• Skip to main content
Wilderness Logo
Donate Now

Wilderness Inquiry

Share the adventure!

  • Find Your Trip
    • U.S. Domestic
      • Apostle Islands
      • Boundary Waters Canoe Area
      • Florida Everglades
      • Glacier National Park
      • Hawaii
      • Isle Royale National Park
      • Mississippi River
      • Namekagon River
      • Olympic National Park
      • St. Croix River
      • Superior Hiking Trail
      • Utah’s Capitol Reef
      • Voyageurs National Park
      • Yellowstone National Park
    • International
      • Belize & Tikal
      • Costa Rica
      • Iceland
      • Kenya
      • New Zealand
      • Patagonia
      • Peru
      • Tanzania
      • Uganda
    • Affinity Group Travel
      • BIPOC trips
      • LGBTQI+ trips
      • Women’s Trips
    • Virtual Explorers
      • Adult Virtual Adventures
      • Virtual Explorers for Youth
      • The Inquiry Series: Exploring Inclusivity
      • Online Learning Resources
      • Trips By Date
      • Trip Finder
  • Learn About Us
    • About Us
      • Mission
      • History
      • Meet Our Team
      • Diversity and Inclusion Statement
      • COVID-19 Policies
    • Getting Involved
      • Careers
      • Volunteer
      • Community Events
    • WI Blog
    • Photo Contest
    • FAQs
  • Programs & Impact
    • Programs
      • Canoemobile
      • MN Freshwater Quest
      • Families Together
      • Gateway To Adventure
      • Outdoor Career Academy
      • Virtual Explorers
      • Adult Virtual Adventures
      • The Inquiry Series: Exploring Inclusivity
      • Thrive Outside Initiative
    • Partners
      • Financial Aid
      • Impact
  • Donations & Support
    • Donate Now
    • Champion Campaigns
    • Annual Report
    • Endowment Funds
    • Great River Race
    • Planned Giving
  • (612) 676-9400
  • [email protected]
Contact
|
Join Mailing List

(612)-676-9400Email

Contact Us

We're happy to answer any questions you have!
  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

icon base_13Artboard 16

Youth Program Evaluations

__________________________________________________________________________________

Youth Evaluations 2021

During FY21, Wilderness Inquiry participated in a program evaluation project with the Center for Applied Research in Educational Improvement with the University of Minnesota* to evaluate the outcomes of programming with youth through a six-week summer program with Great Minnesota Schools. Results of the evaluation show that:

  • 79% of program staff agreed that students “strengthened their social-emotional learning skills” through participation in Wilderness Inquiry programming.

  • By the end of the program, youth participants increased their level of agreement with the following statements:

    • I can be successful when I try something scary.

    • I am interested in jobs where I would work in nature.

*(Potter, L., Larson, M. (2021). Evaluation of Wilderness Inquiry’s Urban Wilderness Explorers Program: September 2021. Center for Applied Research and Educational Improvement, College of Education and Human Development, University of Minnesota.)

Download full evaluation PDF

In addition to the in-person program evaluation, Wilderness Inquiry collected data and feedback during our Virtual Explorers youth programs that were conducted via live Zoom sessions. Highlights are below.
 
  • Program survey feedback about virtual Mississippi River Explorers in FY21:

    • 85% of participants agree they are more interested in helping the environment after participating in the program

    • 78% of participants agree they want to spend more time outside after participating in the program

    • 57% of participants agree they are more interested in jobs where they work in nature or the outdoors

  • Program survey feedback from youth participants about virtual Freshwater Quest in FY21:

    • 74% of participants agree they are more interested in helping the environment after participating in the program

    • 80% of participants agree they want to spend more time outside after participating in the program

    • 51% of participants agree they are more interested in jobs where they work in nature or the outdoors

To learn more about Wilderness Inquiry’s Virtual Explorers opportunities for Minnesota youth, visit our website here.

__________________________________________________________________________________

Minnesota Floating Classrooms: Evaluation 2019

Jane Fields – PhD, Clare Halloran – EdM,  Annie Jenkin – MA,  Joe Schantz – BA

Since 2010, Wilderness Inquiry has worked with the University of Minnesota Center for Applied Research and Educational Improvement (CAREI) to evaluate the success of our programs. In 2019 Wilderness Inquiry collected  feedback from youth participants via post-event surveys following one-day and overnight extended Canoemobile events. CAREI analyzed this feedback and evaluated Canoemobile on its ability to develop youth across these areas; persistence, environmental stewardship, and interest in future science / careers.This evaluation is a continuation of the 2018 examination into the effectiveness of our floating classroom, or Canoemobile, programs. Overall results showed statistically significant increases across all metrics following a Canoemobile event. Specifically, participants reported having an increased awareness of their role in taking care of the environment and a greater interest in, and knowledge about, careers related to science and nature.

Funding for this project and evaluation was provided by the Minnesota Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund as recommended by the Legislative-Citizen Commission on Minnesota Resources (LCCMR).

Download Evaluation PDF

__________________________________________________________________________________

Minnesota Floating Classrooms: Evaluation 2018

Danielle Dupuis, Clare Halloran, & Jane Fields

This evaluation brief examines the impact of “Floating Classrooms” — an initiative in which youth of all backgrounds and abilities participate in fun and engaging water-based activities. The project is reaching more than 20,000 diverse students in Minnesota in three years, engaging them in environmental science education, campsite restoration, and data collection and dissemination. This evaluation is based on a retrospective pre-post survey that examined outcomes in 2018.
Overall, the evaluation shows a statistically significant increase post-event in all measured areas: persistence, environmental stewardship, and future science/career interests. Funding for this project and evaluation was provided by the Minnesota Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund as recommended by the Legislative-Citizen Commission on Minnesota Resources (LCCMR).

Download Evaluation PDF

__________________________________________________________________________________

Canoemobile MN (Formally UWCA): Evaluation 2016

Timothy D. Sheldon, Aly Schultz, Julia Baker, & Jane Fields

Youth from across Minnesota, including Minneapolis, Rochester, and Saint Cloud were administered a post-trip survey near the end of their water-based experience. Highlights include:
  • 92% agreed that contributing to their community was important;
  • 91% agreed that they learned new skills;
  • 88% indicated they were more interested in protecting the environment;
  • 87% had a stronger connection to nature;
  • 81% were more aware of their personal strengths; and
  • 76% learned about outdoor jobs.

Download Evaluation PDF

__________________________________________________________________________________

Urban Wilderness Canoe Adventures: Evaluation Brief 2015

Timothy D. Sheldon, Elyse Farnsworth, & Jason Johnson

This Evaluation Brief looks across the data collected during the past five years to more fully understand the impact Urban Wilderness Canoe Adventures has had on participants.

This Evaluation Brief answers four important research questions:

  1. Do group differences (e.g., gender, culture, or previous outdoor experience) correlate with participants’ connection to others, ability to contribute to others and society, feelings of competence, and environmental awareness?
  2. Do characteristics of trip leaders (e.g., if they are fun and/or friendly) correlate with participants’ connection to others, ability to contribute to others and society, feelings of competence, and environmental awareness?
  3. Does preparation and instruction before the trip correlate with participants’ connection to others, ability to contribute to others and society, feelings of competence, and environmental awareness?
  4. Does interest in science and valuing of nature correlate with participants’ environmental awareness?

Sheldon, T.D., Farnsworth, E., Johnson, J. (2015) Urban Wilderness Canoe Adventures: Evaluation Brief September 2015. Center for Applied Research and Educational Improvement, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN. PDF Download

__________________________________________________________________________________

Urban Wilderness Canoe Adventures Program: Brief Evaluation Report 2014

Timothy D. Sheldon, Julia Baker, Elyse Farnsworth, & Claire Harty

This brief evaluation report summarizes the findings of a preliminary analysis of the data collected from Minneapolis Public Schools middle school students who participated in the Urban Wilderness Canoe Adventures program during summer 2014. It also summarizes the responses of teachers who accompanied youth on those field trips. These are preliminary findings only. A more comprehensive analysis of these data will be presented later in the year.

Sheldon, T.D., Baker, J., Farnsworth, E., Harty, C. (2014) Urban Wilderness Canoe Adventures Program: Brief Evaluation Report 2014. Center for Applied Research and Educational Improvement, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN. PDF Download

__________________________________________________________________________________

Connection, Competence, and Contribution: New Outcome Measures for Assessing Outdoor Program Impact on Urban Youth

Timothy D. Sheldon & Elyse Farnsworth

This paper describes a study that examined the impact of outdoor programming on urban youth. Data were collected from more than 700 fifth through eighth graders and 23 teachers who participated in the Urban Wilderness Canoe Adventures Mississippi River trip during the Minneapolis Public Schools’ summer program. Researchers used student pre-/post-trip surveys and post-trip teacher surveys to assess the impact of the canoe trip on participants’ attitudes and perceptions about the environment, engagement in learning, and connections to others. We argue studying non-cognitive competencies yields more information about the impact of outdoor programming on young people than depending solely on academic outcome measures.

Sheldon, T.D. & Farnsworth, E. (2013) Connection, Competence, and Contribution: New Outcome Measures for Assessing Outdoor Program Impact on Urban Youth. Paper delivered at Mid-Western Educational Research Association (MWERA), Evanston, IL. PDF Download

__________________________________________________________________________________

Urban Wilderness Canoe Adventures Evaluation: 2012 Summary of Findings

Timothy D. Sheldon & Martha Daugherty

Researchers from the University of Minnesota’s Center for Applied Research and Educational Improvement (CAREI) have collaborated with Wilderness Inquiry and its partners since spring 2010 to evaluate the Urban Wilderness Canoe Adventures program. CAREI evaluators collected data from an array of sources in 2012. We reviewed more than 50 peer‐reviewed journal articles, conducted in‐depth interviews with young adults with long term involvement, and analyzed the responses of more than 1,100 students, teachers, and youth leaders to prepare this report.

Sheldon, T.D. & Daugherty, M. (2012) Urban Wilderness Canoe Adventures Evaluation: 2012 Summary of Findings. Center for Applied Research and Educational Improvement, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN. PDF Download

__________________________________________________________________________________

Urban Wilderness Canoe Adventures Evaluation: 2010 Summary of Findings

Timothy D. Sheldon

The University of Minnesota’s Center for Applied Research and Educational Improvement (CAREI) was contracted by staff of Wilderness Inquiry and the Mississippi National River and Recreation Area to conduct an evaluation of the second year of the Urban Wilderness Canoe Adventures (UWCA) program with the Minneapolis Public Schools. The purpose of this report is to present the initial findings from this second year of the UWCA Mississippi River field trip experience. In this report, we discuss the evaluation approach and data sources. In later sections, we provide our findings, conclusions, and considerations. We provide supporting materials and the instruments used in the evaluation in the Report’s Appendix.

Sheldon, T.D. (2010) Urban Wilderness Canoe Adventures Evaluation: 2010 Summary of Findings. Center for Applied Research and Educational Improvement, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN. PDF Download

Primary Sidebar

Footer Widget Header

Share The Adventure®

Candid Platinum Transparency Seal 2022       

Mailing Address: 1611 County Rd B West Suite 315 - St. Paul, MN 55113 - Office Location: 325 Randolph Ave, Suite 300 - St. Paul, MN 55102

Phone: (612) 676-9400 Fax: (612) 676-9401 Email: [email protected]

  • © 2021 All Rights Reserved
  • Terms
  • Site Map
  • Privacy Policy
  • Staff Portal
  • Board Login
  • Contact Us
  • Careers
  • (612) 676-9400
  • [email protected]

Website built and powered by LuminFire