Homework: Designing a Plan for Outcome Evaluation
Social workers can apply knowledge and skills learned from conducting one type of evaluation to others. Moreover, evaluations themselves can inform and complement each other throughout the life of a program. This week, you apply all that you have learned about program evaluation throughout this course to aid you in program evaluation.
To prepare for this Homework, review "Basic Guide to Program Evaluation (Including Outcomes Evaluation)" from this week's resources, Plummer, S.-B., Makris, S., & Brocksen S. (Eds.). (2014b). Social work case studies: Concentration year. Eespecially the sections titled "Outcomes-Based Evaluation" and "Contents of an Evaluation Plan." Then, select a program that you would like to evaluate. You should build on work that you have done in previous homework, but be sure to self-cite any written work that you have already submitted. Complete as many areas of the "Contents of an Evaluation Plan" as possible, leaving out items that assume you have already collected and analyzed the data.
Submit a 4 to 5 pages paper that outlines a plan for a program evaluation focused on outcomes. Be specific and elaborate. Include the following information:
o The purpose of the evaluation, including specific questions to be answered
o The outcomes to be evaluated
o The indicators or instruments to be used to measure those outcomes, including the strengths and limitations of those measures to be used to evaluate the outcomes
o A rationale for selecting among the six group research designs
o The methods for collecting, organizing and analyzing data
Format your homework according to the following formatting requirements:
o The answer should be typed, using Times New Roman font (size 12), double spaced, with one-inch margins on all sides.
o The response also includes a cover page containing the title of the homework, the student's name, the course title, and the date. The cover page is not included in the required page length.
o Also include a reference page. The Citations and references must follow APA format. The reference page is not included in the required page length.
Required Readings
• Dudley, J. R. (2014). Social work evaluation: Enhancing what we do. (2nd ed.) Chicago, IL: Lyceum Books.
o Chapters 9, "Is the Intervention Effective?" (pp. 213-250)
o Chapter 10, "Analyzing Evaluation Data" (pp. 255-275)
• McNamara, C. (2006a). Contents of an evaluation plan. In Basic guide to program evaluation (including outcomes evaluation).
• McNamara, C. (2006b). Reasons for priority on implementing outcomes-based evaluation.In Basic guide to outcomes-based evaluation for nonprofit organizations with very limited resources.
• Plummer, S.-B., Makris, S., & Brocksen S. (Eds.). (2014b). Social work case studies: Concentration year. Baltimore, MD: Laureate International Universities Publishing. [Vital Source e-reader].
Read the following section:
o "Social Work Research: Planning a Program Evaluation".