Wildlife Rehabilitation Learning Needs Assessment Survey

Wildlife Rehabilitation

Learning Needs Assessment

Wildlife Rehabilitation Learning Needs Project

All wildlife rehabilitators and rehabilitation volunteers are invited to participate in a new project gathering information about present and future wildlife rehabilitation learning opportunities!

The Wildlife Rehabilitation Learning Needs Project (LNP)

The LNP explores the various aspects of how rehabilitators learn about wildlife rehabilitation, learning needs, the extent to which those needs are met, concerns, and potential obstacles. The information will be collected from rehabilitators and then compiled in aggregate form to identify trends.

Data will be gathered in three different ways as discussed below. Compilation and analysis of the collected data will be made widely and easily available in rehabilitation publications, including rehabilitation newsletters and websites.

The resulting information can then be used many different ways. Several state rehabilitation associations are already eager to use the information for rehabilitation conference planning or training materials. Rehabilitation centers or networks may use it to develop or plan training or establish criteria for trainers. Rehabilitators may use the results to identify more learning opportunities, and help with mentoring and/or training new rehabilitators.

Input on Future Learning Opportunities

Learning and training opportunities are expected to expand as the field of wildlife rehabilitation advances and grows. In order to effectively plan those future opportunities, it helps to understand how rehabilitators have developed their own rehabilitation knowledge and their assessment of the effectiveness of that learning. It is also important to know what learning opportunities rehabilitators want in the future: topics, delivery systems (e.g., publications, conferences, workshops), and so forth.

To date, information about how rehabilitators acquire essential rehabilitation knowledge (and the effectiveness of such learning) seems based on personal learning experiences and discussion among rehabilitators. This project is designed to expand that information base and give more rehabilitators input on future learning options.

Wildlife Rehabilitation Learning Needs Survey

The Learning Needs Survey is the first part of the data gathering. It asks how rehabilitators have learned about rehabilitation topics, what they want in the future, and some basic demographics. The Survey takes only about 20 minutes to complete. As mentioned earlier, responses will be compiled in aggregate form to identify trends. No individual respondents will be identified, so your name is not needed.

Any rehabilitator or rehabilitation volunteer may participate in the Survey.

The Survey is a pdf document available for download using Acrobat Reader. Once downloaded to your personal computer, answers to the questions can be filled-in directly on the pdf. Then the pdf can be saved and either emailed back to wlrehabproject@aol.com to be placed in the data base for tabulation, or printed and faxed or mailed to the following phone number or address. If you do not like to type, the pdf survey form may be printed and the responses written on the form. Those written responses may be faxed to 303-670-8938 or mailed to Wildlife Rehabilitation Project, P.O. Box 685, Evergreen, CO 80437-0685.

To go to the Survey, click here.

Survey responses are due back by December 15, 2005.

Individual Interviews

The second part in collecting the information will be individual interviews with a limited number of rehabilitators from September to December, 2005. These interviews will discuss some of the broad questions and topics about learning issues, methods, techniques and resources in more depth. These will include challenges in learning basic and advanced rehabilitation skills, and ways to address them. A limited number of rehabilitators will be selected to be interviewed.

Even if you have filled out and submitted the survey, if you are interested in being interviewed, please send an email to wlrehabproject@aol.com with the word Interview in the subject line. The body of the email should indicated your state or province, country, number of years rehabilitating wildlife, and interest in the topic.

If selected for the interview, he/she will receive an email back asking for a choice of the date and time for the interview. With the email confirming the interview date and time, the person will be given a list of some of the questions and interviewer name. The interviewer will call at the scheduled time.

Like the survey, the interview results will be used in composite form. While quotes from the respondents may be used in the final reports, respondent‘s names or any other individual’s names will not be disclosed.

Group Interviews

The third part in collecting the information will be group interviews to further discuss wildlife rehabilitation learning during a conference call. These small group interviews will discuss some of the key topics in more depth, such as factors influencing the extent that the wildlife rehabilitation community’s learning needs being fully met, challenges and ways to address challenges.

A small number of rehabilitators will be contacted to participate in the group interviews.

If a rehabilitator is interested in participating in the group interviews, the person should send an email to wlrehabproject@aol.com with the word Group in the subject line. The body of the email should indicated the person’s state or province, country, number of years rehabilitating wildlife, and interest in this topic.

If selected for the group interview, he/she will receive an email back asking for a choice of the date and time for the group interview. Confirmation of the call schedule and a phone number and personal identification number will be emailed. A list of some of the questions for the group interview also will be provided.

Those participating in the group interview conference call are responsible for their own long distance charges.

The project team members are respected and highly experienced wildlife rehabilitators that have been involved with wildlife rehabilitation learning and training. They include rehabilitators with many years experience rehabilitating wild birds, mammals, and/or herptiles. They have trained and supervised new rehabilitators and volunteers. They have planned, coordinated, and conducted training and several have presented at state and national rehabilitation conferences. Some have home-based rehabilitation facilities, while others work with rehab networks or centers. Most are volunteers.

The project team members personally seek continuous learning and excellence in their rehabilitation practices, and encourage the same with other rehabilitators. The project team members are Nancy Carey (VT), Sue DeBruin (WI), Nancy Kelly (CO), Teri Muzik (CA), and Gail Kratz (CO).

Shirley Casey and Allan Casey of WildAgain Wildlife Rehabilitation in Colorado are the Learning Needs Project Coordinators. They have been rehabilitating wildlife for almost 20 years. In addition to providing one-on-one training and coaching to new rehabilitators, the Caseys have personally presented 100+ rehab seminars and/or training sessions at conferences in the United States and Canada in the last decade.

The Caseys have conducted national research on a variety of wildlife rehab topics, including state wildlife rehab regulations, rehabilitator stress, and animal care topics. Shirley was the project leader for the Wildlife Rehabilitation Recruiting Project which produced a brochure and booklet used by rehabilitators and wildlife agencies throughout the United States and Canada. The Caseys’ consulting company has worked with businesses and not-for-profits on training, staffing, planning and management since 1985.

In addition to the small project team identified above, a larger number of rehabilitators provide regular input and advice on the project. These experienced rehabilitators also work with a wide variety of species in different regions around North America.