areful monitoring and
measuring of your actions
ensure that the targets outlined in the
action plan are being properly addressed and achieved. Besides
providing feedback about the effectiveness of the actions,
monitoring allows the EkoSkola committee to critically evaluate the
strategy being adopted and identify possible alternative ways of
proceeding.Actively
involving pupils in the monitoring process helps children develop
responsibility and a sense of ownership of the whole project. This
implies that the monitoring |
 |
instruments
chosen (or designed) should take into account the children’s age
group and ability. The choice of monitoring methodologies is also
dependent on the type of information that needs to be gathered, for
example:
|
- questionnaires and
simple interviews are the best methods to gather information
about people’s impressions and attitudes.
- photographs can provide
an accurate record of how a project (e.g. the embellishment of
the playing grounds) is developing.
O
ne of the most important aspects of the monitoring exercise is
evaluation. After the data is gathered the EkoSkola committee
needs to go through the aims of the action plan and decide:
- whether the activities were successful,
- what alternative actions need to be taken to be more effective,
- what new actions need to be taken to address emergent needs.
|
EkoSkola is a WHOLE school project and therefore it is very
important that the results of the monitoring and evaluation exercise
are shared with the whole school community. This is where an
EkoSkola notice board comes in handy! Displaying charts depicting
the state of the school environment can be an effective way of
communicating the results of the action plan. The school community
can be greatly motivated if it is getting clear and regular feedback
about the impact of its efforts.
Celebration is another powerful motivating agent. Celebrate your
school’s achievements as widely as possible through newspaper
articles, newsletters, during school functions AND within the wider
local community. Besides generating a general feeling of well-being
that maintains the momentum of the project going, these celebrations
provide a great opportunity for the promotion of EkoSkola. |