Professor John H. Falk Professor Lynn D. Dierking Oregon State University USA

If you don't know where you're going, any road will get you there. Lewis Carroll (also Flying Karamazov Brothers)

If you don't know where you're going, any road will get you there.

Lewis Carroll (also Flying Karamazov Brothers)

Why evaluate? What is evaluation? How do you integrate evaluation into the various aspects of project development? What is important to know at the different stages of a project?

Why evaluate?

What is evaluation?

How do you integrate evaluation into the various aspects of project development?

What is important to know at the different stages of a project?

Evaluation should and can contribute to decision-making at every key point of project development and implementation. Evaluation is key to effective project development and implementation.

Evaluation should and can contribute to decision-making at every key point of project development and implementation.

Evaluation is key to effective project development and implementation.

Evaluation is a process -- a series of feedback loops within the development process which incorporates the learner’s perspective into the project Evaluation facilitates responsive, informed decision-making Evaluation enables “reflective practice” and institutional learning Evaluation is applied research - the ultimate goal of evaluation is the “use” of information

Evaluation is a process -- a series of feedback loops within the development process which incorporates the learner’s perspective into the project

Evaluation facilitates responsive, informed decision-making

Evaluation enables “reflective practice” and institutional learning

Evaluation is applied research - the ultimate goal of evaluation is the “use” of information

Evaluation is not about statistics, grading someone or something--it is the flip side of good planning! There is no “right” method to use for an evaluation. The methods you decide upon are entirely dependent upon the purpose of your evaluation, the intended use of your findings, the resources you have available, etc. Designing an evaluation is as much art as it is science – Be creative! Capitalize on your own strengths and the strengths of your institution.

Evaluation is not about statistics, grading someone or something--it is the flip side of good planning!

There is no “right” method to use for an evaluation.

The methods you decide upon are entirely dependent upon the purpose of your evaluation, the intended use of your findings, the resources you have available, etc.

Designing an evaluation is as much art as it is science – Be creative!

Capitalize on your own strengths and the strengths of your institution.

Front-end Provides input in advance of the planning for a project. Formative Provides information in the course of development to improve the project. Summative Assesses the impact of a “settled” project.

Front-end

Provides input in advance of the planning for a project.

Formative

Provides information in the course of development to improve the project.

Summative

Assesses the impact of a “settled” project.

Is there a need for this effort? What is recognized as best practice in this area? What does the relevant research or conventional wisdom tell us about this need? What do we know about the needs of the audience that this project will address?

Is there a need for this effort?

What is recognized as best practice in this area?

What does the relevant research or conventional wisdom tell us about this need?

What do we know about the needs of the audience that this project will address?

Research review Synthesizing what is known about the problem or need through research Review of best practice and the creation of benchmarks Selecting and studying exemplary practice (theories of action) which has relevance to the problem or need Needs assessment Assessing the degree to which the projected effort can respond to a perceived need

Research review

Synthesizing what is known about the problem or need through research

Review of best practice and the creation of benchmarks

Selecting and studying exemplary practice (theories of action) which has relevance to the problem or need

Needs assessment

Assessing the degree to which the projected effort can respond to a perceived need

How is the project going? Is the approach working? Is it consistent with the project plan? How could it be changed to make the project more effective?

How is the project going?

Is the approach working?

Is it consistent with the project plan?

How could it be changed to make the project more effective?

Observations How is the project going? Are participants’ needs being met? Feedback forms Focused or in-depth interviews with participants/stakeholders Assessing the project’s capability of meeting participants/stakeholders’ needs

Observations

How is the project going?

Are participants’ needs being met?

Feedback forms

Focused or in-depth interviews with participants/stakeholders

Assessing the project’s capability of meeting participants/stakeholders’ needs

Have the stated goals of the project been achieved? Have the needs of those served by the project been met? What are the long-term impacts on participants? What are the unintended outcomes of the project? Was the project cost effective?

Have the stated goals of the project been achieved?

Have the needs of those served by the project been met?

What are the long-term impacts on participants?

What are the unintended outcomes of the project?

Was the project cost effective?

Focused or in-depth interviews with participants/stakeholders Changes pre-test to post-test on agreed-upon measures Observations Imbedded performance tasks

Focused or in-depth interviews with participants/stakeholders

Changes pre-test to post-test on agreed-upon measures

Observations

Imbedded performance tasks

Evaluation is key to effective project development and implementation Always have a plan for evaluation Evaluation CAN be done with a small staff Use board or community advisory committees Recruit interns from local universities Work with consultants who advise and train

Evaluation is key to effective project development and implementation

Always have a plan for evaluation

Evaluation CAN be done with a small staff

Use board or community advisory committees

Recruit interns from local universities

Work with consultants who advise and train

Links John H. Falk, Ph.D. more Lynn D. Dierking, Ph.D. more Oregon Sea Grant - Free-Choice Learning faculty Oregon U. Science and mathematics education Ph.D. Program The Institute for Learning Innovation

John H. Falk, Ph.D. more

Lynn D. Dierking, Ph.D. more

Oregon Sea Grant - Free-Choice Learning faculty

Oregon U. Science and mathematics education Ph.D. Program

The Institute for Learning Innovation