Section outline

  • Lecture: Introduction to Evaluation/Purpose of Evaluation/Describing the Program, Logic Models, part 1

    1. Define program evaluation and understand how evaluation can support program planning, implementation and accountability. 2. Explore the key terms and concepts associated with program evaluation. 3. Describe program theory and program logic 4. Identify elements of program theory/logic in selected case studies.

    Faculty:  Janet Myers

    Location:  Mission Hall 1108

    • Prospectus:

    • Session Slides:

    • Session 1 slides File
    • Session 1 Overview 2015 File

    • Required Reading:

      Weiss, Carol. Evaluation. Chapter 1-3

    • AEA Guiding Principles URL
    • Kiosk Case Study Folder
      Not available unless: Your ID number contains 02
    • MARC Case study Folder
      Not available unless: Your ID number contains 02

    • Optional Reading:

    • Hatry HP. (2013). Sorting the Relationships among Performance Measurement, Program Evaluation and Performance management. New Directions for Evaluation, 137:19-32 File
      Not available unless: Your ID number contains 02
    • Rossi, Chapter 1. File
      Not available unless: Your ID number contains 02
    • Liket KC, Rey-Garcia M, Maas KEH. (2014). Why aren’t evaluations working and what to do about it: A framework for negotiating meaningful evaluation in nonprofits. American Journal of Evaluation, 35(2):171-188. File
      Not available unless: Your ID number contains 02

    • Assignment:

      Decide whether you will be doing an evaluation plan from your own experience or doing the “problem sets” I will assign in class.

      Plan people:  If you are doing an evaluation plan, submit a title and a brief description of the program you will be considering for the evaluation plan. Identify the goal/s, objective/s and activities associated with the program.  If you want to use a logic model to do this, that’s fine. 

      Problem Set People:  Choose one of the “cases” (MARC, IMPAACT or Kiosks) above and in about two pages, identify the program logic or theory, goals, assumptions, target population, inputs and resources, activities and outputs of the program or project.  Also describe whether you think the evaluation design was the most rigorous and if not, which design you would recommend, referencing Weiss Chapter 8) and why.

    • Assignment Due Date:  Thursday, October 1, 2015 at the beginning of class.