Introductory Class: What is Evaluation All About? PPPA 6016 Katrina L. Bledsoe, Ph.D. The DeBruce Foundation

Introductions The Instructor The Colleagues Year in the Program What you hope to do when you leave the program Why are you taking this course? What are you hoping to learn from this course?

Administration and Logistics General overview of the course Syllabus #1 Syllabus #2 How to reach me Blackboard

Class Discussion What is evaluation? What do you think is the difference between program evaluation and evaluation? What is the purpose of evaluation? If you’ve had any, discuss some of your experiences with evaluation What are some of the challenges of conducting evaluation in general but also the public policy sphere?

Welcome to the Field of Evaluation! A Little history of the field Where the field is today and where is it headed? What does 21st century evaluation look like?

Why Evaluation for Public Policy and Public Administration Effectiveness Efficiency Service Orientation Accountability Democracy Trust

The Experimenting Society Donald Campbell envisioned a society where methods, data and science would be used in service of the public good. Hoped to use evaluation to make good, level-headed decisions.

What is Evlauation? The determination of merit, significance or worth- Michael Scriven A family of research approaches designed to systematically investigate the effectiveness of social interventions- Rossi, Freeman, and Lipsey

What’s the Difference Between Research and Evaluation Research looks to provide information information often seeking causal outcomes Evaluation looks to provide a judgment of merit, significance and worth

Evaluation Approaches There are many ways to conduct evaluations Theory-driven Utilization-focused Empowerment Consumer-based Goal-free Culturally-Responsive Transformative Participatory Etc.

What Makes Up An Evaluation? Methods and methodology The actual evaluation approach Data and analysis Recommendations Stakeholders

For Next Week We’ll start with a general understanding of evaluation in depth Read/cursory read chapters 1, 26, and 31 in the Handbook of Practical Evaluation by Newcomer, Hatry, and Wholey