Wild Rose Transformative Praxis Lab: Environmental Equity Evaluation
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The WRE Transformative Praxis Lab delivers specialized environmental education (EE) evaluation services, founded on the principles of Culturally Responsive and Equitable Evaluation (CREE). WRE is a woman-owned Colorado Public Benefit Corporation specializing in environmental education program design, climate change empowerment, and experiential education trainings.
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Our work is defined by the concepts of Praxis and Lab:
Praxis is our commitment to fusing program design (theory) with equitable data methods (application) to achieve transformative outcomes.
The Lab signifies a rigorous, systematic approach to measurement and continuous learning, balancing technical mechanics with crucial socio-political, ethical, and community considerations to redefine quality evaluation.
Anchoring Evaluation in WRE’s Transformative Theory of Change
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Our approach is built on three phases designed to move individuals toward empowered action:
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Shift Perception: Teaching people 'how to see' and 'to become better observers,' honing fundamental skills through experiential learning.
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Deepen Capacity: Focusing on skill building and empowerment through trainings, particularly in areas like climate change empowerment and issues related to rivers and public lands.
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Mobilize Action: The final goal of teaching people 'how to take action in the world,' fostering measurable, collective engagement and civic leadership.
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We start every engagement by articulating the Program Model and Theory of Change, specifically utilizing a "systems lens" to systematically query assumptions and ensure strategies target root causes rather than just symptoms, advancing environmental and community equity.
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WRE ensures measurement aligns with established EE outcomes, such as Environmental Knowledge, Environmental Behaviors, and Efficacy (both self-efficacy and collective efficacy).
We explicitly balance technical mechanics with the crucial socio-political, ethical, and community considerations. This ensures evaluation services are technically robust while fundamentally centering equity, shared power, and measurable, meaningful community change.
The Praxis of Equitable Evaluation: Methodological Pillars
Deep Curiosity
The Lab utilizes methods responsive to local cultures, histories, and traditions. We actively move beyond traditional closed-ended surveys to employ culturally appropriate methods including interviews, focus groups, drawings, or photovoice. We integrate Indigenous knowledge into our approach and commit to language justice, ensuring materials are delivered in appropriate languages and literacy levels
Authentic Engagement
We achieve inclusion and capacity building by co-creating the evaluation plan with partners. We require continuous self-reflection and cultural humility to address biases and power dynamics. Crucially, we ensure ethical compensation for individuals who co-create and participate in the evaluation, recognizing this investment builds trust.
Ongoing Journey
Reflection for Continuous Improvement
This commitment supports continuous program improvement by emphasizing unlearning and critical reflection on biases and assumptions. We use tools like subgroup analysis to explore how results vary across dimensions of difference
Equity in Motion
The Lab's ultimate purpose is to mobilize action and systems change by ensuring knowledge is accessible to and usable by the community to support influence, advocacy, and a shift of power.
Driving Transformation: Data-to-Action Mechanisms
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Demystifying Data & Knowledge Transfer:
We directly address the use of technical jargon by implementing strategies that simplify and democratize knowledge transfer, ensuring evaluation findings are transparent, usable, and accessible. We utilize Visual and Multi-Format Reporting, including formats like infographics and focused briefs, tailored for multiple audiences (e.g., funders vs. community partners) to support influence and advocacy.
Evaluation Capacity Building (ECB) and Shared Learning:
We leverage our expertise in professional development and training (ECB) to support program staff and community members in sustained data collection, analysis, and interpretation. We promote Shared Learning, an eeVAL value, by collaborating with external organizations to share findings and tools, thereby strengthening the environmental education field broadly.
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Next Steps:
The TPL ensures evaluation services are technically robust while fundamentally centering equity, shared power, and measurable, meaningful community change.
Ready to measure the transformative impact of your program?
Contact us to begin Phase 1: Articulating the Program Model and Theory of Change. This foundational step ensures your evaluation is built upon a plausible, achievable, and testable hypothesis."​