GDEV 4075 - Program Evaluation for Community-Based Organizations

(SBA-AG) (CU-CEL)

Spring. 3 credits. Letter grades only.

Prerequisite: GDEV 2130/GDEV 5130 or permission of instructor. Additional info about pre-reqs: This is an applied research methods course. As such, Research Methods is a pre-requisite. Undergraduate students should have taken GDEV 2130 Introduction to Social Science Research Methods or similar. It is recommended that undergraduate students should have previously taken or be co-enrolled in GDEV 2305, Planning for Change. Students with questions about their preparation for the course should reach out to the instructor. Co-meets with GDEV 6075.

A. Sidle.

This course serves as an introduction to the principles and practice of collaborative program evaluation for community-based organizations. This is an applied research methods course in which students will learn how to develop frameworks and tools that help small and mid-sized organizations answer the question: Is our program working? and/or how can our program be improved? This course is part conceptual and part applied, teaching students critical thinking for evaluation and practical skills in M&E planning and evaluation design. During the semester students will work with a local community development organization in a consultancy project to design and present an evaluation plan for use in a real practice setting. ALL students will produce a rigorous non-experimental evaluation design for a local practice-partner organization or ‘client.’

Outcome 1: Describe different epistemological approaches to evaluation practice, and the practical applications of these approaches for organizational problem-solving.

Outcome 2: Distinguish between evaluation types, and identify the practical and methodological difference between experimental versus nonexperimental approaches to evaluation and when each are appropriate.

Outcome 3: Assess the strengths, limitations and rigor, of diverse non-experimental evaluation designs.

Outcome 4: Design a rigorous non-experimental evaluation and associated tools including: surveys, interview guides, sampling strategies, results frameworks, and theories of change.

Outcome 5: Develop professional communication and relationship management skills and tools for managing professional relationships.