AEE 577: Evaluation in Agricultural and Extension Education

NC STATE UNIVERSITY

"The likelihood of evaluations being used depends upon evaluators' recognition that the key determinants of their utilization are the social and political contexts in which the evaluations are undertaken. Consequently, to conduct successful evaluations, evaluators need to continually assess the social ecology of the arena in which they work."

Peter H. Rossi and Howard E. Freeman (1993) 

Class XV: Utilization of Evaluation Results, Other Issues and Trends

Extension evaluation is meaningful only if evaluation results are utilized at least for improving and marketing programs. In this class you will learn how to use the impact data for marketing programs and process evaluation data for program improvement   Understanding trends and issues within the field of evaluation, you will have a better understanding of what may be coming down the road with regards to required reporting.

Instructional Objectives:

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

1. Use impact data for accountability and marketing programs.

2. Use process evaluation data for program improvement.

3. Critically review own evaluation practice for improvement.

4. Identify trends and issues within extension evaluation.

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.

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 XV Power Point presentation for an overview.

2. Learn how to use evaluation data to market Extension from Taylor, Cole and Summerhill.  http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/pdffiles/PD/PD02000.pdf.

3. Read "The Use of Evaluation by Nonprofit Organizations" (pages 649-669) in the course text, Handbook of Practical Program Evaluation by Wholey, Hatry, and Newcomer (2004)

4. Read this article on "Evaluation of Evaluation."

5. Read "Other Issues and Trends in Evaluation" (pages 670-684) in the course text, Handbook of Practical Program Evaluation by Wholey, Hatry, and Newcomer (2004).

Read the article "Using Recommendations in Evaluation: A decision-Making Framework for Evaluators" by Iriti, Bickel, & Nelson in American Journal of Evaluation.

Read "Using Organizational Report Cards" (pages 628-648) 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. No postings required to class discussion board in this week, but you may post as you wish on the Web CT Vista discussion board .

2. There is no reading assignment in this week. Review your course materials to prepare for the final exam. The final exam will test your knowledge about theories and their application in extension evaluation practice. The final exam will be posted in the course website on April 28. It is a take-home exam. The final exam is due on or before April 30. You should complete the exam and e-mail your answers as an attached Word file to the instructor (jay_jayaratne@ncsu.edu). Remember to type your name.
3. AEE 577 Final Exam

   Have a great summer!

References

Chapman-Novakofski, K., Boeckner, L. S., Canton, R., Clark, C. D., Keim, K., Britten, P. & McClelland, J. (1997). Evaluating evaluation: What we've learned. Journal of Extension, 35(1). Available http://www.joe.org/joe/1997february/rb2.html

Iriti, J. E., Bickel, W. E., & Nelson, C. A.(2005).Using recommendations in evaluation: A decision-making framework for evaluators. American Journal of Evaluation; 2005; 26; p. 464-479. http://aje.sagepub.com/cgi/reprint/26/4/464

Rossi, P. H, Freeman, H. E., & Lipsey, M. W. (1993). Evaluation: A systematic approach (5th edition) p.406.  Thousand Oaks: Sage Publications.

Taylor, C. L., Cole, M. F., and Summerhill, W.R.  (1992).  Use of evaluation data to market Extension.  Gainesville, FL: University of Florida, Cooperative Extension Service.  Available: http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/pdffiles/PD/PD02000.pdf.

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