Self-Study Plan: Introduction to Evaluation (Beginner) Are you brand new to evaluation? Welcome! In order to help you orient yourself to this broad field of evaluation in a way that is also driven by your needs as a sexual violence preventionist, we’ve designed the following self-study plan. It includes videos for you to watch, documents to read, and an online course to take. We recommend that you follow along in the order in which the resources are listed to build your knowledge base and begin establishing some skills. This self-study plan covers basic information about an array of evaluation topics including planning, data collection and analysis methods, and data communication so that you get a sense of the full process involved in program evaluation. The content is not exhaustive and is meant to introduce you to the various issues in evaluation. Once you’ve finished this and feel like you’ve integrated the learning, you can move on to the additional self-study plans to add even more tools to your evaluation tool belt. All of the resources listed in this self-study plan are free unless otherwise noted. Objectives of this Self-Study Plan: After you complete this exploration, you will be able to: Define several key evaluation terms. Describe one process for developing and implementing an evaluation of a sexual violence prevention program. Identify three or more methods for evaluating sexual violence prevention programs. Describe the basic steps for analyzing qualitative and quantitative program evaluation data. Describe at least two fundamentals about communicating about data. Apply at least two fundamentals of communicating about data to your own work. Identify additional areas in which you need to gain more information or skills in order to conduct or support program evaluation. STEP ONE: Read this page of the toolkit to get a general orientation. Time: 10 minutes STEP TWO: Take an introductory course from NSVRC Title: Evaluation 101: What is evaluation? Why do it? How can it help? Time: 1 hour 56 minutes Notes: This recorded webinar (Pennsylvania Coalition Against Rape [PCAR], 2011) reviews key steps in evaluating the outcomes of prevention programs. It provides many examples to show how evaluations are designed, what it takes to carry them out, and what can be learned. Evaluation challenges and tips for avoiding common mistakes are offered. STEP THREE: Learn about integrated observational methods from this eStudy course from PreventConnect. Title: Integrated Evaluation for Program Improvement Time: 1 - 1.5 hours Notes: This course (Curtis, n.d.) focuses on integrating evaluation into your prevention efforts and is specifically geared toward sexual violence preventionists looking for improvement-oriented methodologies. The course includes both a video presentation and assignments to help you apply your learning. STEP FOUR: Take this Logic Model course from PreventConnect. Title: Using Logic Models for Planning Primary Prevention Programs Time: One hour Notes: This course (PreventConnect, n.d.) focuses on the basics of logic model development and use, including common pitfalls and how to overcome them. STEP FIVE: Take this Data Analysis eStudy course from NSVRC. Title: Data Analysis Series Time: Three - four hours, 45 - 60 minutes per course Notes: The Data Analysis Series (National Sexual Violence Resource Center [NSVRC], 2017) consists of four courses designed to show users how to enter, analyze, and report on evaluation data captured from pre/post surveys. These courses contain sample data for practice, and users can pause, review, and revisit any portion of the courses. STEP SIX: Let Stephanie Evergreen teach you how to communicate about your data more effectively. Title: 8 Steps to Becoming a Reporting Rockstar Time: One hour Notes: This pre-recorded webinar by data visualization consultant Stephanie Evergreen (2013) focuses on how to maximize the potential of visual communications related to your data. She covers basics of slide design for presentations and graphical depictions of data. STEP SEVEN: Reflect on and integrate your learning. Title: Self-Study Plan Worksheet: Introduction to Evaluation Time: 30 minutes Notes: Complete this worksheet to begin thinking about how what you have learned about evaluation applies to your work. If you need help thinking through your answers or want to discuss your next steps, send an email to prevention@nsvrc.org. Handy Resources EvaluACTION: This resource, part of the VetoViolence site run by the CDC (n.d.), offers an interactive introduction to program evaluation and a handy interactive tool for developing an evaluation plan. Primary Prevention and Evaluation Resource Kit: The second volume of this set, written by Stephanie Townsend (2014) for the Pennsylvania Coalition Against Rape, is a must read as part of orienting yourself to evaluating prevention work. It contains an overview of the evaluation process and critical insight into making evaluation decisions for sexual violence prevention work. Evaluation Flash Cards: This short document, written by Michael Quinn Patton (2014) for the Otto Bremer Foundation, covers several key evaluation concepts in succint and easy-to-understand language. Keep it handy to refresh your memory on certain concepts or to help you explain them to other people. References Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (n.d.). Evaluaction: Putting evaluation to work. https://vetoviolence.cdc.gov/apps/evaluaction/ Curtis, M. J. (n.d.) Integrated evaluation for program improvement [Online training]. PreventConnect. https://www.learn.preventconnect.org/courses/integrated-evaluation-for-program-improvement/ Evergreen, S. (2013, December 19). 8 steps to becoming a reporting rockstar [Webinar]. Society for Nutrition Education. https://vimeo.com/82318228 National Sexual Violence Resource Center. (2017). Data analysis [Online training]. http://campus.nsvrc.org/course/search.php?search=data+analysis National Sexual Violence Resource Center. (2018). Self-study plan worksheet: Community and policy change. https://www.nsvrc.org/Self-StudyPlanWorksheetCommunityandPolicyChange Patton, M. Q. (2014). Evaluation flash cards: Embedding evaluative thinking in organizational culture. Otter Bremer Trust. https://ottobremer.org/news_stories/evaluation-flash-cards/ Pennsylvania Coalition Against Rape. (2011). Evaluation 101: What is evaluation? Why do it? How can it help? [Webinar]. https://campus.nsvrc.org/course/view.php?id=7 PreventConnect. (n.d.). Using logic models for planning primary prevention programs. ValorUS. https://www.learn.preventconnect.org/courses/using-logic-models-for-planning-primary-prevention-programs/ Townsend, S. (2014). Primary prevention and evaluation resource kit (Vol. 2): Evaluating prevention strategies. Pennsylvania Coalition Against Rape. http://www.pcar.org/sites/default/files/resource-pdfs/evaluating_prevention_strategies.pdf © 2021 National Sexual Violence Resource Center.