GDEV 6075 - Program Evaluation for Community-Based Organizations

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. Graduate students should have previously taken (at the undergraduate or graduate level) a research methods course (qual or quant), that covers major topics in design, methods, and sampling. Students with questions about their preparation for the course should reach out to the instructor. Co-meets with GDEV 4075.

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.

Outcome 6: Demonstrate advanced translational communication skills.

Outcome 7: Apply evaluative thinking skills to solve complex organizational problems.