AEE 577: Evaluation in Agricultural and Extension Education

NC STATE UNIVERSITY

'When program managers or evaluation sponsors ask such things as "Are we targeting the right client population?" or "Do our services benefit the recipients?" they are not only asking for a description of the program's performance with regard to serving appropriate clients and providing services that yield benefits. They are also asking if that performance is good enough according to some standard or judgment. There is likely little doubt that at least a few of the "right client population" receive services or that some recipients receive some benefit from services. But is it enough? Some criterion level must be set up by which the numbers and amounts can be evaluated on those performance dimensions.'

Peter H. Rossi, Mark W. Lipsey, and Howard E. Freeman (2004, p.74)

Class VI: Performance Monitoring
 

This week, you will learn performance evaluation and monitoring. This class is devoted to answer the following questions:

1. What is the need for setting-up an appropriate criteria for performance evaluation?

2. How to set up a performance criteria for a program?

3. What is the performance level of the program according to set criteria?

2. How to make programmatic adjustments to improve the performance?

Instructional Objectives:

Upon completion of this lesson, students should be able to:

1.   Describe the need for performance evaluation

2.  Set-up performance criteria for a program.

3.  Discuss type of performance measures.

4.  Discuss data sources used in performance monitoring.

5.   Describe characteristics of quality measures in performance monitoring.

6.  Monitor a program

Note:  Many of the Internet reading assignments require you  to have the Acrobat Reader on your computer. If you don't have this program, it can be downloaded for free from Adobe. (Be sure to select the free version.) Click here to visit the Adobe site.

Required Instructional Activities

1. View the Power Point presentation. It helps you to understand class materials.

2. Read "Performance Monitoring" (pages 98-125) in the course text, Handbook of Practical Program Evaluation by Wholey, Hatry, and Newcomer (2004).

3. Read the article "Program Performance Evaluation Process".

Suggested Instructional Activities

1. Read Implementing Performance-Based Measures in Community Corrections by Boone and Fulton and think about how the  model presented in the context of community corrections could be utilized in many other organizations, including Extension.

Required Assignments

All items, unless otherwise noted, are due by 12:00 noon on Monday following the week of the class.

1. Post your questions or comments on the Web CT Vista discussion board and reply to at least two postings submitted by your classmates.

2. Reading Assignment #5 from class V is due by February 16: Open this reading assignment, complete and e-mail as an attachment to the instructor (jay_jayaratne@ncsu.edu). Remember to type your name and save your completed assignment before you e-mail it.
3. The evaluation plan of the term project is due no later than February 18. Please refer the evaluation plan guidelines in the course information. If you need to review an example of the completed term project report from previous class students, pleaase see this sample project report.

References