Planning for Meaningful Evaluation
Course Description
Program accountability often means providing evidence of positive impacts. This evidence can be obtained through an evaluation process. Using their own logic models, participants will create a comprehensive evaluation plan. The course is not intended to train participants to be professional evaluators, but to provide them with the knowledge needed to properly prepare for an effective evaluation process. Programs and projects will benefit from this approach.
This course is appropriate for anyone planning an internally or externally conducted evaluation.
You will learn how to
- Determine the evaluation question
- Create a context description
- Identify logic model components appropriate to the evaluation question
- Assess plausibility using strategies from social science models
- Identify external influences that can help or hinder the evaluation
- Create effective performance measures that support the evaluation question
- Select appropriate data collection instruments
- Analyze the strengths and weaknesses of an evaluation plan
Participant Requirements
- Logic model development training or experience
- Participants are asked to bring a logic model of the program or project they intend to evaluate and related performance measures, if such measures exist.