GLOBE in the Czech Republic: a program evaluation

Abstract

The article presents results of the evaluation of the GLOBE program (Global Learning and Observations to Benefit the Environment) in the Czech Republic. The evaluation explores the implementation of the program in schools and its impact on research skills. Four hundred and sixty six pupils, aged 13, from 28 different schools participated in the evaluation. The evaluation revealed problems with the implementation of the program in schools. The majority of pupils usually collect data and work with worksheets in the program. The other activities, such as the analysis and comparison of collected data or planning GLOBE activities, are done only occasionally or never. Although one of the main goals of the program is to develop pupils' research skills, the program had no measurable effect on this outcome. According to these results, changes in the way the program is implemented are needed. Recommendations for further program development and evaluation are discussed.

Keywords:

• GLOBE program
• evaluation
• effectiveness
• Czech Republic

Notes

1. The evaluation focuses on school environment and omitted non‐formal institutions that also participate in the GLOBE program. There are two reasons for this. Firstly, there are not enough non‐formal institutions participating in the program to form a comparable group. Secondly, there are typically age‐heterogenic groups in the non‐formal organizations.

2. The discrepancy in the sample description comes from the educational system in the Czech Republic. After finishing their fifth year of elementary school, pupils can leave and continue at the first year of a grammar school. The key to such selection is aspiration level and the classification of a child, because the grammar schools are usually more demanding than elementary schools. To make it more complicated, there are more types of grammar schools which differ in length and which allow pupils to study at after finishing their fifth year, seventh year or ninth year of study at an elementary school. As a result, pupils of the same age study at the eighth year of an elementary school or at the third year of a grammar school.

3. Concurrently, both processes are at work. Czech educational guidelines are about to be redesigned with an increased emphasis on skill development in environmental education. The program coordinator has changed strategy in the way the program is presented to teachers. Because some teachers expressed their interest in the evaluation instrument and its results, the coordinator started to use the skill test for presenting the aims and objectives of the program.