Everyday Evaluation on the Run

Everyday Evaluation on the Run
Author: Yoland Wadsworth
Publisher: Routledge
Total Pages: 296
Release: 2020-08-19
Genre: Social Science
ISBN: 1000257037

'Practical, useful counsel emanates throughout. Impressively grounded in real world experiences.' - Michael Quinn Patton, author of Utilisation-Focused Evaluation Effective evaluation can provide valuable insights into the way a program, a course or an organisation is being run, and direction for improvement. This widely-used introduction to evaluation is intended for non-specialists in the human services who need to do evaluation as part of a busy workload. Everyday Evaluation on the Run offers a practical over view of the main approaches to evaluation, strategies for involving stakeholders, and the evaluation industry's toolbox of models and techniques. The author emphasises the core principles and concepts of evaluation, and the idea of building a culture of evaluation. This third edition of Everyday Evaluation on the Run reflects current thinking on values in organisations and the need to use evaluation to guide future practice rather than just as an auditing process. With extensive examples, it is a handy reference for professionals and students in health, welfare, and community work, and in government and non-profit agencies.

Everyday Evaluation on the Run, Third Edition

Everyday Evaluation on the Run, Third Edition
Author: Yoland Wadsworth
Publisher: Left Coast Press
Total Pages: 237
Release: 2011-07-15
Genre: Business & Economics
ISBN: 1611321042

This widely used introduction to evaluation is a practical, no-nonsense guide for busy program staff in human services who are asked to conduct evaluations without any previous training. The book offers a practical overview of the main approaches to evaluation, strategies for involving stakeholders, and the evaluation industry's toolbox of models and techniques.

Building in Research and Evaluation

Building in Research and Evaluation
Author: Yoland Wadsworth
Publisher: Routledge
Total Pages: 573
Release: 2020-08-14
Genre: Architecture
ISBN: 1000256405

Albert Einstein said we can't solve problems by using the same kind of thinking we used when we created them. If we don't have the kinds of health and human services or even the kinds of lives, communities and organisations we want, then we need to think differently. Yoland Wadsworth offers an inspired insight and radically new proposition: that the act of our 'inquiring', of researching and evaluating together, is the way by which every living organism and all collective human life goes about continuously achieving the conditions for life. Building in Research and Evaluation explores this new approach for bringing about both wanted change and stability. By inquiring around 'whole cycles' of acting, observing, questioning, feeling, reflecting, thinking, planning and acting again, Yoland identifies how new life might be brought to what we do. 'Sound and persuasive, insightful, important and inviting. A great contribution' - Michael Quinn Patton, author of the best-selling book, Utilization-Focused Evaluation 'Brilliant. I'm not aware of any other book of this nature. The examples are impressive' - Linette Hawkins, social work educator 'I remain critical of 'systems' models and biological analogies for organisational processes, but this work is unquestionably original and in major ways innovative' - Raewyn Connell, sociology professor 'Highly original. an ambitious integration of concepts. Credible and useful. Grounded in pioneering empirical research' - Danny Burns, professor of organisational learning

Do It Yourself Social Research

Do It Yourself Social Research
Author: Yoland Wadsworth
Publisher: Routledge
Total Pages: 279
Release: 2020-08-12
Genre: Social Science
ISBN: 1000256782

Over three decades this bestselling user-friendly introduction has been used by thousands of students, professionals and community groups to kick start their social research projects. Always emphasising the importance of a spirit of inquiry, it demystifies the research process, covering all the basics of: where to start; how to manage a research project; methods, techniques and resources; digital tools; interpretation, analysis and reporting. This third edition has been thoroughly revised. It covers the use of narrative and dialogue in research, rich research design, and what digital technology can (and can't) contribute to the research process. With its hands-on, no-nonsense approach, Do It Yourself Social Research is an essential resource for anyone doing social research in sociology, social work, education, health, welfare, not-for profit and many other fields. 'Practical in its content, sophisticated in its ideas, the book shows a passion for making social science a tool of democracy. I know of nothing else that is half as good.' - Raewyn Connell, University Professor, University of Sydney, Australia 'This is a first-rate text. Students had one problem with it; because it was not turgid like other texts they felt it lacked sufficient depth. It was only when they were into their research that they understood what a great reference it is.' - Richard A. Couto PhD, Union Institute and University, USA

Evaluation in Small Development Non-Profits

Evaluation in Small Development Non-Profits
Author: Leanne M. Kelly
Publisher: Springer Nature
Total Pages: 226
Release: 2020-10-30
Genre: Social Science
ISBN: 303058979X

Research on evaluation shows that low-use and non-use of evaluation is common, yet evaluation is hailed as beneficial and worthwhile. The worth of evaluation is tied to its utilisation, presenting a paradox if evaluation is both revered and underutilised. This book investigates this paradox in the under-researched context of small development non-profit organisations, which have specific resource constraints and ‘bottom up’ community development values that complicate their ability to do and use evaluation in line with top down directives. The book examines the utility, meaningfulness, and purpose of evaluation from small non-profit perspectives, and explores whether evaluation has value for these organisations. For development practice, it presents evaluative alternatives that reconceptualise evaluation as part of the active process of development rather than as an interval-based add-on. For evaluation theory, it highlights a historical preoccupation with improving evaluation without assessing its inherent worth, and considers alternative ways to enhance the value of evaluation for small non-profits.

Evaluation Roots

Evaluation Roots
Author: Marvin C. Alkin
Publisher: SAGE Publications
Total Pages: 441
Release: 2012-04-12
Genre: Social Science
ISBN: 1452241848

Evaluation Roots: A Wider Perspective of Theorists’ Views and Influences, Second Edition provides an updated examination of current evaluation theories and traces their evolution. Marvin C. Alkin shows how theories build upon theories and how the theories are related to each other. The way in which these evaluation "roots" grew to form a tree helps to provide a better understanding of evaluation theory. In addition to the editor's overview, the book contains essays by leading evaluation theorists. In these pieces, the evaluators comment on their own development and give their views of their placement upon the tree. **All royalties from sales of this book are donated to support the AEA Research on Evaluation Student Award.**

Developing Adult Literacy

Developing Adult Literacy
Author: Juliet McCaffery
Publisher: Oxfam
Total Pages: 303
Release: 2007
Genre: Education
ISBN: 0855985968

This book will help those who plan and develop literacy initiatives; using case studies from literacy programmes in many countries including Egypt, India, Indonesia, Mali, Nigeria, the Philippines and Uganda, it demonstrates the importance of literacy, its power to improve lives, and the role literacy plays in social and economic development.

Encyclopedia of Evaluation

Encyclopedia of Evaluation
Author: Sandra Mathison
Publisher: SAGE
Total Pages: 526
Release: 2005
Genre: Reference
ISBN: 9780761926092

The 'Encyclopedia of Evaluation' recognises the growth of evaluation around the world & highlights all the major contributions to the field. There are over 400 entries organised alphabetically.

Evaluation Models

Evaluation Models
Author: D.L. Stufflebeam
Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media
Total Pages: 500
Release: 2005-12-19
Genre: Education
ISBN: 0306475596

This is an up-to-date revision of the classic text first published in 1983. It includes a historical perspective on the growth of evaluation theory and practice and two comparative analyses of the various alternative perspectives on evaluation. It also includes articles representing the major schools of thought about evaluation written by the leaders who have developed these schools and models. The final section describes and discusses the Standards for Program Evaluation and the reformation of program evaluation.