Social workers can apply knowledge and skills learned from conducting one type of evaluation to others. Moreover, evaluations themselves can inform and complement each other throughout the life of a program. This week, you apply all that you have learned about program evaluation throughout this course to aid you in program evaluation.
To prepare for this Assignment, review “Basic Guide to Program Evaluation (Including Outcomes Evaluation)” from this week’s resources, Plummer, S.-B., Makris, S., & Brocksen S. (Eds.). (2014b). Social work case studies: Concentration year. Retrieved from http://www.vitalsource.com , especially the sections titled “Outcomes-Based Evaluation” and “Contents of an Evaluation Plan.” Then, select a program that you would like to evaluate. You should build on work that you have done in previous assignments (see attachment), but be sure to self-cite any written work that you have already submitted. Complete as many areas of the “Contents of an Evaluation Plan” as possible, leaving out items that assume you have already collected and analyzed the data.
Assignment
Submit a 4- to 5-page paper that outlines a plan for a program evaluation focused on outcomes. Be specific and elaborate. Include the following information:
· The purpose of the evaluation, including specific questions to be answered
· The outcomes to be evaluated
· The indicators or instruments to be used to measure those outcomes, including the strengths and limitations of those measures to be used to evaluate the outcomes
· A rationale for selecting among the six group research designs
· The methods for collecting, organizing and analyzing data
McNamara, C. (2006a). Contents of an evaluation plan. In Basic guide to program evaluation (including outcomes evaluation). Retrieved from http://managementhelp.org/evaluation/program-evaluation-guide.htm#anchor1586742
McNamara, C. (2006b). Reasons for priority on implementing outcomes-based evaluation.In Basic guide to outcomes-based evaluation for nonprofit organizations with very limited resources. Retrieved from http://managementhelp.org/evaluation/outcomes-evaluation-guide.htm#anchor30249
