January 2010 Archives

A common response as I discuss evaluation with people and organizations is that they don't see a real need, or that they cite economic woes as a reason to ignore evaluation. However, here's some of the translation of what they're really saying:

"I don't care how my business is doing. I just want to keep making widgets."

"I don't know a thing about evaluation, so maybe my problems will go away by themselves."

"Evaluation is too much work. I'm busy enough as it is."

The fact is that our current economic state, organizations cannot afford to ignore the need for evaluation. Federal and state governments are focusing on evaluation to root out inefficiency. Non-profit organizations must continually be accountable to funders. For-profit organizations must increase the efficiency of their business processes in order to be ahead of the competition.

All of the above is accomplished by evaluating programs and services to align what should be happening (via criteria and standards) with what is happening. The results may then be used for decision making to make those programs and services more refined, more productive, and more serving of beneficiaries.

Take the time, and make the time to evaluate. The status and growth of your organization depends on it.

The Evaluation Baron, LLC, can introduce you to evaluation concepts and how they will benefit your organization. Contact us for a free initial consultation!

1. Look for an evaluator who is a clear communicator, and can discuss evaluation in terms you can understand.
2. Professional evaluators collaborate together at conferences and other engagements, and can provide you with fresh ideas to evaluate your programs.
3. In accordance with The Guiding Principles for Evaluators, evaluators continuously develop their evaluation competencies through professional development courses or other training opportunities.
4. Prior to beginning any evaluation activity, consider what the goals are of the program or other area you are evaluating, and what your information needs are for that program.
5. Specify the best means of communication and reporting with your evaluator to ensure seamless information exchange.
6. Be clear about your intent to all stakeholders.
7. Be open and willing to use the results of an evaluation.
8. Be open to change.

There have been many reports of the growing need for educational reform and its effect on the global economy. Many leaders in education and government are also voicing their concern and stressing the need for accountability, visibility, and evaluation of federal programs (see Obama Administration Launches Program Evaluation Effort at http://www.govexec.com/dailyfed/1009/100709e1.htm). Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) education is no exception.

Recent news reports of the reform of STEM education (see The State of Stem at http://www.techlearning.com/article/26400) recommend integrated teaching of the STEM components in order to enhance learning effectiveness. "An intriguing finding was that engaging young people in hands-on projects in engineering and design provides effective ways for them to learn core math and science concepts."

These are some of the benefits of evaluation: to assess the impact and effectiveness of teaching STEM components separate or together; to understand the impact of STEM pedagogy on the global economy, and to maximize the role of teacher effectiveness in this process. Evaluation provides visibility of these vital decision-making tools!

These issues are not without political unrest, though. Nevertheless, teacher unions, administrators, parents, and the students themselves must come together on this and other educational issues. Being able to evaluate and use the resulting information helps individuals, schools, and communities. A first step is to facilitate evaluation of STEM programs in the classroom. Together, we can foster a competitive nation and world (see Universities Pledge to Train Thousands More Math and Science Teachers by 2015 at
http://chronicle.com/article/Universities-Pledge-to-Train/63439/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+chronicle%2Fnews+%28The+Chronicle%3A+Top+Stories%29&utm_content=Google+Reader)
- one teacher, one student, and one classroom at a time. The key is to evaluate!

The Evaluation Baron, LLC can help you in this process. Contact us for a free initial consultation!

1. Look for an evaluator who is not only competent in what he or she does, but who has confidence in your organization and respective programs - someone who wants to help your organization succeed.
2. Evaluation is known by many different terms, such as performance improvement, review, and tracking. An evaluator can help explain the concept in terms you can readily understand.
3. Discuss with an evaluator any ethical concerns you have about a project before proceeding.
4. Take the time to brainstorm ideas with an evaluator on the optimal approach to an evaluation, and ask a lot of questions to increase your understanding.
5. Although much evaluation work can be accomplished electronically, be sure to make time to meet in person with your evaluator from time to time to exchange information or ideas, and to discuss the progress of your evaluation project.
6. Before brushing off a new idea, investigate why that idea didn't work in the past, and how your circumstances have changed.
7. Learn about what you are evaluating from the start.
8. Invest in planning.

1. Accrediting schools
2. Judging the quality of education or corporate training curriculum
3. Judging the effectiveness of a training program
4. Improving the recruitment process of volunteers or employees
5. Improving a commercial product
6. Improving employee retention
7. Determining public perception of a new policy or program
8. Understanding the cost-benefit, cost-effectiveness, or cost-utility of an employee benefit package
9. Deciding whether to implement a community development program
10. Developing greater accountability to project funders

The Evaluation Baron, LLC, can help you understand the benefits of these types of evaluations, and what it means to your organization specifically. Contact us for a free initial consultation!