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Advisory committees are used often in evaluation studies, yet this practice is little discussed or reported. This issue is the first full-length text devoted to the purpose, practice, and scholarship about this type of formal, structured advice. It includes case studies and analyses of these to answer such basic topics as: What is an evaluation advisory group (EAG)? Why (not) use an EAG? How to organize an EAG, and how to evaluate it? The reader will learn how to view the EAG as a structure of expertise, its use for political legitimacy, and as a response to a variety of constituencies. Guidelines on how to recruit, select, orient, train, monitor, assess, and evaluate EAG members are also included. This is the 136th volume of the Jossey-Bass quarterly report series New Directions for Evaluation, an official publication of the American Evaluation Association.
Bayesian inference networks, a synthesis of statistics and expert systems, have advanced reasoning under uncertainty in medicine, business, and social sciences. This innovative volume is the first comprehensive treatment exploring how they can be applied to design and analyze innovative educational assessments. Part I develops Bayes nets’ foundations in assessment, statistics, and graph theory, and works through the real-time updating algorithm. Part II addresses parametric forms for use with assessment, model-checking techniques, and estimation with the EM algorithm and Markov chain Monte Carlo (MCMC). A unique feature is the volume’s grounding in Evidence-Centered Design (ECD) framework for assessment design. This “design forward” approach enables designers to take full advantage of Bayes nets’ modularity and ability to model complex evidentiary relationships that arise from performance in interactive, technology-rich assessments such as simulations. Part III describes ECD, situates Bayes nets as an integral component of a principled design process, and illustrates the ideas with an in-depth look at the BioMass project: An interactive, standards-based, web-delivered demonstration assessment of science inquiry in genetics. This book is both a resource for professionals interested in assessment and advanced students. Its clear exposition, worked-through numerical examples, and demonstrations from real and didactic applications provide invaluable illustrations of how to use Bayes nets in educational assessment. Exercises follow each chapter, and the online companion site provides a glossary, data sets and problem setups, and links to computational resources.
The second edition of the Impact Evaluation in Practice handbook is a comprehensive and accessible introduction to impact evaluation for policy makers and development practitioners. First published in 2011, it has been used widely across the development and academic communities. The book incorporates real-world examples to present practical guidelines for designing and implementing impact evaluations. Readers will gain an understanding of impact evaluations and the best ways to use them to design evidence-based policies and programs. The updated version covers the newest techniques for evaluating programs and includes state-of-the-art implementation advice, as well as an expanded set of examples and case studies that draw on recent development challenges. It also includes new material on research ethics and partnerships to conduct impact evaluation. The handbook is divided into four sections: Part One discusses what to evaluate and why; Part Two presents the main impact evaluation methods; Part Three addresses how to manage impact evaluations; Part Four reviews impact evaluation sampling and data collection. Case studies illustrate different applications of impact evaluations. The book links to complementary instructional material available online, including an applied case as well as questions and answers. The updated second edition will be a valuable resource for the international development community, universities, and policy makers looking to build better evidence around what works in development.
Advisory committees are used often in evaluation studies, yet this practice is little discussed or reported. This issue is the first full-length text devoted to the purpose, practice, and scholarship about this type of formal, structured advice. It includes case studies and analyses of these to answer such basic topics as: What is an evaluation advisory group (EAG)? Why (not) use an EAG? How to organize an EAG, and how to evaluate it? The reader will learn how to view the EAG as a structure of expertise, its use for political legitimacy, and as a response to a variety of constituencies. Guidelines on how to recruit, select, orient, train, monitor, assess, and evaluate EAG members are also included. This is the 136th volume of the Jossey-Bass quarterly report series New Directions for Evaluation, an official publication of the American Evaluation Association.
Teen advisory groups (TAGs) may flourish in many libraries today, but many others are newly initiating them or hoping to revitalize ones that are floundering. But even successful groups need tips and best practices to make their TAGs even better. This updated and revised second edition remains the go-to guide for planning, running, and evaluating TAGs in both school and public libraries. Its wealth of positive advice and information leads TAG teens and their peers to meaningful experiences that encourage reading, library use, and library support—into adulthood. In this indispensable guide, Diane P. Tuccillo carefully explains and explores the current, wide landscape of TAGs, covering funding to bylaws; getting a new group on its feet to rejuvenating an old one; planning traditional TAG projects to creating unique roles; and community involvement to voting on adult library boards. Vivid profiles of successful teen groups, organized into public and school library sections, tell each group’s story along with pertinent teen feedback. Sample documents covering mission statements, applications, parent permission forms, publicity flyers, and teen book review ideas, as well as evaluation advice, can be borrowed or adapted. A helpful bibliography and webliography is included. Library directors, school administrators, library educators, and librarians who work directly with teens in school and public libraries will be unable to resist such compelling testaments to the value of TAGs.
“Think for a moment of the best conversations you’ve had with friends and colleagues. You were honest with one another—not shy about speaking up but relaxed, even if the topic being discussed was serious in nature. That’s the type of conversation The Nonprofit Board Answer Book aims to have with you in the pages that follow. It follows a question-and-answer format, enabling you to quickly find an answer to a burning question you have right now. At the same time, it’s easy to pick up and read straight through, either cover to cover or one section at a time. At the end of each question-and-answer pairing you’ll find suggested action steps. These offer ways to put the information to a practical use on your own board and within your own nonprofit organization. Implementing some of these steps may lead to more questions as you become even more committed to fulfilling your responsibilities as a board member. Remember: behind every good answer lies a good question. So keep asking those questions.”--from the Introduction
Policymakers and program managers are continually seeking ways to improve accountability in achieving an entity's mission. A key factor in improving accountability in achieving an entity's mission is to implement an effective internal control system. An effective internal control system helps an entity adapt to shifting environments, evolving demands, changing risks, and new priorities. As programs change and entities strive to improve operational processes and implement new technology, management continually evaluates its internal control system so that it is effective and updated when necessary. Section 3512 (c) and (d) of Title 31 of the United States Code (commonly known as the Federal Managers' Financial Integrity Act (FMFIA)) requires the Comptroller General to issue standards for internal control in the federal government.
This book critically examines the public participation processes in urban planning and development by evaluating the operations of Planning Advisory Committees (PACs) through two meta-criteria of fairness and effectiveness. Traditional models of public participation in planning have long been criticized for separating planners from the public. This book proposes a novel conceptual model to address the gaps in existing practices in order to encourage greater public involvement in planning decisions and policymaking. It assesses the application of the evaluative framework for PACs as a new approach to public participation evaluation in urban planning. With a case study focused on the PACs in Inner City area of Canberra, Australia, the book offers a conceptual framework for evaluating fairness and effectiveness of the public participation processes that can also be extended to other countries such as the United States, the United Kingdom, New Zealand, Canada, Scandinavian countries, the European Union, and some Asian countries such as India. Offering valuable insights on how operational processes of PACs can be re-configured, this book will be a useful guide for students and academics of planning and public policy analysis, as well as the planning professionals in both developed and developing countries.
This book is one of the first of its kind to bring together a variety of perspectives on evaluation from a multidisciplinary international perspective. The book, with its content derived from leading experts in their chosen fields of practice, illustrates the potential of evaluation to demonstrate the impact and efficiency of social interventions. Examples are given of comparative effectiveness research, realist evaluation, and systematic reviews, as well as of holistic and authentic evaluation, the use of advisory groups, and qualitative needs assessment. The volume also presents some special evaluation tools used by national governments and which are used to influence a variety of professional practices. The key features of the book are: • An international panel of experts sharing the expertise in evaluation. • Multiple perspectives on evaluation theory, methodology and practices articulated through a range of interdisciplinary perspectives. • A primary focus on client-, patient-, and, more generally, human-centredness. • Practical examples of contrasting evaluation methods in use. • Helpful tips and advice offered throughout. The book is compiled from the work of the plenary speakers, plenary panel and selected workshop presentations at the 8th International Conference on Evaluation for Practice, Eval2012, held in Finland in 2012. The contributors come from Australia, Brazil, Finland, Ireland, Italy, Norway, the Republic of Korea, the UK, and the USA. In line with the traditions of the conference series, some contributions here are joint endeavours from academics and practitioners. Evaluation as a Tool for Research, Learning and Making Things Better is recommended for both academics and practitioners, and will be useful for individual researchers, researcher communities and students, who are interested in and conduct evaluation research in various contexts, including as part of service development programs, and for public and private organizations which pursue good service quality with an impact.
A practical guide to philanthropy at all levels of giving that seeks to educate and inspire A majority of American households give to charity in some form or another--from local donations to food banks, religious organizations, or schools, to contributions to prevent disease or protect basic freedoms. Whether you're in a position to give $1 or $1 million, every giver needs to answer the same question: How do I channel my giving effectively to make the greatest difference? In Giving Done Right, Phil Buchanan, the president of the Center for Effective Philanthropy, arms donors with what it takes to do more good more quickly and to avoid predictable errors that lead too many astray. This crucial book will reveal the secrets and lessons learned from some of the biggest givers, from the work of software entrepreneur Tim Gill and his foundation to expand rights for LGBTQ people to the efforts of a midwestern entrepreneur whose faith told him he must do something about childhood slavery in Ghana. It busts commonly held myths and challenging the idea that "business thinking" holds the answer to effective philanthropy. And it offers the intellectual frameworks, data-driven insights, tools, and practical examples to allow readers to understand exactly what it takes to make a difference.