Episode 117 - Forest Educator Spotlight: The Value of Goals, Metrics and Evaluating Your Outcomes

Episode 117 - Forest Educator Spotlight: The Value of Goals, Metrics and Evaluating Your Outcomes

Author: Ricardo Sierra July 18, 2024 Duration: 42:07
In the olden days, before the internet, when you ran a workshop or a skills class or wild foods program, you could usually skip the student evaluation forms and questionnaires.  Participants just 'got the experience' and that was the deal.  There wasn't any trolling, or review bombing, because there were no online reviews.  You might get a letter, if people felt a certain way about your offering, but often times it was something positive rather than negative. In 2024, however, outcomes and evaluations matter.  We have a lot more opportunities to connect with our students, and understand the class from their perspective, and it's a whole new world.    Quite frankly, it's a much better world.    The simple truth is this:  The more we ask, the more we know, and the faster we can get better at what we do. This episode is a quick dive into understanding the importance of understanding our metrics, gathering data, self evaluations vs outside assessment, setting our own goals and best of all, how they can help make us better educators. Forest Educator Bonus Content Page: http://foresteducator.com/bonuscontent Join the Forest Educator Patreon! https://patreon.com/ForestEducatorPodcast Connect with Ricardo: https://www.foresteducator.com/ https://www.theforestboxforkids.com/ https://www.hawkcircle.com/ Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ricardo-sierra-5980931/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_forest_educator_podcast/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RicardohawkSierra

Ricardo Sierra has spent over three decades working in wilderness education, and that depth of experience shapes every conversation in Forest Educator with Ricardo Sierra. This isn't a lecture series; it's a collection of genuine dialogues with educators and practitioners around the world who are actively reimagining how we learn in and with the natural world. You'll hear from people integrating nature into schoolyards, running innovative forest camps, and applying outdoor principles in surprising business and leadership contexts. The discussions are grounded in the practical realities of the field-think less about abstract theory and more about tangible tools, adaptable strategies, and the honest challenges these pioneers face. Released twice weekly, each episode feels like pulling up a stump in the woods to listen in on a candid exchange between colleagues. Whether you're directly involved in outdoor programming, curious about the intersection of wilderness and professional development, or simply believe in the transformative power of a hands-on education, this podcast offers a steady source of inspiration and actionable insight drawn directly from the front lines of nature-based learning.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

Forest Educator with Ricardo Sierra | A Podcast for Revolutionary Conversations about Nature-Based Education
Podcast Episodes
Episode 91 - The Last Person Around the Campfire - with Sky Otter [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:10:28
It's not uncommon at the end of a meaningful nature program to see one person who is still sitting at the campfire, reluctant to leave. The impact to our participant's lives can be significant, and it's difficult for som…
Episode 86 - Forest Educator Spotlight: Rites of Passage Part Two [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 49:51
We're talking about The Hero's Journey this episode, and how it relates to the work we do as Forest Educators. The Monomyth has a multitude of stages that are easily recognizable when we know what to look for, whether we…