ERIC Number: EJ1194940
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2018-Oct
Pages: 8
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: EISSN-1077-5315
EISSN: N/A
The Importance of Evaluating Long-Term Impacts: Utah Master Naturalist Program as a Case Study
Larese-Casanova, Mark
Journal of Extension, v56 n6 Article 6RIB3 Oct 2018
Understanding long-term impacts is essential to knowing whether an Extension program is achieving its goals. I describe a process for long-term program evaluation, using evaluation of the Utah Master Naturalist Program (UMNP) as a successful example. Surveys revealed that the UMNP had impacts on participants up to 10 years after program completion. The UMNP is achieving its goal of promoting stewardship through fostering a deeper connection to nature, encouraging lifelong learning, increasing stewardship feelings and activities, and providing effective professional development. Further long-term evaluation efforts will focus on quantifying behavior change. Overall, the UMNP evaluation process and results underscore the criticality of conducting long-term evaluation to understand lasting impacts of Extension programs.
Descriptors: Extension Education, Program Evaluation, State Programs, Program Effectiveness, Natural Resources, Professional Development
Extension Journal, Inc. e-mail: joe-ed@joe.org; Web site: http://www.joe.org
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Utah
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A