CDEV085 - Program Planning and Evaluation

Course Description

This course will build increased capacity in a manager to monitor and evaluate human service programs using processes of stakeholder engagement, inquiry, reflection and action to operate and optimize the performance of their programs. The course will go beyond the use of traditional monitoring and evaluation approaches to include principles of developmental evaluation espoused by Michael Quinn Patton (2011). Developmental evaluation brings inquiry and systems thinking to support innovation and adaptation of program processes so as to more successfully move initiatives towards intended objectives and goals. This course provides principles, content, and practice cases illustrating the use of a framework of action evaluation that builds on the principles of developmental evaluation as espoused by Patton, McKegg & Wehipeihana (2016). The action evaluation framework begins with preparatory stages of stakeholder engagement & inquiry, reflection on action, and identifying direction so as to engage forward. Subsequently, the SDG initiative is ready to move through the transition stage to formal stakeholder engagement in developing or reaffirming the program strategy, goals and objectives, making use of logic modeling processes. In the traditional monitoring and evaluation stage, evaluators coordinate with program staff to determine specific evaluation questions, design indicators and tools for data collection of outputs and outcomes. Evaluation implementation includes feedback and learning cycles of program adaptation and change.

Course Outline

Part A: Leadership and Principles organizational commitment and support principles/processes of learning, adaptation and change utility focused and developmental evaluation – Michael Quinn Patton (2011)

Part B: Preparation and Transition understanding the evaluation context and engaging stakeholders in inquiry and dialogue determining evaluation purpose and gathering resources logic modeling the program

Part C: Design of the Evaluation evaluation questions, indicators and data methods