AEE 577: Evaluation in Agricultural and Extension Education

NC STATE UNIVERSITY

"...There can be no standard report format, and the best format is the one that fulfills the purpose of the evaluation and meets the needs of specific intended users. In many cases, multiple reporting strategies can be pursued to reach different intended users and dissemination audiences."

Michael Quinn Patton

(Utilization Focused Evaluation, pp.330-331, 1997, Sage Publications, Inc.)

Class XIV:  Writing Evaluation Reports and Managing Evaluation Projects

This class will focus on writing evaluation reports and managing evaluation projects. After data analysis is completed you need to communicate results with your key stakeholders. Writing evaluation reports is one way of communicating results. One report may not serve the needs of all key stakeholders. Therefore, reports must be written specifically targeting the information needs and communication characteristics of each stakeholder groups. For example, if you are writing an evaluation report for county commissioners or a state representative, it should be clear and concise to the point and free of technical terms. Generally, they are very interested to know the impacts of your program in their constituencies. We will discuss how to use the results of your impact evaluations and formative evaluations to highlight accomplishments for supporting you and your program.

Managing an evaluation project is somewhat similar to managing an extension program.

Important: NC State University uses an online system to evaluate courses in this semester. The student's evaluation is an important feedback for the university to improve teaching and learning environment. Therefore, please take time to complete the course evaluation. The following instruction is helpful for you to complete this course evaluation.

1. Login to https://classeval.ncsu.edu/ with your unity ID.
2. Complete and submit each of the questionnaires listed.
3. If you need help, you can send a message to:  classeval@ncsu.edu
4. The ClassEval website will be open from April 13 until April 27.

Instructional Objectives:

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

1. Identify what evaluation information is of importance to which reporting audience.
2. Write evaluation reports.
3. Discuss common myths about reporting evaluation results.
4. Discuss methods for communicating evaluation results.
5. Describe how evaluation can be used to demonstrate value to potential clients.
6. Discuss problems associated with writing reports.
7. Describe how evaluation data can be used to market programs.
8. Manage evaluation projects successfully.

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 Class XIV Power Point presentation for an overview.

2. Once we have collected data than we must be able to report evaluation results of Extension programs read the article by Taylor. http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/pdffiles/PD/PD01900.pdf

3. Read the "The Art and Architechure of Writing Evaluation Reports" by the Centre of Excellence for Evaluation, Treasury Board of Canada Secretariet.

4. Put some myths about reporting to rest, read Reporting Evaluation Results: 10 Common Myths by Krueger.

5. Read "Managing Evaluation Projects" (pages 571-603) in the course text, Handbook of Practical Program Evaluation by Wholey, Hatry, and Newcomer (2004)

6. Read "Writing for impacts " (pages 604-627) in the course text, Handbook of Practical Program Evaluation by Wholey, Hatry, and Newcomer (2004).

7. Find out how Stup recommends we use evaluation to demonstrate value to potential clients http://www.joe.org/joe/2003august/comm1.shtml

Read how to use Evaluation for Accountability: An Overview by Taylor and Beeman.  http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/pdffiles/PD/PD01800.pdf

Smith, M. F., Barber, L., & Walker, K. (1984).  Practical benefits of evaluation: An example.  Journal of Extension, 22(1).  Available http://www.joe.org/joe/1984january/a1.html.

Read "Pitfalls of Evaluation" (pages 547-570) in the course text, Handbook of Practical Program Evaluation by Wholey, Hatry, and Newcomer (2004).

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 # 10 from classes XIII & XIV readings is due by April 20: This is the last reading assignment. 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. Group term project report is due on or before April 22. Follow the guideline for putting together your term project report.

References

Krueger, R.A. (1986, November). Reporting evaluation results: 10 common myths. Proceedings from American Evaluation Association Annual meeting, Kansas City, Mo.

Patton, M.Q. (1997). Utilization focused evaluation, 3rd Ed. Sage Publications, Inc. Thousand Oaks, California.

Smith, M. F., Barber, L., & Walker, K. (1984).  Practical benefits of evaluation: An example.  Journal of Extension, 22(1).  Available http://www.joe.org/joe/1984january/a1.html.

Stup, R. (2003, August). Program evaluation: use it to demonstrate value to potential clients. Journal of Extension, 41:4  Available: http://www.joe.org/joe/2003august/comm1.shtml

Taylor, C. L., Arrington, L. R. (1993, February). Reporting evaluation results of Extension programs. Gainesville, FL: University of Florida, Cooperative Extension Service. Available: http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/pdffiles/PD/PD01900.pdf

Taylor, C. L., Beeman, C. E.. (1992, December). Evaluation for accountability: an overview. Gainesville, FL: University of Florida, Cooperative Extension Service. Available: http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/pdffiles/PD/PD01800.pdf

The Centre of Excellence for Evaluation. (2004). The Art and Architechure of Writing Evaluation Reports. Treasury Board of Canada Secretariet. Avaliable: http://www.tbs-sct.gc.ca/eval/dev/career/workshops-ateliers/aawer-amrre_e.pdf

Wholey, J. S., Hatry, H. P., and Newcomer, K. E. (2004). Handbook of practical program evaluation (2nd edition).  Jossey-Bass, San Francisco, California.