Programme Evaluation: Supporting evidence-informed practice

TBC

Student fee: $775

Full fee: $1,550

Delwyn ‘Del’ Goodrick is a psychologist who undertakes programme evaluation and social research with a wide range of government and private sector clients. She is an experienced trainer, having conducted a range of specialist workshops in research and programme evaluation in Australia, Singapore, the US, the UK, Canada, and New Zealand.

Most of Del’s work relates to health and education contexts. She maintains her own private consultancy practice and is currently working from New Zealand.

This course assumes a basic understanding of methods of data collection, including surveys, focus groups, and other group methods, interviews, document analysis, and data retrieval for secondary data.

It is designed for public sector workers and academics interested in commissioning, managing and/or conducting evaluations of public policy or programmes.

It is structured to progress participants through the key stages of an evaluation. Participants are exposed to key theories and approaches to evaluation and then consider the application of these approaches to their own work practice. Participants will be guided through negotiation and planning an evaluation, through to final reporting and dissemination of findings. Examples from published studies and the facilitator’s applied practice in evaluation will be drawn upon to illustrate and reinforce key concepts.

Day one

What is programme evaluation? How does it differ from social research? Main points discussed include:

• The role of valuing in evaluation
• Key evaluation types and approaches
• Key evaluation design considerations
• The roles of internal and external evaluation
• Fostering the use and influence of evaluations
• Using evaluation models to inform practice
• The roles of critical and participatory evaluation in diverse settings.

Day two

Planning and designing an evaluation, and working with stakeholders. Main points discussed include:

• The roles of programme logic and programme theory in evaluation
  • What is programme logic and when is it helpful?
  • How do you facilitate a programme logic mapping session?
  • How do you use programme theory for complex social programmes?
• Getting from initiation to a final evaluation brief
  • Designing an evaluation plan, and its key components
  • Importance of identifying evaluation scope, and audience information needs
  • Budgeting for evaluations
  • Defining key evaluation questions (KEQs)

Day three

Reporting on an evaluation and supporting use and influence. Main points discussed include:

• The 1, 5, 25 Rule
• Considerations in generating valid claims
• Issues of rigour and relevance
• The role of programme evaluation standards and core competencies in evaluation
• Disseminating evaluation findings and influencing their use
• Practical tips to enhance the value of evaluation
• Building a culture of evaluative thinking in public sector agencies
  • The role of monitoring and evaluation frameworks

Patton MQ (2008). Utilization-focused evaluation (4th ed). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

Torres RT, Preskil H, Piontek ME (2005). Evaluation strategies for communicating and reporting: Enhancing learning in organizations (2nd ed). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.