SCHOOLYARD LTER
WORKSHOP EVALUATION SUMMARY

1.  Did you receive enough information to fully understand the projects and what your students would be involved in ?

*Yes, the background information provided by researchers, docents and other experts was very helpful.
*It helped to do the hands-on activities ourselves, and will be helpful with other teachers coming into the program, to get the best understanding and confidence level to do it ourselves with students.
*The handouts have been very helpful.
*Yes, my difficulty will come in transferring the information I gained to my students prior to coming to Konza.
*Yes, but by reading the brochure I received for the workshop I understood it to mean research at my own school yard site.  I'll choose to do a parallel project at home.
*Yes, If there were any questions Val and Jan found the resources for us.  

2.   Were the activities helpful to understand the project and what would be asked of your students?

*Yes, it was very helpful to actually do the activities and have the researchers do the activities with us.
*Definitely, the activities were worth a million words.  Phil did very good.
*Yes they were.  In most cases I believe we received more information than we needed.
*Yes, by doing them ourselves.
*Yes, very important that teachers also learn enough through hands-on activities.
*The activities were helpful.  They were also helpful to come up with ideas for pre & post activities.
*Yes, excellent idea to have the workshop participants actually do the activities. 

3.   Was it important to have the researchers there explaining their work?

*Yes, this re-iterates the "authenticity" of the experience and data students are involved with.
*They were able to "show" and "demonstrate" the importance of the research.
*Yes, I think the students will have more pride in their work knowing they will be helping actual researchers rather than just collecting data for an activity and never putting a face to the researcher.
*It would be great to have researchers hand out information or an outline on their talks.
*Yes, the knowledge to be gained from the researchers is invaluable.  Having them right here to answer questions is worth more than all the books we could buy.  It also helps to compare our theories with theories of the experts.
*Yes, it would be helpful to have a summary of their research.  Their enthusiasm really helps.  It would be helpful to have researchers on site and if at all possible help with previsit preparation.
*The variety of jobs which could be involved with a research area like this was amazing to me, and would be exciting and mind-boggling to students.  Meeting these researchers with their expertise and enthusiasm is impressive.
*Yes, those researchers who stayed for the activities contributed the most. 

4.   Was there adequate time during the workshop to prepare you for implementing these programs into your curriculum?  If not, what would be an adequate time period?

*Plenty of time.
*It helped to exchange ideas with other teachers.  Connections are so important.
*The input from all the teachers in this first LTER workshop is very helpful and I believe hearing about others experiences and expertise is most beneficial.
*No, but it was enough time for me to learn about the options available for me to choose from.  Implementing will take more time.
*As anything, it will take continuous defining, but my ideas need to be honed to make them Konza specific.
*A follow up in fall might be helpful.  Advise/review.
*Yes, I also suggest that Val have some type of communication (letter, meeting, phone, etc.) with the teachers prior to the students visiting Konza.
*Time was perfect.
*Yes, just right.  The careful planning and thorough preparation made the use of time good. 

5.   What are some suggestions to improve the workshop or Schoolyard LTER program?       

*It would have been nice to see the root development display.
*A moving/outdoor activity following lunch.  Lecturing in A.M. with activities in the P.M. if possible.
*Discussions seemed a little long.  Do an activity right after lunch instead of sitting.
*Have cluster teams, partners, study groups, focus groups.
*A vocabulary list would be good to review right before the workshop, possibly the brochure sent out, for new people (next year).
*The activities are the most important things the workshop offers.
*Have teachers brainstorm possible projects that could be done with the students. 

6.   How would you rate the workshop overall.

Excellent-7
Good-2
OK-0
Poor-0
With 1 in between excellent and good. 

7.   Comments and Suggestions

*Short follow up next June to visit about how the year went and discuss possible additional activities.
*Good use of resources-natural, technological, personnel, encyclopedic, etc.