SRA Training

Introduction to Evaluation
Summary:	Over the years the discipline of evaluation has evolved and developed and is applied to many policies and practices. It forms the core of many strategic planning processes and informs decision making surrounding the development and operation of both projects and programmes of activity. As a result, a range of people in the public, private and voluntary sectors are increasingly required to develop generic skills and competencies in relation to undertaking evaluation and using its findings.
Objectives:	By the end of the workshop, participants will Understand the importance of evaluation Be aware of the key ideas and perspectives relating to evaluation Understand the importance of evaluation frameworks Be able to understand how to design systems to evaluate the impact of their own initiatives, and those of others Be aware of the applicability of various methods in different contexts.
Topics:	The course will cover: What is evaluation and why do we do it? An introduction to a range of types of evaluation The use of frameworks to design and plan evaluation Sources of information and approaches to analysis Effective communication.
Who will benefit?	This one day course is aimed at new researchers, or researchers new to evaluation and others with responsibility for interpreting evaluation findings.
Learning outcomes:	By the end of the course, participants will achieve a good understanding of the importance of evaluation and be able to make informed decisions about which types of evaluation models are best applied to different types of projects and activities. In addition they will gain practical experience of tasks relevant to designing and managing the evaluation process and communicating evaluation findings.
Course tutor:	David Devins has worked in a range of private sector and public sector organisations conducting research and evaluation to inform individual, organisational and partnership development. He is both an applied and academic evaluator, currently involved in evaluations covering a range of themes exploring the impact of public art, publicly funded training interventions and human resource development. He has written several journal articles and presented papers at many national and international conferences. Lynne Dowson currently leads the research methods module within the MA in Public Policy and Management (currently undergoing course development work leading to its becoming Leeds Metropolitan University’s Masters in Public Administration).
Date & Location:	29th April 2010, 09:30-17:00 Location: Leeds
Programme	Download Programme and booking form (doc)