| Class |
Topics |
Readings |
Assignments |
|
5/19 |
Introduction
 |
What is Evaluation |
|
Terms and Concepts |
|
History of the Discipline |
|
Political, social, ethical, and practical
considerations |
|
R: Ch. 1
|
|
|
5/26 |
Tailoring Evaluations
|
Who does evaluations |
|
Who is the audience |
|
Working with clients |
|
What is tailored? |
|
Formative vs. summative |
|
Scientific vs. practical considerations |
|
Managing evaluation projects |
|
R: Ch. 2 & 3
W: Ch. 20, 23
|
Assign Groups for evaluation critiques
|
|
6/2 |
Program Theory
|
Logic/causal models |
|
Formulating research questions |
|
Basic research design considerations |
|
Evaluability assessments |
|
R: Ch. 3, 5
W: Ch. 1 - 3
RES #1 & #2
|
|
|
6/9 |
Needs Assessment
|
Defining problems to be addressed |
|
Specifying the extent of a problem |
|
Identifying the target population and its service
needs |
|
Data collection procedures |
|
Working with human subjects and animals |
|
R: Ch. 4
W: Ch. 8 - 14
RES #
|
Program Memos - Program Evaluation Projects |
|
6/16 |
Assessing & Monitoring Program Processes and Efficiency
|
Process evaluations |
|
Performance Management Systems |
|
Cost-Benefit Analysis |
|
Cost-effectiveness Analysis |
|
R: Ch. 6, 11
W: Ch. 4, 18, 22
RES #3, 4
|
News Article Critique
|
|
6/23 |
Measuring Outcomes & Detecting Effects
|
Identifying relevant outcomes |
|
Measuring and monitoring program outcomes |
|
Magnitude of program effects |
|
Techniques for detecting effects |
|
Assessing the practical significance of program
effects |
|
Meta-Analysis |
|
R: Ch. 7, 10
W: Ch. 7, 15 - 17
RES #
|
|
|
6/30 |
Measuring Impacts - Randomized Designs
|
When are impact assessments appropriate? |
|
Key concepts |
|
Research designs for randomized field experiments |
|
Limitations |
|
R: Ch. 8
W: Ch. 6,
RES #
|
3 Groups Present
Evaluation Critique
Measurement Memos - Program Evaluation Projects
|
|
7/7 |
Measuring Impacts - Alternative Designs
|
Bias in estimating program effects |
|
Quasi-experimental designs |
|
Cautions and limits on using quasi-experimental
designs |
|
R: Ch. 9
W: Ch. 5,
RES #
|
5 Groups Present
Evaluation Critique
Evaluation Critique
memos are due |
|
7/14 |
Evaluation in Practice
|
Managing evaluation projects |
|
Writing effective reports |
|
Pitfalls of evaluation |
|
Evaluation standards, guidelines, and ethics |
|
Utilizing evaluation results |
|
Political, social, ethical, and practical
considerations revisited |
|
Issues and trends in evaluation |
|
R: Ch. 12
W: Ch. 19 - 21, 24
RES #
|
5 Groups Present
Evaluation Critique
Case Study due
Submit RCR training
certificate |
|
7/21 |
Present Program Evaluation Projects
|
|
|
|
7/24 |
Final Program Evaluation Project
&
Take Home Final Exam are Due |
|
Final Reports Due
Take Home
Final Exam is Due |
| |
|
|
|
| RES =
Reserve reading available electronically or through the library website;
R = Rossi, et al., Evaluation a Systematic Approach, Seventh
Edition; W = Wholey, et al., Handbook of Practical Program Evaluation,
Second edition. |
| |
|
|
|
|
*Check Course
Schedule Frequently as it is Subject to Change |
