AEOE Online Member* Survey

We are no longer accepting surveys - thank you for your interest

Dear AEOE Member*:

The AEOE Board would like your help in developing a Strategic Plan for our organization. This plan will be our “roadmap” to help make sure we are doing all we can to support environmental and outdoor education in the best way possible in future years. The Board's responsibility is to provide the best possible support to its members. In order to do this and to create our future plans, we need to get input from you! Just complete this form. Click on "Submit" when ready to send.

Your completed surveys will get emailed to the AEOE Webmaster and cc'd to members of the AEOE Strategic Planning Committee. We will use the information in these surveys to help us guide AEOE into the future and refine our vision, mission, purpose and goals.

If you would like more time to complete feedback offline, you may write comments in a document and either paste them into the form or email your comments as inline text or an attachment to

*If you are not a member, but still interested in helping AEOE define our role in California Environmental Education, please fill out the External Stakeholder Survey

Creating a new strategic plan and revising our mission statement does not necessarily mean that AEOE will change what it offers or stop being the organization that you know and appreciate. If you have questions or concerns about this, please use the contact information at the end of this form.

Before we begin, please give us some background information (required)

(You may choose to remain anonymous, but you must be an AEOE member, and you must provide an email address)

1. Your name:
2. Email address:

We will never share or sell your email address!

 

3. Your mailing address (optional)

4. Are you a current member of AEOE? Choose One Yes Joining for the Spring Conference No

5. What section? Choose One Northern California Southern California

6. How long have you been a member of AEOE?

7. What program or school do you work for and what is your position?

8. With what type of environmental education are you involved?
(Check as many as apply)

None Currently

Classroom

Residential Outdoor Education

Non-residential Outdoor Education

Summer Camp

Scouts, Boys/Girls Club, Other Youth Outdoor Group

Church Group

School Group / Outing Club, etc

Nature Center

Museum

Zoological / Botanical Garden

Government Agency - National, State, Regional, County, or City Parks

Conservation Corps / Americorps / Vista / MiniCorps / etc

Conservation Organization (Sierra Club, Nature Conservancy, etc)

Adventure Education

Other - please list below (or use this field to elaborate on checked items above)

 

Survey:

There are four main sections to the Strategic Plan: the Vision Statement, the Mission, the task-oriented Strategies/Priorities, and an analysis of AEOE’s strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats (SWOT). We also want your specific feedback on AEOE conferences and activities you have attended.

1. Vision Statement. A Vision Statement describes an ideal future. It is what we want the world to look like when we have completed our Mission.

The proposed AEOE Vision Statement reads as follows:

Outdoor environmental education is an essential part of all education. Having the opportunity to learn about, understand, participate in and protect our communities and the natural world is every person’s right and responsibility. Recognition and support of educators and programs providing outdoor environmental education is a valued and integral part of California’s educational system and society. Through participation in outdoor environmental education, students gain knowledge, skills and the competence to help them understand, respect and care about themselves, their communities and their environment. The Association for Environmental and Outdoor Education (AEOE)’s vision is:

• To teach and inspire individuals, through direct contact with the outdoor environment, about the inherent beauty and scientific wonder of nature, the understanding of our place in the natural world and our potential to preserve the environment for future generations.
• To provide opportunities for all people to find self-respect and satisfaction in being part of the web of life and to gain an appreciation for their existence as part of their community and the natural world.
• To promote respect through developing awareness, stewardship, community involvement and participation. To empower all people to make informed decisions and take responsible action on behalf of themselves and their communities for the purpose of protecting the environment and our society as a whole.
• To establish and support the inclusion of outdoor education and environmental literacy in all schools, universities and education centers in order to preserve the rights of all people to appreciate their natural heritage.
• To provide opportunities for personal and professional growth amongst educators, families and students by promoting cultural and environmental literacy, leadership and the understanding of our responsibilities as community members and participants in the natural environment.

1. Is there anything that you believe is missing from the Vision Statement that should be added?
   
   
2. Is there anything in it that should be removed?
   
   
3. Please describe these and explain why you believe they should be included/removed.
   

2. Mission Statement. While the Vision Statement describes where we want to go, the Mission Statement describes why we exist today. The statement AEOE has referred to as the Mission is really more of a Statement of Purpose. We would like to develop a concise Mission Statement that reflects who we are and what we do in fewer words.

The current Purpose of AEOE is as follows:

AEOE is dedicated to the education of children and to helping them increase their awareness and understanding of their natural environment. This organization believes in the potential of education to help children perceive and understand environmental principles and problems. We encourage carefully planned and sustained programs of formal and informal education. By exploring personal values and providing involvement based on student perceptions, interests and competence, we seek the development of a personal ethic appropriate to the enhancement of environmental quality. To this end, we continuously support educators in their quest for the skills, attitudes and materials so essential to help learners know and care about their environment.

1. What ideas, words or phrases from the Purpose do you feel are most important? Why?
   
   
2. Which pieces of the present Purpose should not be included in the Mission? (This does not necessarily mean that AEOE will change any of its services.)
   

3. Strategies/Priorities These are activities or services AEOE should be providing.

1. What services do you feel AEOE currently provides effectively to the environmental/outdoor education community in California?
   
   
2. What services do you feel are lacking in California that AEOE should provide?
   
   
3. Note: The AEOE Strategies and Priorities will support the following professionals:

• Residential Outdoor Environmental Educators, including Naturalists, Field Instructors and Administrators from both public and private programs in California
• Outdoor Environmental Educators/Interpreters employed at museums, zoos, parks and other youth-serving agencies such as the Boy/Girl Scouts, Boys and Girls Clubs, YMCA and State and Regional Conservation Corps
• Classroom Teachers who are interested in outdoor and environmental science learning opportunities
• Government agencies, non-profit organizations and companies active in environmental education with an emphasis on outdoor environmental education
  Comments on who we should be supporting:
  
  

4. Strategies and Priorities: Below is a list of possible priorities for AEOE. Some we are already doing, some are just ideas. Please prioritize all strategies in which you believe AEOE should play, or continue to play, a leadership role for the state. If you feel strongly that AEOE should not participate in any of these possible strategies, please make that choice from the priority menu. If you have any comments, questions, or clarifications of your choices, or other ideas to share, please make them in the text boxes at the end of each section.
   
   Outdoor Environmental Education (OEE) Advocacy

• Prioritize this item 1-High priority 2-Medium Priority 3-Low Priority 4-Don't understand this 5-AEOE should NOT do this Develop quality standards for programs, perhaps in accord with ROSS criteria, NAAEE Standards for Excellence, Compendium questions, or CGEL
• Prioritize this item 1-High priority 2-Medium Priority 3-Low Priority 4-Don't understand this 5-AEOE should NOT do this Serve as a recognized and respected professional association for outdoor environmental educators and raise the status of the Profession
• Prioritize this item 1-High priority 2-Medium Priority 3-Low Priority 4-Don't understand this 5-AEOE should NOT do this Research and understand the role of each OEE organization in the state in order to work synergistically and avoid duplication of efforts
• Prioritize this item 1-High priority 2-Medium Priority 3-Low Priority 4-Don't understand this 5-AEOE should NOT do this Offer a professional certification program, perhaps in conjunction with NAAEE
• Prioritize this item 1-High priority 2-Medium Priority 3-Low Priority 4-Don't understand this 5-AEOE should NOT do this Take organizational positions on pertinent issues by fostering and nurturing partnerships with other organizations
• Prioritize this item 1-High priority 2-Medium Priority 3-Low Priority 4-Don't understand this 5-AEOE should NOT do this Advocate for the development of viable career paths in outdoor environmental education
• Prioritize this item 1-High priority 2-Medium Priority 3-Low Priority 4-Don't understand this 5-AEOE should NOT do this Have representation in the decision-making processes of other OEE organizations regarding issues that pertain to our mission
• Prioritize this item 1-High priority 2-Medium Priority 3-Low Priority 4-Don't understand this 5-AEOE should NOT do this Work with OEE programs to explore funding mechanisms, revenue streams, and budget restructuring that would allow for higher pay and benefits for staff without passing such costs on to participating schools and districts
• Prioritize this item 1-High priority 2-Medium Priority 3-Low Priority 4-Don't understand this 5-AEOE should NOT do this Engage our membership to more actively participate in AEOE and the OEE field
• Prioritize this item 1-High priority 2-Medium Priority 3-Low Priority 4-Don't understand this 5-AEOE should NOT do this Increase membership benefits
• Prioritize this item 1-High priority 2-Medium Priority 3-Low Priority 4-Don't understand this 5-AEOE should NOT do this Educate/rally educators to respond to pertinent issues
• Prioritize this item 1-High priority 2-Medium Priority 3-Low Priority 4-Don't understand this 5-AEOE should NOT do this Encourage a diverse applicant pool
• Prioritize this item 1-High priority 2-Medium Priority 3-Low Priority 4-Don't understand this 5-AEOE should NOT do this Provide a tool with which members can actively promote AEOE
• Prioritize this item 1-High priority 2-Medium Priority 3-Low Priority 4-Don't understand this 5-AEOE should NOT do this Continue to create, promote and improve a professional-quality website to convey information and resources to members
• Prioritize this item 1-High priority 2-Medium Priority 3-Low Priority 4-Don't understand this 5-AEOE should NOT do this Continue to produce professional-quality quarterly regional newsletters with news and articles from the field of Outdoor and Environmental Education
• Prioritize this item 1-High priority 2-Medium Priority 3-Low Priority 4-Don't understand this 5-AEOE should NOT do this Continue to sponsor regular social activities, outings and adventures for members
• Prioritize this item 1-High priority 2-Medium Priority 3-Low Priority 4-Don't understand this 5-AEOE should NOT do this Continue to create and maintain a network of outdoor environmental educators
• Comments / Explanations /Questions/Suggestions about any of the above items (or ideas of your own):
  

Professional Development

• Prioritize this item 1-High priority 2-Medium Priority 3-Low Priority 4-Don't understand this 5-AEOE should NOT do this Conferences
• Prioritize this item 1-High priority 2-Medium Priority 3-Low Priority 4-Don't understand this 5-AEOE should NOT do this Collaborative Learning Communities (teachers work collaboratively to develop a uniform set of student-centered goals and evaluations)
• Prioritize this item 1-High priority 2-Medium Priority 3-Low Priority 4-Don't understand this 5-AEOE should NOT do this Training administrators
• Prioritize this item 1-High priority 2-Medium Priority 3-Low Priority 4-Don't understand this 5-AEOE should NOT do this Certification programs
• Prioritize this item 1-High priority 2-Medium Priority 3-Low Priority 4-Don't understand this 5-AEOE should NOT do this Tracking/informing current environmental issues
• Prioritize this item 1-High priority 2-Medium Priority 3-Low Priority 4-Don't understand this 5-AEOE should NOT do this Weekend workshops
• Prioritize this item 1-High priority 2-Medium Priority 3-Low Priority 4-Don't understand this 5-AEOE should NOT do this Cultural competency training (Understanding and welcoming diversity - both in our membership & in our leaders, and incorporating teaching strategies that are inclusive of cultural differences)
• Prioritize this item 1-High priority 2-Medium Priority 3-Low Priority 4-Don't understand this 5-AEOE should NOT do this Newsletter
• Prioritize this item 1-High priority 2-Medium Priority 3-Low Priority 4-Don't understand this 5-AEOE should NOT do this Website with resources for educators and information about conferences
• Prioritize this item 1-High priority 2-Medium Priority 3-Low Priority 4-Don't understand this 5-AEOE should NOT do this Scholarships
• Prioritize this item 1-High priority 2-Medium Priority 3-Low Priority 4-Don't understand this 5-AEOE should NOT do this Distance learning in the form of on-line courses
• Comments / Explanations /Questions about any of the above items (or ideas of your own):
  
  
  Research
• Prioritize this item 1-High priority 2-Medium Priority 3-Low Priority 4-Don't understand this 5-AEOE should NOT do this Conduct a constituent evaluation (this survey is one example)
• Prioritize this item 1-High priority 2-Medium Priority 3-Low Priority 4-Don't understand this 5-AEOE should NOT do this Identify best practices in outdoor environmental education, using recommendations from COSA and peer-reviewed research published in EE magazines such as The Journal of Environmental Education as well as in journals focused on formal education
• Prioritize this item 1-High priority 2-Medium Priority 3-Low Priority 4-Don't understand this 5-AEOE should NOT do this Collaborate with universities to promote graduate research on the educational value of outdoor environmental education
• Comments / Explanations /Questions about any of the above items (or ideas of your own):
  
  
  AEOE Operations
• Prioritize this item 1-High priority 2-Medium Priority 3-Low Priority 4-Don't understand this 5-AEOE should NOT do this Work on Board development by providing training opportunities in non-profit management and offering other incentives to encourage members to volunteer on the Board
• Prioritize this item 1-High priority 2-Medium Priority 3-Low Priority 4-Don't understand this 5-AEOE should NOT do this Actively fundraise through events, grant-writing and requests to the business sector
• Prioritize this item 1-High priority 2-Medium Priority 3-Low Priority 4-Don't understand this 5-AEOE should NOT do this Circulate Board meeting minutes and provide regular briefs on Board activities
• Prioritize this item 1-High priority 2-Medium Priority 3-Low Priority 4-Don't understand this 5-AEOE should NOT do this Hire paid staff to take on some of the management of AEOE
• Prioritize this item 1-High priority 2-Medium Priority 3-Low Priority 4-Don't understand this 5-AEOE should NOT do this Lease office space
• Prioritize this item 1-High priority 2-Medium Priority 3-Low Priority 4-Don't understand this 5-AEOE should NOT do this Acquire corporate sponsorships
• Comments / Explanations /Questions about any of the above items (or ideas of your own):
  
  
  Career Paths
• Prioritize this item 1-High priority 2-Medium Priority 3-Low Priority 4-Don't understand this 5-AEOE should NOT do this Educate members on possible career paths
• Prioritize this item 1-High priority 2-Medium Priority 3-Low Priority 4-Don't understand this 5-AEOE should NOT do this Provide volunteer/leadership opportunities within AEOE and in the greater OEE community
• Prioritize this item 1-High priority 2-Medium Priority 3-Low Priority 4-Don't understand this 5-AEOE should NOT do this Talk to career counselors (high school and college) or other school personnel about the OEE field as profession
• Prioritize this item 1-High priority 2-Medium Priority 3-Low Priority 4-Don't understand this 5-AEOE should NOT do this Identify alternative paths into the OEE profession (CA Conservation Corps, Local Urban Corps, MESA)
• Comments / Explanations /Questions about any of the above items (or ideas of your own):
  
  
  

4. Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats (SWOT) Evaluation.

The strengths are the things AEOE already does well. Weaknesses are the things we could do better. Opportunities are the situations AEOE could use to further its mission, such as new grant money available to support EE/OE. Threats are those situations that could hinder the pursuit of our mission, such as state and local budget issues, etc.

Please list those things you see as AEOE’s strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats.

1. Strengths:
   
   
2. Weaknesses:
   
   
3. Opportunities:
   
   
4. Threats:
   

5. Conferences. Each year AEOE sponsors regional Fall Conferences and a statewide Spring Conference.

1. How many AEOE conferences have you been to?
   (You may check more than one option)

   None
   One Fall Conference
   One Spring Conference
   More than one Fall Conference
   More than one Spring Conference
   More than I can count!

2. Which conferences have you attended (dates and locations)?
   
   
3. Please rate the importance of the following aspects of AEOE conferences.
   Rate this item 1-Very Important 2-Important 3-Somewhat Important 4-Somewhat Unimportant 5-Not Important acquiring teaching strategies
   Rate this item 1-Very Important 2-Important 3-Somewhat Important 4-Somewhat Unimportant 5-Not Important learning natural sciences
   Rate this item 1-Very Important 2-Important 3-Somewhat Important 4-Somewhat Unimportant 5-Not Important networking with other educators and potential employers
   Rate this item 1-Very Important 2-Important 3-Somewhat Important 4-Somewhat Unimportant 5-Not Important presenter opportunities
   Rate this item 1-Very Important 2-Important 3-Somewhat Important 4-Somewhat Unimportant 5-Not Important entertainment
   Rate this item 1-Very Important 2-Important 3-Somewhat Important 4-Somewhat Unimportant 5-Not Important speakers
   Rate this item 1-Very Important 2-Important 3-Somewhat Important 4-Somewhat Unimportant 5-Not Important social opportunities
   Rate this item 1-Very Important 2-Important 3-Somewhat Important 4-Somewhat Unimportant 5-Not Important other—please explain:
   
   
4. Have the conferences met your expectations?
   Yes No
   Again, please tell us specifically why or why not?
   
   
5. In the spring of 2004, AEOE added a diversity strand to the statewide conference.
   Were you aware of this? Yes No
   What is your opinion of this conference addition? Why?
   

6. Activities and Workshops.

Each year AEOE sponsors a number of weekend Outings and Adventures for fun or educational purposes. Outings have included birding, canoeing, camping and cross-country skiing trips among others.

1. Have you attended any of these Outings?
   Yes No
   
   Which ones? Comments?
   
   
2. Let us know why you attend AEOE Outings, or if you haven't attended any, why you would attend them, by numbering the following from 1 (main reason-very important) to 5 (not important).
   Rate this item 1-main reason 2-partly 3-somewhat 4-not really 5-not at all professional development
   Rate this item 1-main reason 2-partly 3-somewhat 4-not really 5-not at all travel opportunities
   Rate this item 1-main reason 2-partly 3-somewhat 4-not really 5-not at all networking with other educators
   Rate this item 1-main reason 2-partly 3-somewhat 4-not really 5-not at all fun
   Rate this item 1-main reason 2-partly 3-somewhat 4-not really 5-not at all other - please explain:
   
   
3. What type of outings or workshops would you like to see AEOE provide in the future?
   

7. Professional Affiliations

AEOE is the official California affiliate to the North American Association for Environmental Education (NAAEE).

1. Were you aware of AEOE’s affiliate status?
   Yes
   No
   
2. Is it important to you?
   Yes
   No
   
3. What do you believe AEOE should do for NAAEE?
   
   
4. What should NAAEE do for AEOE?
   
   
5. Can you suggest any other organizations with which we should consider forming affiliations?
   

8. Additional Comments/Feedback on any aspect of the Strategic Planning Process, AEOE or this survey.

We are no longer accepting surveys - thank you for your interest

When you hit "submit," your survey will be sent to the AEOE webmaster and to members of the strategic planning committee. You will go to a thank you page from our form processor with ads on it which you can ignore, and just click "back to the AEOE website."

Thank you for your participation!