PDW SS Part B

SUPPORTING STATEMENT
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT WORKSHOPS
AND FORMAL EVALUATION OF NOAA ONLINE EDUCATION RESOURCES
OMB CONTROL NO.: 0648-xxxx

B. COLLECTIONS OF INFORMATION EMPLOYING STATISTICAL METHODS
1. Describe (including a numerical estimate) the potential respondent universe and any
sampling or other respondent selection method to be used. Data on the number of entities
(e.g. establishments, State and local governmental units, households, or persons) in the
universe and the corresponding sample are to be provided in tabular form. The tabulation
must also include expected response rates for the collection as a whole. If the collection has
been conducted before, provide the actual response rate achieved.
Table 5. 2007 Professional Development Participants

Location
Audubon Aquarium of the
Americas/Zoo; New Orleans,
LA
Oregon State University;
Corvallis, OR
Shedd Aquarium; Chicago,
IL

Estimated
response
rate

Estimated
number of
students
reached by
teacher
participants

Estimated
response
rate

20

99%

500

80%

June 30, 2007

20

99%

500

80%

August 11, 2007

20

99%

500

80%

60

99%

1500

80%

Date

Estimated
number of
teacher
participants

May 19, 2007

Total

The target population for this study is a census of adult educators (over 18 years of age) who will
attend one of three NOAA professional development workshops for educators. Groups will be
intact, and the evaluator will not control the group composition. All workshop participants will
be aware of the evaluation requirements necessary to receive a stipend. Participation is strictly
voluntary. The workshops are to be administered through established organizations known for
the frequency and quality of educator workshops.
The evaluator will conduct a census of workshop attendants because the participants are
voluntary, self-selected attendants. Given the voluntary nature of workshop attendance, the
evaluator is unable to randomly select participants to attend available workshops, nor obtain and
randomize a list of potential participants providing a sample size large enough to conduct the
study.

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The nature of this descriptive research does not require a random sample. Comparisons are made
between participating individuals but results are not to be generalized beyond those teachers in
this study.
2. Describe the procedures for the collection, including: the statistical methodology
for stratification and sample selection; the estimation procedure; the degree of
accuracy needed for the purpose described in the justification; any unusual
problems requiring specialized sampling procedures; and any use of periodic (less
frequent than annual) data collection cycles to reduce burden.
As explained in Question 1, the evaluator will conduct a census of workshop attendants because
the participants are voluntary, self-selected attendants. Given the voluntary nature of workshop
attendance, the evaluator is unable to randomly select participants to attend available workshops,
nor obtain and randomize a list of potential participants providing a sample size large enough to
conduct the study.
3. Describe the methods used to maximize response rates and to deal with
nonresponse. The accuracy and reliability of the information collected must be
shown to be adequate for the intended uses. For collections based on sampling, a
special justification must be provided if they will not yield "reliable" data that can
be generalized to the universe studied.
Data will be collected via survey to describe workshop participants’ beliefs, attitudes, perception
of skills/abilities and environmental constraints, intentions, and implementation of any part of the
workshop material in their classroom. According to Babbie (1998), survey research is a suitable
method of collecting data to measure “attitudes and orientations” (p.256). Questionnaires are a
practical and inexpensive means of collecting large amounts of data from many subjects
(Krathwohl, 1993).
Data will be collected using five pencil-and-paper self-report questionnaires, administered at
different points in time. Four questionnaires will be administered to participants; one at the start
of the workshop, two at the completion of the workshop, and one several months following the
workshop. Students completing the units developed by their teachers, using the NOAA online
education resources, will complete a pre- and post-lesson questionnaire.
The data collection plan is designed to maximize response rates while reducing stress for
participants:
1. The flyer inviting participants to the workshop clearly describes the data collection
requirements.
2. NOAA has a pre-established good working relationship with the staff at the two
aquariums and the university hosting the workshops.
3. All data collection materials and return postage costs will be supplied for the participant
through NOAA.
4. Questionnaire items are as simple and brief as possible, in an easy to read and respond
format, with clear instructions on how to complete and return them.

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5. Respondents will receive personal reminders via email from the data analyst regarding
evaluation requirements.
6. Teachers are required to complete data collection requirements in order to receive their
full program stipend; thus non-respondents will not receive a stipend.
4. Describe any tests of procedures or methods to be undertaken. Tests are
encouraged as effective means to refine collections, but if ten or more test
respondents are involved OMB must give prior approval under the Paperwork
Reduction Act.
The instruments and sources of measures which will be used to collect data for answering the
research questions were adapted from existing measures. These measures were taken from past,
peer-reviewed, published studies to ensure the validity and reliability of the scales used in this
evaluation.
5. Provide the name and telephone number of individuals consulted on the statistical
aspects of the design, and the name of the agency unit, contractor(s), grantee(s), or
other person(s) who will actually collect and/or analyze the information for the
agency.
Individuals Consulted on Statistical Design
Peg Steffen, M.S., Education Coordinator, NOAA National Ocean Service: 301-713-3060 x143
Bruce Moravchik, M.S., Education Specialist, NOAA National Ocean Service: 301-713-3060
x219
Paula Keener-Chavis, M.S., Director of Education, NOAA Ocean Exploration: 843-762-8818
Individual who Will Conduct Data Collection and Analysis
Elizabeth H. Danter, Ph.D., NOAA Contractor, E. Danter Evaluation, LLC, Vestavia Hills, AL:
205-296-3954

LITERATURE CITED
Babbie, E.R. (1998). The Practice of Social Research. Belmont, CA : Wadsworth Pub. Co.
Danter, E.H. (2005). The intention-behavior gap: To what degree does Fishbein’s Integrated
Model of Behavioral Prediction predict whether teachers implement material learned in
a professional development workshop? Unpublished dissertation, The Ohio State
University, Columbus.
Fortner, R.W., & Corney, J. (2002). Great Lakes Educational Needs Assessment: Teachers’
Priorities for Topics, Materials, and Training. International Association for Great Lakes
Research, The Journal of Great Lakes Research, 28 (1): 3-14.

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Guskey, T.R. (2000). Evaluating Professional Development. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press,
Inc.
Krathwohl, D.R. (1993). Methods of educational and social science research : An integrated
approach. New York ; London : Longman.
Mayer, V.J., & Fortner, R.W. (1987). Relative effectiveness of four modes of curriculum
dissemination. Journal of Environmental Education, 19 (1) 25-30.
U.S. Commission on Ocean Policy (2004). An Ocean Blueprint for the 20th Century.
List of instruments and related documents 1
1. Letter of Evaluation Requirements
2. Pre-Workshop Questionnaire
3. NOS Post-Workshop Questionnaire
4. OE Post-Workshop Questionnaire
5. Overall Post-Workshop Questionnaire
6. Instructions for Administration of Student Questionnaires
7. Student Pre-Lesson Questionnaire
8. Student Post-Lesson Questionnaire
9. Follow-Up Questionnaire

Summary of information sought and representative instrument item number
Every item from each questionnaire is presented in Table 6 (see below) to show how all
information collected will be used for a practical and necessary program purpose.

1

Instruments will be imported into Microsoft Publisher and will be printed in booklet form.

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Table 6. Relationship between individual instrument items and information sought from workshop participants

Evaluation Guiding Question
Teacher Professional Development
(Inputs) What are the characteristics of the teachers and classroom
environments that correlate with measures of participants’ reactions, skills,
intentions, and behavior?
(Inputs) Do participants perceive the overall workshop as useful in accordance
with specific needs of teachers?
(Reactions) Do the teachers have a positive attitude toward using the NOAA
online education resources?
(Reactions) Does the professional development workshop have the effect of
increasing teachers’ awareness or interest in incorporating ocean related
materials and/or activities into their curriculum?
(Skills) Does the professional development workshop enhance teachers’
perceived ability to utilize the NOAA online education resources?
(Intention to Behave) Does the professional development workshop increase
teachers’ intentions to utilize the NOAA online education resources?
(Behavior) Do the teacher attending the professional development workshop
utilize the NOAA online education resources? What is their experience?

(Behavior) What contextual factors impact teacher utilization of the NOAA online
education resources in the classroom?
Student Academic Development
(Reactions) Do the students have a positive attitude toward using the NOAA
online education resources?
(Reactions) Does utilization of the NOAA online education resources increase
students’ characteristics associated with academic achievement (e.g., engaged
in learning)?
(Skills) Does utilization of the NOAA online education resources increase
students’ academic achievement as measured by a pre-post knowledge test?
(Intention to Behave) Does utilization of the NOAA online education resources
increase students’ characteristics associated with environmental stewardship
(e.g., knowledge of ocean science issues, intention to participate in ocean
science related volunteer opportunities or work)?

PRE

Questionnaire Item numbers
POST
F/U
OE/
NOS
Overall

Student
Pre

Student
Post

All (Q1Q11)

Q1, Q2a,
Q2b, Q2f

Q2h, Q2i,
Q2j, Q2l,
Q2m
Q2g, Q2k
Q2c,
Q2d, Q2e

Q5a-e, Q7,
Q8

Q8a-d

Q1, Q2a,
Q2b, Q2e,
Q3a-e,
Q4c, Q4d,
Q2g, Q2h,
Q2j, Q2k
Q2l, Q4b,
Q4e, Q4f,
Q2f, Q2k,
Q2i, Q4a

Q24d, Q24h,

Q2c, Q2d,
Q2m, Q4g,
Q6a-g

Q24a,Q24d, Q24e, Q24f,
Q24g, Q25, Q29f, Q29g

Q24m, Q29a, Q29d,
Q30, Q31, Q32,

Q24i, Q24l, Q29b,

Q1, Q2, Q3, Q4, Q6, Q9,
Q10, Q11a-b, Q12a-e,
Q13a-b, Q14a-f, Q15a-b,
Q16, Q17, Q18, Q19,
Q20, Q21, Q22a-e,
Q23a-g, Q24b, Q24c,
Q29e, Q33, Q34
Q5a-c, Q7, Q24j,

Q24k, Q26a

Q1a-g

Q1a-g

Q26b-c, Q28, Q29c,

Q1k,

Q1k, Q2,
Q5, Q6,
Q7

Q26d-e

Q1h,
Q1i, Q1j

Q1h, Q1i,
Q1j, Q4,

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