Introduction to Evaluation
Date:
16/10/2015
Organised by:
Social Research Association
Presenter:
Dr David Devins
Level:
Entry (no or almost no prior knowledge)
Contact:
Lindsay Adams, 0207 998 0304; lindsay.adams@the-sra.org.uk
Description:
Over the years the discipline of evaluation has evolved and developed and is applied to many policies and practices. It forms the core of many strategic planning processes and informs decision making surrounding the development and operation of both projects and programmes of activity. As a result, a range of people in the public, private and voluntary sectors are increasingly required to develop generic skills and competencies in relation to undertaking evaluation and using its findings.
Objectives
By the end of the workshop, participants will:
- Understand the importance of evaluation
- Be aware of the key ideas and perspectives relating to evaluation
- Understand the importance of evaluation frameworks
- Be able to understand how to design systems to evaluate the impact of their own initiatives, and those of others
- Be aware of the applicability of various methods in different contexts.
Topics
Given the reductions in public sector spending, in these ‘tough’ times, the need to assess what is ‘of value’ is increasingly important.
The course will cover:
- What is evaluation and why do we do it? Why is it useful in times of austerity?
- An introduction to a range of types of evaluation
- The use of frameworks to design and plan evaluation
- Sources of information and approaches to analysis
- Effective communication.
Who will benefit?
This one day course is aimed at new researchers, or researchers new to evaluation and others with responsibility for interpreting evaluation findings.
Learning outcomes
By the end of the course, participants will achieve a good understanding of the importance of evaluation and be able to make informed decisions about which types of evaluation models are best applied to different types of projects and activities. They will gain practical experience of tasks relevant to designing and managing the evaluation process and communicating evaluation findings to various audiences, as well as an understanding of some of the key challenges evaluators will face in ‘doing more for less’.
Course tutor
David Devins has worked in a range of private sector and public sector organisations conducting research and evaluation to inform individual, organisational and partnership development. He is both an applied and academic evaluator, currently involved in evaluations covering a range of themes exploring the impact of public art, publicly funded training interventions and human resource development. He has written several journal articles and presented papers at many national and international conferences.
Cost:
£260 but SRA members pay £195
Website and registration:
Region:
Greater London
Keywords:
Research Skills, Communication and Dissemination, Evaluation
Related publications and presentations:
Research Skills, Communication and Dissemination