External Evaluation of SEED Final Report - SEED - Schule.at

School Development
What has been the impact of SEED on
school development?
KIG Survey
School development:
‘For our school projects we have
developed pedagogical tools that let us
organise them and reflect about main
objectives, process, difficulties,
achievements and how to improve next
time.’
As a result of participating in SEED a
French school will be incorporating
various policy changes into their School
Education Plan for 2005-2008. These
include the necessity for practicing ESD
and learning from local eco schools.
KIG reflections on Frascati
workshop content: What would be
different if SEED (this seminar) had
not taken place?
KIG : ‘‘We wouldn’t have this
information about EE as a way to
improve the education.
We wouldn’t have all of this beneficial
exchanges with other schools and other
cultures.
I wouldn’t have been able to meet
these schools with which we are working
in a Comenius project. It’s a very good
group who work in an excellent way.
Without Frascati we wouldn’t have had
the information of Action Research,
different points of view, critical friends…
And, working sessions with other
teachers from other countries, and
workshops inside our own project (very
useful ones).’
Internal Evaluation Survey, Helsinki
What kind of changes have SEED
caused in the work of your institute?
KIG Member: ‘The whole school staff
and pupils have been trained to use Prof
Ahlberg concept mapping technique.’
KIG Member: ‘Participation in a
Comenius + program: ESD issues in
teacher training curriculum perhaps an
ESD centre at the university college.’
SEED Key Themes
School Development
The impact of SEED on school development has been in a number of
areas:
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� Generally the schools which have participated are more supportive
of the idea of School Development through Environmental
Education. SEED has created a focus on EE and ESD within the
school communities. This has been due to both participation, an
international profile on the subject and the various publications
which have arisen from SEED.
� This international focus has allowed for the allocation of working
hours to work on SEED projects. Without this support the impacts
of SEED would have been limited.
� Changes have occurred in the way teachers interact with each
other. In some cases teacher meetings have become more topic or
project oriented. Staff meetings are now seen as ways to introduce
new methodologies and more reflection on practice is occuring.
� Development of formal structures to deal with EE projects. For
example an Environmental Council has been formed in one school
which involves teachers, pupils and parents.
� Increased motivation of teachers and their students with regards
to the learning process.
� Evaluation has been introduced as a tool to improve education
practice and the skills developed to use it effectively. (Action
Research)
� Particiaption in SEED has provided the teachers and practitioners a
specific focus and support to work on Environmental Education.
� The support of SEED has given participants more confidence to
plan, develop, implement and evaluate their actions for
sustainability. Often this occurs with a group of motivated teachers
within a school who develop activities or projects which allow the
school development process to occur.
Summary of Impact on School Development
The SEED program has created a focus and support base for school
development. The international attention on this area has allowed for the
allocation of working hours to school projects. Teachers have developed
greater knowledge and the confidence to apply this to effect change in
school policy and practice. Formal structures have been created to aid EE
for school development.