An Integral Approach to Evaluating Outcome Evaluation Training

Abstract

Public and private nonprofit organizations are increasing training efforts to build individual and organizational capacity to carry out and utilize outcome evaluation. Evaluators of training are challenged to find comprehensive evaluative frameworks. Traditional training evaluation tend to focus individual change, while organization-focused efforts tend to incorporate individual change as a necessary sub-component of the larger entity's change. Neither approach adequately incorporates a developmental context within the evaluative framework. This article presents an integral, developmental approach that links individual and collective attributes. The use of the framework is illustrated with examples from Check Points, an outcome evaluation training program of Michigan State University and United Way of Michigan. The article concludes with suggestions for improving training and evaluative efforts.

A Collaborative Immersio Approach to Evaluation Capacity Building

“…In other words, individual evaluation capacity alone is not necessarily enough to move the larger organization forward. Brown and Reed (2002) have described the logic behind the relationship between the individual and organization as one in which an individual is more likely to develop a new skill if he or she thinks it will be useful, and the new skill is more likely to be transferred to the workplace if the organization values and expects the individual to use the skill. Theoretically, Brown and Reed described the relationship as one in which "individual understanding is linked to behavior, individual behavior is linked to mutual understanding, and mutual understanding is reinforced by organizational structures (2002, p.…”

Improving Design Sensitivity through Intervention-Sensitive Measures

“…Many funding sources of mental health, educational, and social service programs now routinely require evidence of program effectiveness (Botcheva, White, & Huffman, 2002;Brown & Reed, 2002;Gibbs, Napp, Jolly, Westover, & Uhl, 2002;Thayer & Fine, 2001). Botcheva et al (2002) stressed that "in the service arena, practitioners recognize that they need to implement systems of data collection and performance measurement to prove their effectiveness to funding agencies " (p. 422).…”