Week 6:Program Evaluation: What, Why, and How

Week 6:Program Evaluation: What, Why, and How

Most agencies prepare an annual report that includes the number of services or units of service provided, the number of individuals served, and information about demographics of the population served.

This is generally accompanied by a budget summary, which includes sources and amounts of income and categories of expenses. In the past, that might have been adequate information to satisfy the public and funders, but today, stakeholders are demanding greater accountability for measurable results.

Program evaluations can provide insights into questions that such reports leave unanswered. As a social worker, you may be asked to play a role in a program evaluation. You should understand the nature and purpose of program evaluations and how they contribute to better social work practice.

Then, you can reap the full benefit of such evaluations and adequately address the concerns of stakeholders.

This week, you analyze the benefits of two types of program evaluations, process, and outcome evaluations. You also analyze stakeholder concerns about evaluation. Finally, you recommend a program evaluation model and plan a program evaluation.

Students will:

• Analyze program evaluation models
• Analyze stakeholder concerns about program evaluation
• Create a program evaluation plan

Week 6:Program Evaluation: What, Why, and How

Learning Resources

Required Readings

Dudley, J. R. (2020). Social work evaluation: Enhancing what we do (3rd ed.) Oxford University Press.

• Chapter 1, “Evaluation and Social Work: Making the Connection” (pp. 3–26)
• Chapter 4, “Common Types of Evaluations” (pp. 78-95)
• Chapter 5, “Focusing an Evaluation” (pp. 96-110)

Document: Logan, T. K., & Royse, D. (2010). Program evaluation studies. In B. Thyer (Ed.), The handbook of social work research methods (2nd ed., pp. 221–240). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage. (PDF)

Copyright 2010 by Sage Publications, Inc.
Reprinted by permission of Sage Publications, Inc. via the Copyright Clearance Center.

W. K. Kellogg Foundation. (2017). The step-by-step guide to evaluation: How to become savvy evaluation consumers. Retrieved from https://www.wkkf.org/resource-directory/resources/2017/11/the-step-by-step-guide-to-evaluation–how-to-become-savvy-evaluation-consumers

• Chapter 4, “Overview of the Evaluation Process That Reflects Evaluation Thinking”
• Chapter 5, “Preparing for the Evaluation”
• Chapter 6, “Determine Stakeholders and Engage Them in Evaluation”
• Chapter 7, “Developing a Logic Model, Evaluation Questions, “Measurement Framework, and Evaluation Plan”
• Chapter 8, “Data Collection and Analysis”
• Chapter 9, “Summarize, Communicate and Reflection on Evaluation Findings”

Week 6:Program Evaluation: What, Why, and How

Discussion: Program Evaluation: Benefits and Concerns of Stakeholders

Dudley (2020) points out that social work practice is usually embedded in programs. While you looked at practice evaluation using single-subject design in Week 3, this week, you shift focus to program evaluation. Program evaluation serves many purposes, including accountability to funders and to the public.

Often, funding sources such as government agencies or private foundations requires periodic program evaluations. These evaluations can help provide answers to many different questions, and can contribute to improvement of services.

There are a variety of program evaluation models that are appropriate for addressing different questions as well as facilitating the collection and analysis of many different types of data.

To prepare for this Discussion, identify a program within an agency with which you are familiar, which could benefit from process evaluation and outcome evaluation. You do not need to identify the agency in your post.

Also, review the different evaluation models highlighted in this week’s resources (needs assessment, program monitoring, client satisfaction study, outcome evaluation, or cost benefit study).

By Day 3

Post a brief summary of the program that you selected. Recommend a program evaluation model that would answer a question relevant to the program. Explain the potential benefits of the program evaluation that you proposed (both process and outcome).

Identify 2–3 concerns that stakeholders might have about your proposed evaluation and how you would address those concerns. Then explain 2–3 concerns that stakeholders may have about your proposed program evaluation and how you would address those concerns.

By Day 5

Respond to a colleague by doing all of the following:

• Identify the stage or stages of the program to which your colleague’s selected question relates.
• Suggest an additional question or concern that stakeholders may have about program evaluation.
• Recommend an alternative model for the evaluation.

Submission and Grading Information

Grading Criteria

To access your rubric:

Week 6 Discussion Rubric

Post by Day 3 and Respond by Day 5

To participate in this Discussion:

Week 6 Discussion

Week 6:Program Evaluation: What, Why, and How

Assignment: Developing a Program Evaluation

To ensure the success of a program evaluation, a social worker must generate a specific detailed plan. That plan should describe the goal of the evaluation, the information needed, and the methods and analysis to be used.

In addition, the plan should identify and address the concerns of stakeholders. A social worker should present information about the plan in a manner that the stakeholders can understand. This will help the social worker receive the support necessary for a successful evaluation.

To prepare for this Assignment, identify a program evaluation you would like to conduct for a program with which you are familiar. Consider the details of the evaluation, including the purpose, specific questions to address, and type of information to collect.

Then, consider the stakeholders that would be involved in approving that evaluation. Review the resources for samples of program evaluations.

By Day 7

Submit the following:

• A 1-page stakeholder analysis that identifies the stakeholders, their role in the agency and any concerns that they might have about the proposed program evaluation
• A 2- to 3-page draft of the program evaluation plan to submit to the stakeholders that:
  • Identifies the purpose of the evaluation
  • Describes the questions that will be addressed and the type of information that will be collected
  • Addresses the concerns of the stakeholders that you identified in your Stakeholder Analysis

Submission and Grading Information

To submit your completed Assignment for review and grading, do the following:

• Please save your Assignment using the naming convention “WK6Assgn+last name+first initial.(extension)” as the name.
• Click the Week 6 Assignment Rubric to review the Grading Criteria for the Assignment.
• Click the Week 6 Assignment link. You will also be able to “View Rubric” for grading criteria from this area.
• Next, from the Attach File area, click on the Browse My Computer button. Find the document you saved as “WK6Assgn+last name+first initial.(extension)” and click Open.
• If applicable: From the Plagiarism Tools area, click the checkbox for I agree to submit my paper(s) to the Global Reference Database.
• Click on the Submit button to complete your submission.

Grading Criteria

To access your rubric:

Week 6 Assignment Rubric

Check Your Assignment Draft for Authenticity

To check your Assignment draft for authenticity:

Submit your Week 6 Assignment draft and review the originality report.

Submit Your Assignment by Day 7

To submit your Assignment:

Week 6 Assignment

Week 6:Program Evaluation: What, Why, and How

Week in Review

In this week, you analyzed the benefits of two types of program evaluations, process, and outcome evaluations. You also analyzed stakeholder concerns about evaluation. Finally, you recommended a program evaluation model and plan a program evaluation.

In the next week, you will practice creating a logic model and using that model to help in the developmental stages of a program.

To go to the next week:

Week 7