Download or read book New Approaches to Evaluating Community Initiatives Theory measurement and analysis written by Aspen Institute. Roundtable on Comprehensive Community Initiatives for Children and Families and published by . This book was released on 1995 with total page 264 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Sections include: "A theory of change approach to evaluation", "Reflections from evaluation practitioners" and "Issues in measurement and analysis".
Download or read book Rebuilding Community written by Joan Smith and published by Springer. This book was released on 2001-10-10 with total page 245 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Our poorest urban neighbourhoods experience economic and social difficulties that uniquely affect the lives of those who live there. This volume examines the policies and initiatives now underway on both sides of the Atlantic to revitalize those areas. With contributors from the US, France and the UK the volume explains the nature of specific community building programmes and explores critical issues such as the role of partnerships and the importance of race and gender in urban regeneration.
Download or read book Evaluating the Complex written by Mita Marra and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2017-07-12 with total page 362 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In the economic atmosphere following the crisis of 2008, not only have governments reacted by creating more complex policy initiatives, but they have also promised that all of these initiatives will be evaluated. Due to the complexity of many of the initiatives, the ways of evaluating are becoming equally complex. The book begins with a theoretical and conceptual explanation of the process and shows how this translates into the practice of evaluation. The chapters cover a wide variety of subjects, such as poverty, homelessness, smoking prevention, HIV/AIDS, and child labor. The use of case studies sheds light on the conceptual ideas at work in organizations addressing some of the world's largest and most varied problems. The evaluation process seeks a balance between order and chaos. The interaction of four elements—simplicity, inventiveness, flexibility, and specificity—allows complex patterns to emerge. The case studies illustrate this framework and provide a number of examples of practical management of complexity, in light of contingency theories of the evaluation process itself. These theories in turn match the complexity of evaluated policies, strategies, and programs. The evaluation process is examined for its impact on policy outcomes and choices.
Download or read book Critical Perspectives in Public Health written by Judith Green and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2007-10 with total page 265 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Combining analytical introductory chapters, edited versions of influential articles from the journal Critical Public Health and specially commissioned review articles, this volume examines the contemporary roles of ‘critical voices’ in public health research and practice from a range of disciplines and contexts.
Download or read book Measuring the Impact of the Nonprofit Sector written by Patrice Flynn and published by Springer Science & Business Media. This book was released on 2013-11-11 with total page 305 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: One of the major tasks facing researchers, practitioners, and funders is the development of empirical tools to measure the inherent worth of nonprofit organizations as well as the sector as a whole. Renowned scholars present chapters on the state of the art of performance measurement in the nonprofit sector and seek to establish a framework for a long-term research agenda to identify, quantify, and self-assess those qualities that make the nonprofit sector unique.
Download or read book A Twenty First Century Approach to Community Change written by Larry M. Gant and published by Oxford University Press. This book was released on 2017-07-19 with total page 224 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Urban renewal has been the dominant approach to revitalizing industrialized communities that fall into decline. A national, community-based organization, the Skillman Foundation sought to engage in a joint effort with the University of Michigan's School of Social Work to bring six neighborhoods in one such declining urban center, Detroit, back to positions of strength and national leadership. A Twenty-First Century Approach to Community Change introduces readers to the basis for the Foundation's solicitation of social work expertise and the social context within which the work of technical assistance began. Building on research, the authors introduce the theory and practice knowledge of earlier scholars, including the conduct of needs assessments at multiple levels, engagement of community members in identifying problem-solving strategies, assistance in developing community goals, and implementation of social work field instruction opportunities. Lessons learned and challenges are described as they played out in the process of creating partnerships for the Foundation with community leaders, engaging and maintaining youth involvement, managing roles and relationships with multiple partners recruited by the Foundation for their specialized expertise, and ultimately conducting the work of technical assistance within a context of increasing influence of the city's surrounding systems (political, economic, educational, and social). Readers will especially note the role of technical assistance in an evolving theory of change.
Download or read book The Youth Development Handbook written by Stephen F Hamilton and published by SAGE Publications. This book was released on 2003-10-09 with total page 425 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: What are the types of environments in which youth thrive? How do we cultivate such environments to promote optimal development and positive behavior in youth? The Youth Development Handbook: Coming of Age in American Communities provides youth and development practitioners access to current theory and research in the field of youth development, including illustrations of good practice, original case studies, and a contextual approach to such topics as youth participation and diversity. The Youth Development Handbook is designed for scholars and researchers in applied developmental science as well as practitioners and policy makers who implement youth development initiatives. The book is also recommended for use in graduate courses on youth development in the fields of Psychology, Human Development & Family Studies, and Education.
Download or read book Research for Action written by Robert J. Chaskin and published by Oxford University Press. This book was released on 2007-10-01 with total page 192 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Across the social welfare and human services fields, interest is growing in how to apply research to influence policy and practice; simultaneously, with globalization's advance, it is clearer than ever that an international perspective is vital in understanding how social, political, and institutional contexts affect research and dissemination practices. This volume, with contributions from an array of eminent researchers and practitioners, provides valuable insight into effective research practice and the factors involved in putting research findings to use. Leading with experience - narratives of six child welfare case studies from the UK, Ireland, Israel, South Africa, and the US - the book frames those cases in the context of relevant literatures to build up a cross-case analysis that distills lessons, throws enduring questions into relief, and lays a foundation for informing future practice. It mines the cross-national experience to develop perspective for a better understanding of the importance of different policy and cultural environments, while nonetheless emphasizing issues that are applicable across borders. The ground prepared by the case studies allows the volume to tease out themes and lessons, placing the empirical findings against relevant theoretical frameworks and developing guidelines for improving research practice in this arena. Researchers, policymakers, practitioners, and advocates concerned with promoting effective policy and practice will find this book a vital aid in understanding how to apply knowledge to the real world and bring about in ways that can inform and contribute to social change.
Download or read book Evaluating Family Support written by Ilan Katz and published by John Wiley & Sons. This book was released on 2003-08-01 with total page 366 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The delivery of effective family support is a key global child welfare issue, yet there is little consensus on what constitutes family support or what the best ways are to evaluate it. Evaluating Family Support: Thinking Internationally, Thinking Critically offers a full review of the conceptual and operational problems involved in this complex and topical field. Ilan Katz and John Pinkerton have brought together a team of experienced child care policy analysts and evaluators to present the current state of critical thinking alongside detailed international case studies. The chapters offer revealing glimpses into the nature of family support across the world, as well as an overview of the challenges facing both practitioners and researchers.
Download or read book EBOOK Public Health written by Angela Scriven and published by McGraw-Hill Education (UK). This book was released on 2007-08-16 with total page 252 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "From Sure Start to healthy workplaces, health action zones to community regeneration, this volume makes the leap from research to action." Professor Richard Parish, Chief Executive, The Royal Society for the Promotion of Health What is public health and how has it changed over time? What is the social context of public health and what are the dominant 21st centuryissues? What strategies are in place to address population health? This important book makes a significant contribution to the emergent body of public health knowledge by examining debates around the social context of health, including key socio-economic, environmental and cultural factors. In doing so, the text locates within a social context the theoretical debates and problems surrounding public health, and analyzes the practical public health strategies and solutions that have been developed to address them. The book moves beyond traditional theoretical discourse to include coverage of: The thinking, frameworks and processes that are actively shaping public health in the 21st century Provides tangible examples of public health strategies that have recently been introduced to tackle the social determinants of health The use of media strategies to promote health Public Health is key reading for students undertaking courses in health studies, health promotion, nursing, public health, social policy, social work and sociology. In addition to a wide student readership, the book’s focus on public health action and current practice also makes it highly relevant to professionals. The text brings together a distinguished group of practitioners, social scientists and public health experts who contribute their ideas and research. Contributors: Amanda Amos, Mel Bartley, Linda Bauld, Hannah Bradby, Tarani Chandola, Jeff Collin, Paul Fleming, Colin Fudge, Sebastian Garman, Ben Gidley, Jenny Head, David Hunter, Martin King, Roderick Lawrence, Kelley Lee, Yaojun Li, Mhairi Mackenzie, Alex Marsh, Antony Morgan, Jennie Popay, Graham Scambler, Sasha Scambler, Angela Scriven, Nick Watson.
Download or read book Public Health written by Scriven, Angela and published by McGraw-Hill Education (UK). This book was released on 2007-08-01 with total page 252 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This important book makes a significant contribution to the emergent body of public health knowledge by examining debates around the social context of health, including key socio-economic, environmental and cultural factors
Download or read book Studying the Organisation and Delivery of Health Services written by Pauline Allen and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2004-08-02 with total page 329 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Research into the delivery and organisation of health care is a vital component in the improvement of health services. This unique reader brings together thirty examples of high-quality SDO research, from a range of disciplines, to illustrate the use of qualitative and quantitative approaches, and primary and secondary research.
Download or read book Studying the Organisation and Delivery of Health Services written by Aileen Clarke and published by Psychology Press. This book was released on 2004 with total page 330 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Publisher description
Download or read book Working with Assumptions in International Development Program Evaluation written by Apollo M. Nkwake and published by Springer Nature. This book was released on 2019-11-27 with total page 212 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book discusses the crucial place that assumptions hold in conceptualizing, implementing, and evaluating development programs. It suggests simple ways for stakeholders and evaluators to 1) examine their assumptions about program theory and environmental conditions and 2) develop and carry out effective program monitoring and evaluation in light of those assumptions. A survey of evaluators from an international development agency reviewed the state of practice on assumptions-aware evaluation. This 2nd edition has been updated with further illustrations, case studies, and frameworks that have been researched and tested in the years since the first edition. Regardless of geography or goal, development programs and policies are fueled by a complex network of implicit ideas. Stakeholders may hold assumptions about purposes, outcomes, methodology, and the value of project evaluation and evaluators—which may or may not be shared by the evaluators. A major barrier to viable program evaluations is that development programs are based on assumptions that often are not well articulated. In designing programs, stakeholders often lack clear outlines for how implemented interventions will bring desired changes. This lack of clarity masks critical risks to program success and makes it challenging to evaluate such programs. Methods that have attempted to address this dilemma have been popularized as theory of change or other theory‐based approaches. Often, however, theory-based methods do not sufficiently clarify how program managers or evaluators should work with the assumptions inherent in the connections between the steps. The critical examination of assumptions in evaluation is essential for effective evaluations and evaluative thinking. "How does one think evaluatively? It all begins with assumptions. Systematically articulating, examining, and testing assumptions is the foundation of evaluative thinking... This book, more than any other, explains how to build a strong foundation for effective interventions and useful evaluation by rigorously working with assumptions." —Michael Quinn Patton, PhD. Author of Utilization-Focused Evaluation and co-editor of THOUGHTWORK: Thinking, Action, and the Fate of the World, USA. "This updated edition presents us with a new opportunity to delve into both the theoretical and practical aspects of paradigmatic, prescriptive, and causal assumptions. We need to learn, and apply these insights with the deep attention they deserve." —Zenda Ofir, PhD. Independent Evaluator, Richard von Weizsäcker Fellow, Robert Bosch Academy, Berlin, Germany. Honorary Professor, School of Public Leadership, Stellenbosch University, South Africa. “This thought-provoking book explains why assumptions are an essential condition within the theories and methodologies of evaluation; and how assumptions influence the ways that evaluators approach their work...It will enrich the ways that evaluators develop their models, devise their methodologies, interpret their data, and interact with their stakeholders.” —Jonny Morell, Ph.D., President, 4.669... Evaluation and Planning, Editor Emeritus, Evaluation and Program Planning
Download or read book Assessing Outcomes in Child and Family Services written by Anthony N. Maluccio and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2017-11-30 with total page 180 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In this collective portrait, editors and authors do not attempt to draw systematic, country-by-country comparisons. Given the magnitude of the issues, they believed that it would be inappropriate to paint with too broad a stroke. What they have accomplished, however, is to codify and identify what the participants repeatedly noted in regard to issues and difficulties inherent in conducting outcome evaluation. These include: varying definitions of outcome; complexities in measuring outcomes of particular interventions with different groups of consumers and documenting the effectiveness of the intervention; the tendency to focus on evaluation of process more than outcome; the challenge of involving practitioners in the evaluation task, in part because its value is unclear to them or perceived as distant or untrustworthy; the typical inadequacy of resources available for systematic evaluation; and the need to inject rigor into the design and execution of evaluation projects. The authors demonstrate strong conviction about sharing research expertise across national boundaries; learning through each other how to cope with organizational impediments to cross-national collaboration; and strengthening the interaction between practice and research. Their contributions suggest that there is wide interest in pursuing cross-national collaboration. In recent years, largely in response to demands by their funding sources for accountability, assessment of performance, and cost effectiveness, researchers in human services have been devoting increased attention to outcome evaluation. Limited attention, however, has been given to the findings of evaluation studies conducted in different countries. The present volume has been organized and edited to address the task of learning from outcome research across the world. Its goal, an extension of a major goal of the human services in any one country, is to improve life chances of vulnerable children and youth.
Download or read book The Practice of Evaluation written by Ryan P. Kilmer and published by SAGE Publications. This book was released on 2020-09-18 with total page 411 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Practice of Evaluation: Partnership Approaches for Community Change provides foundational content on evaluation concepts, approaches, and methods, with an emphasis on the use of evaluation and partnership approaches to effect change. Real examples in every chapter illustrate key ideas and concepts "in action" on topics such as organizational development, capacity building, program improvement, and advocacy. Editors Ryan P. Kilmer and James R. Cook, and the chapter authors, highlight pragmatic approaches to evaluation that balance the needs of stakeholders in an ethical way, to provide useful, usable, and actionable guidance for program improvement. Included with this title: The password-protected Instructor Resource Site (formally known as SAGE Edge) offers access to all text-specific resources, including a test bank and editable, chapter-specific PowerPoint® slides.
Download or read book An Introduction to Evaluation written by Chris Fox and published by SAGE. This book was released on 2016-10-18 with total page 343 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Both practical and theoretical in approach, this book is the perfect companion for student researchers and policy makers alike. It provides actionable advice for planning and implementing evaluations, while also instilling an ability to assess the evaluations of others and consider the ways in which evaluation evidence could influence policy and practice. Drawing upon a wide range of examples from policy areas like education, criminal justice, and health and social care, this book showcases how evaluation is an interdisciplinary research practice with a spectrum of applications. Each chapter contains philosophical underpinnings and applied knowledge as well as examples from published evaluations. Specific topics include how to: Choose an approach to evaluation Plan, design, and conduct evaluations Approach evaluations using theories of change Differentiate between process, impact, and economic evaluations Understand the role of quantitative and qualitative methods in data collection Use systematic reviews and other tools to assess and disseminate evaluation findings From getting started in the field to turning evidence into policy, this book will guide you through every step of the evaluation process.
