The Audience

Message content

Adapt language and appearance of notification materials to reflect the diversity of those being notified and the literacy level of the group.

Explain the exact nature of the water quality problem.

Make a recommendation for action and provide explicit instructions for how to take action without too much investment of time or money.

Indicate personal risk when risks exist.

Address each goal – change in attitudes, knowledge, behavior intentions, or behavior – because there is no evidence that changes in one area, such as attitudes, will have an impact on changes in another, such as behavior change.

Phosphorus public information campaigns need:

• Clear simple messages
• Sufficient media exposure to outline the seriousness of the collective problem
• Some sort of feedback to the target audience about impact of behavior changes
• To create an atmosphere of social pressure and the feeling that people can do more

Message delivery vehicle

Train the person who serves as the agency interface with the public to assure that citizens are fully informed about options.

Promote resources through sources the audience considers credible.

Outreach strategy

Use multiple channels of communication.

Provide the following when focusing on environmentally responsible behavior:

• An opportunity to demonstrate a commitment.
• A demonstration or model of desired action.
• An opportunity to set goals or respond to goals, including use of prompts.
• Feedback on progress toward preferred environmental change.

If providing explanatory materials by mail to residents from communities engaged in watershed planning, find ways to encourage individuals to engage. Keep in mind that only residents who take the time to review materials are likely to demonstrate knowledge mastery and an inclination to apply results.

Feel confident about choosing to communicate through major public media and education campaigns because, if each goal is specifically addressed, they can have a demonstrable effect on attitudes, knowledge, behavior intentions, and behavior change.

Public participation

Supporting and motivating professionals

Evaluation

Use a “water demand” mathematical model to provide feedback to citizens and to demonstrate the effect of community water conservation outreach programs.

Maintain records describing which specific outreach programs were initiated to address which specific community environmental concerns and/or audiences in order to have sufficient data to interpret evaluation results.

The Individual

Is learner centered, and consequently encourages the learner to set meaningful learning goals and to take personal responsibility for their own learning.

Enables the learner to link new knowledge to their existing knowledge in meaningful ways.

Promotes active engagement and real world problem solving.

Provides a nurturing context for learning, with attention to: cultural or group background and influences, the physical environment, and the use of tools or practices appropriate to learner skills and abilities.

Provides opportunities for extended effort and practice.

The Class or Group

Is facilitated by quality instructors who have been trained in effective teaching methods and are supported by the program sponsor.

Incorporates methods for assessing the value of the experience, especially as it relates to desired outcomes.

Is designed to focus on a targeted audience and is built on an understanding of audience skills and interests.

Web-Based Learning

The Community

Generates and makes use of data about the local condition.

Reaches people in multiple ways.

Provides participants with feedback about the results of their actions.

Beyond the Community