Using Technology to Increase the Efficiency and Effectiveness of Evaluations |
Instructor: Dr. Arnold Love, Internationally-recognized independent consultant based in Toronto, Canada Description: Evaluation (like the global economy) is rapidly being transformed by technology. The growth of the Internet is leading to new models of service delivery and new approaches to monitoring and evaluating those services. Powerful new tools are appearing for gathering data, data storage/retrieval, and disseminating evaluation findings. These tools hold the potential to make evaluations more effective, while reducing costs. Likewise, recent advances in knowledge management and communications are making evaluation information readily available for effective decision-making and organizational learning.This course offers a non-technical overview of emerging impacts of technology on the evaluation field with special emphasis on the strengths and weaknesses of new evaluation tools. The course addresses the transformation technology is making on the design and delivery of programs and how they are evaluated; how evaluators are harnessing technology and developing new low-cost evaluation approaches and tools in many different sectors, including health care, education, government, and nonprofit agencies; ways evaluators are using the new evaluation methods to improve data collection and analysis and to strengthen the dissemination and utilization of evaluation findings; and how evaluators can take advantage of new opportunities the technological revolution offers for strengthening evaluations. The intent is that participants attain an enhanced understanding of the relationship between evaluation and technology, new models and low-cost tools for evaluation, and fresh insights on using technology for communicating results more effectively. Each participant will receive a toolkit of support materials and suggested resources. Certificates: CEP IC.b or CAEP IIC.b CEU: 1.4 |