Thesis
Long term follow-up evaluation of MESA stewards: the assessment of legacy effects of program participation
Washington State University
Master of Science (MS), Washington State University
2011
Handle:
https://hdl.handle.net/2376/101173
Abstract
Sustainability as a concept is quickly becoming integrated into daily life. Non-profit organizations play a crucial role in translating concepts of sustainability into development practices through education. Therefore, it is crucial to understand how sustainability is translated and disseminated in this mode. In order to further discover how sustainability is promoted via non-profit organizations, this study evaluated the Multinational Exchange for Sustainable Agriculture (MESA) program through a utilization-focused evaluation featuring an online survey. The purpose of this study was to understand how MESA has fostered a two-way cultural dialogue through education between participants, who are called stewards, and host farmers dedicated to promoting sustainable agriculture. This study sought to answer the following questions: 1) How does education in sustainability, specifically sustainable agriculture, in one country translate to another? 2) What experiences are most beneficial in obtaining a positive result " that is, what contributes most to the advancement of sustainable development in the home country?; 3) How do grassroots organizations/non-profits (MESA) design their programs around the participants and nature of the experience?; and, 4) How is MESA contributing to a steward's knowledge and education about sustainable agriculture? A group of 75 MESA alumni who graduated from the program two to three years past were selected as a sample to participate in an online survey. Completed surveys were collected from 30 MESA alumni, with 6 done in English and 24 done in Spanish. Over half (56.7%) of the respondents agreed that learning was occurring in a two-way dialogue between steward and host farmer. Respondents also described multiple benefits from participating in MESA, such as increased knowledge of sustainable agriculture, advancement in a career, and ability to educate others. These results are consistent with MESA's goal of promoting sustainable agriculture and indicate significant longevity of the program's impact on participants.
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Details
- Title
- Long term follow-up evaluation of MESA stewards
- Creators
- Belinda Sue Hays
- Contributors
- Nicholas P. Lovrich (Degree Supervisor)
- Awarding Institution
- Washington State University
- Academic Unit
- Environment, School of the (CAHNRS)
- Theses and Dissertations
- Master of Science (MS), Washington State University
- Publisher
- Washington State University; Pullman, Wash. :
- Identifiers
- 99900525293801842
- Language
- English
- Resource Type
- Thesis