Learning in the HJ Andrews Forest: Experiences and Outcomes at a Science Education Event

Understanding best practices in various interpretive settings and contexts may help event planners to implement successful educational programs in which participants are satisfied with their experience and learning outcomes. With this in mind, we sought to examine participants’ perceptions and outcomes of a science education event in Oregon’s HJ Andrews Experimental Forest, HJA Day. Data from 76 participants were quantitatively analyzed to understand how participants’ satisfaction with the field trip elements related to their perceived outcomes. Most participants were very satisfied with the field trip elements. Participants perceived overall satisfaction to be their greatest outcome, followed by overall appreciation, knowledge gain, and then change in thinking. All main outcomes positively and significantly correlated except for overall satisfaction and change in thinking. These findings may inform program planners of the experiences
and outcomes that result from a field-based learning setting, thus allowing insight and preparation for similar programs in the future.