

Make sure goals and obiecdves are

written on flip charts or overheadsbefore you start. Also, write smallgroup tasks on flip charts, alongwith the amount of time the grouphas to complete them.

n

T

I If you will be using newsprint, tear offmasking tape in advance and stick thepieces along the easel for easy access.

tr $7rite down rhe questions you wantto make sure to ask the participants.You can also write reminders to your-self on a prepared flip chart usinga pencil-that way, you'll be the onlyone who can see them.

I Before participants arrive, make surethat all equipment works, videos are

cued up, and overheads and flip chartsare in correct order. Check for extraprojector bulbs. Position the proiectorstand in the best spot for the audienceand for you.

tr Make sure all the handouts are ready togo, including the evaluations. Organizethem so you know where everlthing is.

Bring extra markers, pencils, erasers,

tape, and other office equipment. Filla glass of water and remember to drinkit, for your voice's sake!

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D Send introductory materials to yourparticipants so they know what toexpect-a map of the site, travel direc-tions, parking information or tokens,phone number at the site, programagenda, and items they should bring,such as curricular materials, food,extra money, special clothing, orcertain equipment. Plan to get plentyof sleep the night before.

Des i gn i n g Eff ecti v e Wo r ks ho p s

IDuring the WorkshopGreet participants warmly when theyarrive, making them feel welcome.Point to name tags and handouts as youmingle with them and encourage themto circulate.

Start on time. After your welcome andice-breaker, give an overview of theentire workshop, including the agendaand goals. Highlight breaks, meals,restroom locations, and other special"housekeeping" items. Don't forgetto introduce yourself and allow parti,cipants to do the same.

Stay on schedule, give breaks as indi-cated, and never run over at the endof the workshop.

Don't forget to leave time in each ses-

sion for asking your generalization andapplication questions and for closure(see pages 9 and 10).

If you are conducting a written evalua-tion, leave enough time for participantsto think about their answers as well asto fill out their forms. Try to collect allforms before participants leave.

Pass out a sign-up sheet early in theworkshop to record participants' names,addresses, and phone numbersl if possi-ble, make copies of the list and distributethem before the group leaves. Alterna-tively, if you have a list, pre-registeredparticipants can check off their namesand make corrections, and late regis-trants can add their names to ir.

If you are co-facilitating the workshopor working as part of a team, meetat the end of each day to review whatworked well, what didn't, and whatneeds to be revised for the next day.Always keep after-workshop meetingsbrief, upbeat, and focused.

Know how you plan to follow up withparticipants before they leave the finalsession. Make sure to leave time toremind them of any post-workshopassignments. Be clear about what youexpect them to complete, how to retumit to you, and by when. Rememberto thank co-sponsors and participantsfor their time.

Give yourself time to clean up the roomwhen you are finished, but not beforeyou've had a chance to answer questionsand see your guests to the door.

Enjoy yourself!

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Resources

Books

Becoming a Secondary School ScienceTeach er, fourth edition. Leslie Trowbridgeand Rodger Bybee. 1986. Columbus:Merrill. A very readable introductionto secondary science teaching, includinghow to develop lesson plans, answerq uestions, eval uate learning, etc.

Circle of Learning: Cooperation in theClassroom. David rW. Johnson, RogerT. Johnson, Edlthe Johnson Holubec,and Patricia Roy. 1984.'Washington D.C.:ASCD. \Tritten for teachers; a slim manualthat gives suggestions for establishing aprogram around cooperative learning based

on research findings.

Cognitiue Psy chology in the SeminarRoom. Helen Abadzi. r99o. 'STashington

D.C.: The \World Bank; An EDI SeminarPaper No. 4r. A very practical and readableguide for adult educators covering brainfunctions, memory and thought with applications for the seminar room. Answers thequestion: How can a trainer otganize a

seminar to increase the chances that partici-pants will retain the material presented anduse it in their work?

Deueloping Effeaiue Classroom Groups:A Practical Guide for Tbachers. GeneStanford. 1977. New York: Hart Publish-ing. A classic resource for working withsmall groups in a training setting or in theclassroom.

Enuironmenal E ducation in tb e

Scbook : Creating a Program Th at Works !Judy A. Braus and David'Wood. 1993.Washington D.C.: Peace Corps InformationCollection and Exchange. An excellentresource that describes a process for devel-oping an effective EE program in schools.Includes over 50 EE activities that could be

used in teacher workshops. Reprinted andavailable through the North AmericanAssociation for Environmental Education.P.O. Box 4oo, Troy OH: 5ry-676-25r4.

Enuironrnental Education Teacher ResourceHandbook: A Praaical Guide for TeachingK-r z Enuironmental Edwcation. Richard

J. Wilke, ed. ry93. Millwood, NY: KrausInternational. A detailed resource book fordistricts and administrators with informa-tion on curriculum development, funding,assessment, children's tradebooks, and statemandates in EE.

Enuironmental Interpretation. Sam H.}{am. 1992. Golden, CO: North AmericanPress. An excellent guide to adult training,with information on audiovisual materials,theme-building, learning styles, and more.'S7ritten for nonformal educators.

Helping Others Leam: DesigningPrograms for Adults. Patricia A. Mclagan.1978. Reading, MA: Addison-\7esley.Approaches training from the standpointof the learner and focuses on motivation,information processing, learning, applica-tion and transfer.

Nonform al E du cati on Manu al.Helen Fox. 1989.'W'ashington D.C.:Peace Corps Information Collection andExchange. A good reference on adultlearning, especially designed for out-of-the-classroom opportunities.

P roj e ct L e arning Tre e F acilitatorHandbook- Cakfomia. Leslie Comnes andKay Antunez.r99z. PLI and CaliforniaDepartment of Forestry and Fire Protection.An informative summary of tips for orga-nizing and implementing a PLI workshop.

Training and Deuelopment Handb ook:AGuide to Human Resource Deuelopment,third edition. Robert L. Craig, ed. ry87.New York: McGraw-Hill. Sponsoredby the American Society for Training andDevelopment. Articles about training, pro-gram design, media and methods, trainingapplications, and resources. More applica-ble to business rhan education.

D e s i gn i n g Ef fe ctt rc Wo r ks h ap s

The'Winning Trainer, second edition.Julius Eitington, ed. r987. Houston: GulfPublishing Company. Readable, informa-tive, and extensive treatment of adult train-ing procedures. I7ritten for professionaltraining programs, particularly thosein business, but fairly useful to educators.

Workshop Resource Manual, part of theEE Toolbox produced by the NationalConsortium for Environmental Educationand Training (NCEET). ry94 Ann Arbor:University of Michigan School of NaturalResources and Environment. A set ofresources for teacher inservice providers inenvironmental education, with backgroundinformation and workshop activity sug-gestions on subjects such as "IntegratingEnvironmental Education into the SchoolCurriculum," "Computer-Aided Environ-mental Education," "Urban EnvironmentalEducation, " "Multicultural EnvironmentalEducation," "Using Community Resources,and "Approaching Environmental Issues."

Artieles"Basic Tiaining." Ann Bradley. r9y.EducationWeek. March zr. Uses acase study of Vermont teachers to showthat, by making teacher education a criti-cal component of change and encourag-ing master teachers to train other teach-ers, great strides are being taken in educa-tional reform and curriculum change.

"Case Studies: A New Approach."Matthew J. Hennecke, Training andDeuelopment Journal. March 1983,pp.7o-7r. How to overcome the problemof the remoteness of a case by individual-izing it.

"How Helpful Are Case Studies?" ColinAmistead. Training and D euelopment

JowrnaL February r98 4, pp. 7 5-5 5.Covers types of case studies, criteriaof a good case, learning objectives andhow to write cases.

"Role Playing." John E. Jones and I7illiamJ. Pfeiffer. r979 Annual Handbook forGroup Facilitators, pp. 182-19 3. Univer-sity Associates, Inc; San Diego.Coversinformation about how to design andconduct role plays, when to use them,and how they fit in the experiential learn-ing cycle.

ENoNorrs

r. Another resource to help you know who the keyplayers are in your srare is rhe Nalional Surueyof EE Teach er Inseruice Education, preparedby and available from the National Consortiumfor Environmental Education and Training at cost.Call 313-998-6726 or write NCEE! Schoolof Natural Resources and Environment, Universityof Michigan, Ann Arbor MI 48ro9-rrr5.

z. "Questions for Assessing Your Support Base"was contributed by Randall Champeau, Directorof the rWisconsin Center for EnvironmentalEducation, University of l7isconsin-Stevens Point.

3. The Seven-Step'Workshop Design and the Experi-ential Learning Model are adapted from the Train-ing Resources Group, Inc.,9o9 N. rWashington

Street, Suite 3o5, Alexandria YA 24;.4.

4. The Role Play Guidelines are adapted from theTraining Resources Group, Inc.,9o9 N. Washing-ton Street, Suite 3o5, Alexandria YA 24t4.

5. Copeland, Melvin T. "The Development ofPrinciples by the Use of Cases," inThe Case

Method of lnstruction (Cecil Fraser, ed.). 1931.

New York: McGraw-Hill. In the late 1800s,professors at Harvard Law School experimentedwith using court cases in their classrooms to teachnuances of 1aw. The idea was quickly picked upby Harvard's business school and developed as

the case study method of teaching. Professionalschools around the world now rely on this methodfor teaching the skills of their trades.

6. Kirkpatrick, Donald. "Evaluation," Training andDeuelopment Handbook (Robert L. Craig, ed.),third edition. New York: McGraw-Hill.

7. Questions in this section adapted from Youngand Sfilliams' "Draft: Evaluation Manual forDOE Teacher Enhancement Programs." 1993.Chicago: Argonne National Laboratory.

8. Sutton, John. "Effective Educational Pracaices:

Short-Term Professional Development Programs,"paper presented at ASCD conference, Marchrgg3, Washington D.C.

9. Dahlen, David and Connie Backlund (ed.). r99r.Training Metbods, fifth edition. National ParkService, Department of lnterior.

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