Exploring the Role of Intentions and Expectations in Sustainability Education Professional Development: A Sociocultural Contextualized Program Evaluation

• In Event: Building a Culture for Continuous Improvement in Educator Preparation Programs

Abstract

This paper describes a process to design and implement a sociocultural contextualized program evaluation framework. We utilized the framework to evaluate a multi-year sustainability education professional development program by examining both within and across different perspectives, phases, and program iterations. The evaluation demonstrated that participants expect to engage in the co-construction of knowledge that leads to abilities to practice sustainability in professional and personal settings. While instructors and participants converged upon several areas of intentions and expectations, there were also tensions between these two groups suggesting the need to more closely examine their influence. By doing so, SEPD programs may better meet the needs of both teachers and the field more broadly.

Authors

• Carlos R. Casanova, Arizona State University

• Jordan King, Arizona State University - Tempe