Browsing by Subject "Program evaluation"

Now showing 1 - 20 of 20
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    4-H Volunteer Online Training Evaluation
    (University of Minnesota Extension Center for Youth Development, 2014-07) Kankane, Shipi
    This formative evaluation was commissioned by the statewide volunteer systems team to understand the value of recent investments by the Extension Center for Youth Development to design and implement a “suite” of online training modules for volunteers. The evaluation was designed to gather information about how volunteers who completed the modules perceive their OTM experience, their opinions about the usefulness of OTM, and the value that they received.
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    Academic Achievement of Youth in the 4-H Program
    (University of Minnesota, 2014) Piescher, K.; Hong, S.; Blyth, D.; Nippolt, P.
    The purpose of this study was to examine academic outcomes of youth who participated in Minnesota's 4-H program compared to those who did not, and to understand how parent engagement and duration of 4-H participation affects youth achievement and attendance trajectories over five years.
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    Challenges to food and nutrition security among low-income communities
    (2021-10) Karnik, Harshada
    This dissertation highlights challenges to food and nutrition security, and the practices households adopt to overcome these challenges. In the first essay, I use primary data to study social capital and food security through the case study of Somali refugee households in the Midwest. In the second essay, I evaluate the impact of two interventions designed to increase nutrition awareness -- succinct nutrition labels displayed on the shelf and nutrition education workshops -- on food purchase choices of shoppers in grocery stores in rural Kansas. In the third essay, I study how the store format choices of households receiving the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits change over the benefit month and how additional benefits received are distributed across store formats and over the benefit month using SNAP administrative data from the Minneapolis-Saint Paul metro area.I find that non-monetary constraints add to the costs households incur and that reducing these costs can improve food and nutrition security. In the Somali-American community, social capital enhances food security possibly by reducing obstacles that would have otherwise increased cost. Among rural residents reducing the cost of information empowers them to make healthier choices. SNAP recipient households tend to redeem more benefits at grocery stores indicating their preference for grocery stores, yet they make a small number of redemptions at convenience stores every month suggesting their need to rely on convenience stores. The findings of this doctoral research suggest that cash transfer programs are necessary to help families overcome financial constraints, but creative solutions could help to overcome non-monetary challenges and reduce costs to access sufficient and nutritious foods and consequently promote more equitable health outcomes for all.
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    CYFC Consortium Connections, Winter 1994, Vol 3, No 1
    (Children, Youth & Family Consortium, 1994) Children, Youth & Family Consortium
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    Educational Equity Self-Assessment
    (University of Minnesota Extension Center for Youth Development, 2017) Cooper, Daniel
    This instrument draws upon evidence-based principles for building youth educational equity and can help you to assess how your program goals and implementation align with educational equity best practices. The goal of this tool is to stimulate ideas for adopting a more systemic approach to positive youth development programming that caters to the needs of all youth.
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    Evaluation of Minnesota’s subsurface sewage treatment system professional experience program.
    (2011-06) Haig, Nicholas John
    Minnesota rules for Subsurface Sewage Treatment System (hereinafter, SSTS) professionals require field experience with a certified professional before obtaining a full certification. A workgroup was commissioned by the Minnesota SSTS advisory committee to investigate the extent to which the SSTS experience and mentoring requirements under Minnesota Rules Chapters 7083.1500 and 7083.2000 adequately meet the needs of the SSTS industry in Minnesota. Triangulated results from three focus groups indicate that SSTS professionals value experiential learning, but share concerns about the manner in which aspiring practitioners are prepared. Focus group results informed the development of a survey instrument and were confirmed by a random sample of 1100 SSTS professionals with various levels of certification. The response rate was sufficient to carry out statistical analysis. Data about the knowledge, attitudes and practices of SSTS professionals were analyzed to prepare recommendations about the mentoring program. The study found that the current program was not implemented equitably across the industry and lacks clear guidance for both mentors and apprentices. SSTS professionals value a combination of classroom and experiential learning. Emphasizing mentoring relationships beyond the context of current requirements and introducing additional quality assurance measures may be the most practical ways to address programmatic shortcomings and improve the public health and environmental benefits that result from consistent, high-quality SSTS design, installation, and inspection practices.
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    Exploring Evaluation Capacity Building in Community-Based Health Organizations in India: What Works and Why
    (2021-06) Dighe, Satlaj
    This research explored evaluation capacity building (ECB) needs and strategies, as well as facilitators and barriers experienced by program staff and independent evaluators working with community-based health organizations (CBHOs) in India. It suggests a significant shift from donor-led to CBHO-led evaluation practice in the community health sector of India. CBHOs, however, have limited access to evaluation training, resources, and macro-level evaluation infrastructure. The overall purpose of the study was to understand how CBHOs in India build their capacity to conduct evaluations and use evaluation results in guiding program planning and improvement. This was explored with the following questions: 1) what are the internal and external contexts driving the need to engage in ECB? 2) what strategies and approaches are viewed by the organizations as most important in bringing about evaluation capacity in Indian CBHOs? and 3) what, according to the leadership of these organizations, enables or obstructs the process of ECB? To answer these questions, the study conducted semi-structured, in-depth interviews with twenty-three (23) CBHO employees and seven (7) independent evaluators. The interview data were analyzed using constant comparative analysis, which aided in identifying themes across the data. The results of the analysis demonstrate that CBHOs build their evaluation capacity by embedding ECB in program structures, facilitating on-the-job training, and building a support network of evaluation experts to guide their ECB efforts. The study also observed that organizations committed to developing evaluation capacity are intentional about organizational learning and seek to establish peer learning structures and create learning opportunities for their employees. In addition, senior leadership in such organizations demonstrates support of evaluation by facilitating on-the-job capacity building, securing adequate funds for evaluation, and creating a democratic work culture that encourages critical thinking. On the other hand, short project timelines, shifting donor priorities, limited government interest in following evidence-informed policy, and resource constraints hinder the use of evaluation and negatively affect organizations’ interest in ECB. The senior-level program staff indicated a need to build critical thinking capacities at CBHOs to enhance ECB processes. Entry-level staff expressed their interest in learning evaluation skills and methods to implement internal evaluations. The experiences of grassroots health workers suggest limited access to evaluation training, resources, and support structures. The availability of evaluation training seminars, resource persons, and other support material is limited at regional locations and in regional languages, highlighting an urgent need for decentralized and culturally responsive ECB interventions. This research adds to the literature by identifying needs, strategies, and both facilitating and impeding factors for developing evaluation capacity at CBHOs. CBHOs can use this information to design and implement ECB interventions. The study can be helpful for government, institutes of higher education, and international donor and development organizations as they create ECB resources and provide effective support to grassroots ECB initiatives.
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    Exploring the Supply and Demand for Community Learning Opportunities in Minnesota
    (University of Minnesota Extension Center for Youth Development, 2005) Lochner, Ann; Allen, Gina; Blyth, Dale; Minnesota Commission on Out-of-School Time
    It is with great pleasure we share the results of this one of a kind study—Exploring Supply and Demand for Community Learning Opportunities in Minnesota. This study was designed to explore Minnesota parent and youth perceptions about afterschool opportunities for young people across the state.
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    Impacts of online financial literacy training on battered women
    (2012) Nguyen, Hoa T.
    Economic security is critical to enable battered women to escape and not return to an abusive relationship. Financial literacy training has gained greater attention in the United States recently, especially since the economic crisis. This study attempts to measure the impacts of an online financial literacy training on battered women’s (1) financial literacy; (2) financial self-efficacy; and (3) self-esteem, using a quasi-experimental design. Standardized measurement for financial literacy and financial self-efficacy will be developed as a part of this study. Feedback from participants on how best to deliver the training and their financial needs will also be collected.
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    An investigation of the relationship between involvement in and use of evaluation in three multi-site evaluations when those involved are not the primary intended users.
    (2011-04) Roseland, Denise L.
    This dissertation research describes an investigation that explores the nature of the relationship between participation in evaluation and the use of evaluation findings and processes within three large-scale multisite evaluations. The purpose of this study is to test whether assumptions and theories about participation translate into evaluation use in the same ways as seen in single evaluation sites. Using canonical correlation analysis and a collection of 20 interviews, this study describes and tests the relationship between these two critical conceptual powerhouses in evaluation. Using data that were collected as a part of the NSF-funded research Beyond Evaluation Use (Lawrenz & King, 2009), this study found that some theories and beliefs about participatory evaluation contribute to use and influence in similar ways as single-site evaluations. The differences identified in this research highlight potential planning and implementation considerations that might allow multisite evaluators and funders of multisite evaluation to enhance use and influence of multisite evaluations.
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    Journeys into Community Executive Summary
    (University of Minnesota Extension Center for Youth Development, 2005) Blyth, Dale; Walker, Joyce; Lochner, Ann; Minnesota Commission on Out-of-School Time
    At the request of University of Minnesota President Bob Bruininks, several members of our faculty examined Minnesota youth needs and produced a blueprint for ensuring Minnesota’s young people have engaging opportunities to learn and develop during the non-school hours.
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    Journeys into Community Full Report
    (University of Minnesota Extension Center for Youth Development, 2005) Blyth, Dale; Walker, Joyce; Lochner, Ann; Minnesota Commission on Out-of-School Time
    At the request of University of Minnesota President Bob Bruininks, several members of our faculty examined Minnesota youth needs and produced a blueprint for ensuring Minnesota’s young people have engaging opportunities to learn and develop during the non-school hours.
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    Listening to Young People’s Perspectives on Out-of-School Time Opportunities
    (University of Minnesota Extension Center for Youth Development, 2004) Saito, Rebecca; Minnesota Commission on Out-of-School Time
    Youth Voices focus groups were conducted with 101 middle- and high-school students in nine Minnesota communities during March and April 2004. Facilitated by researcher and evaluator Rebecca N. Saito, the discussions focused on youths’ perspectives on and opinions about after-school and community-based programs. Saito also debriefed after each conversation with the adult(s) who organized the group. This briefing paper provides an overview of what we learned about the OST opportunities and experiences in these communities.
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    Non-point Source Pollution (NPS) Project Evaluation Practices in Minnesota: Summary Report
    (University of Minnesota. Water Resources Center, 2008-10-23) Eckman, Karlyn; Walker, Rachel; Bouapao, Lilao; Nuckles, Kimberly
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    Preliminary findings from the Minnesota 4-H Quality Improvement Study
    (University of Minnesota Extension Center for Youth Development, 2010) Moore, Deborah; Grant, Samantha; McLaughlin, Colleen; Walker, Kate; Shaffer, Brenda
    This preliminary report reviews a model currently being field tested using the YPQA tool and innovative data collection methodologies, which use 4-H youth and adult volunteers for assessing and improving youth program quality.
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    Science of Agriculture Challenge report
    (University of Minnesota Extension Center for Youth Development, 2015) Grant, Samantha
    The Science of Agriculture Challenge completed its pilot year of implementation in 2014-2015. Twelve teams distributed throughout the state took part in the final showcase which was a 2.5 day event on the St. Paul University of Minnesota campus. This report highlights the project and key evaluation findings.
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    Structuring the Use of Social Network Analysis in Program Evaluation
    (2022-12) Zhang, Lixin
    Social network analysis (SNA) is increasingly viewed as a contributing methodology to program evaluation to examine the complexities of social programs and interrelationships within the program networks. Despite the growing literature on the topic, more knowledge is needed to understand how, when, and under what conditions social network analysis can add value to evaluation work. The study's overall purpose was to explore the ways of applying SNA to support program evaluation. Using a sequential mixed method social network analysis (MMSNA) approach, this study first developed the SNA-Evaluation framework based on existing literature. Guided by the SNA-Evaluation framework, this study applied the SNA method to support the evaluation of the Community-Based Opioid Prevention and Education (C.O.P.E.) program. Data for the study were collected through a review of 30 archival documents, a C.O.P.E. Partnership Network survey to 46 partner organizations, and semi-structured interviews of 8 program stakeholders. The results suggested that evaluators can adopt the SNA method to support their evaluation practices depending on the types of evaluation, such as needs assessment, process evaluation, and outcome evaluation. The study also observed that the use of SNA in the field of evaluation, particularly for responding to complex social programs, can sharpen program theories, strengthen evaluation methods by enabling the assessment of complex adaptive system variables, and maximize evaluation instrumental and conceptual use. The study contributes to the body of research on evaluation methods by exploring an alternative methodology that can add value to evaluation practice. The study benefits the knowledge base in program evaluation by providing the SNA-Evaluation framework and screening tool to help evaluators determine more appropriate steps when applying the SNA method to support their evaluation work. This study has implications for evaluators (1) who have an interest in improving their SNA use in program evaluation, (2) who hope to explore more about the theories behind the use of the SNA method in program evaluation, and (3) who support the evaluation of complex social programs.
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    Webinar Evaluation Rubric for Extension Teaching
    (University of Minnesota Extension Center for Youth Development, 2017) Matthes, K.; Robideau, K.
    This is an evaluation tool that will assess the effectiveness and quality of extension staff teaching. This evaluation tool will be used by practicing webinar facilitators who want a way to evaluate their work and demonstrate teaching excellence. This rubric may be used as a reflective practice tool for the teacher, and/or as a peer review by a colleague.
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    Youth in 4-H Participation Patterns
    (University of Minnesota Extension Center for Youth Development, 2014) Scott, Siri; Blyth, Dale; Larson Nippolt, Pam
    Youth organizations, like 4-H, are dynamic systems with structures that grow and change over time. In the current study, we examine differences in participation across gender, race, ethnicity, and area of residence.