In 2002, Dr. Joe Heimlich and his colleagues at Ohio State University gathered information from Project WILD facilitators and developed an evaluation instrument to measure the satisfaction of teachers with Project WILD. This evaluation instrument can be self administered. Click here to download the instrument.

Teacher satisfaction was measured for three reasons: (1) teachers are the primary audience for most Project WILD efforts (teachers, in turn, reach students); (2) if teachers like Project WILD, they are more likely to use it, tell others about it and support additional Project WILD efforts; and (3) teachers are often the best source of information regarding value of an educational program. The evaluation instrument developed was piloted by 231 educators in seven states.

During the course of the pilot test, researchers garnered the following perceptions from the educators who field tested Project WILD and clearly understood its value in student learning.

• Educators use activities and supplemental materials from training that are not part of the activities conducted during the training.
• Activities are used by educators as part of existing lessons or thematic units.

The Educators involved in the pilot study also stated that Project WILD helps students:

• Understand environmental issues
• See many sides to environmental issues
• Learn conservation and environmental behaviors

Project WILD materials, coupled with training, were considered by the educators to be:

• Effective
• Easy to implement
• Easy to adapt

Educators use Project WILD because they are confident in its value.

Along with guidelines for implementation, the evaluation instrument has been distributed to Project WILD State Coordinators.

"This program helps us meet the needs of every learner in our classroom with the added bonuses of increasing awareness and relating science to everyday life."

                                                                                                ---Teacher comment