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Environmental Program Evaluation

(An Online Course)

EVR 6825

CRN 12559

Instructor:

Edward T. "Terry" Wimberley, Ph.D.

Weekly ConsultationHours (Policy):

9-Noon Thursdays by Phone (239.405.4164) or Skype

And By Appointment

Email: twimber@fgcu.edu

Course Description

Program evaluation is one mechanism for establishing accountability in agencies and organizations. This online grduate course focuses on the techniques and application of evaluation methods to assess the effectiveness of organizations and agencies envolved in environmental services. Participants will learn evaluation techniques currently used to determine whether their organization's programs are having the intended effects. The format provided in this course is one that complies with the guidelines of the American Evaluation Association. Participants will learn how to develop and implement cutting-edge performance measurement strategies. Topics include:

• Program evaluation and accountability
• Practical program evaluation techniques
• Performance management strategies for effective and efficient programming
• Access to EPA, NOAA, NSF, WHO, CDC, Kelogg and other program evaluation procedures and processes.

Objectives:

This graduate course in environmental program evaluation is designed to:

• Enable students to conduct environmental program evaluations within a variety of organizational and programatic settings.
• Facilitate student capacity to identify and engage stakeholders in the evaluative process.
• Prepare students to conduct program evaluation directed toward program and organizational "processes" as well as program "outcomes."
• Enable students to develop and/or improve upon measures of program performance.
• Provide students with the skills to understand the relationship between program activities and results.
• Assist students in utilizing useful data on program results that may not be regularly collected by an organization.
• Aid students in insuring that outcome and process data are of high quality and utility.

Texts:

Rossi, Peter H.; Mark W. Lipsey and Gary T. Henry (2019) Evaluation: A Systematic Approach. (8th Edition) Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.

Uitto, Juha I. (2021) Evaluating Environment in International Development. New York, NY: Routledge.

Other Readings:

CDC (2014) Developing and Effective Evaluative Plan - Setting the Course for Effective Program Evaluation. Atlanta, GA: Centers for Disease Control & Prevention.

CDC (2001) "Program Operations: Guidelines for STD Prevention," Atlanta, GA: Centers for Disease Control & Prefvention

CDC (2001) "Types of Evaluation," Atlanta, GA: Centers for Disease Control & Prevention.

CDC (1999) "Framework for Program Evaluation in Public Health," Mortality and Morbidity Weekly Report (MMWR). Vol. 48, No. RR11 (September 17).

Frechtling, Joy and Sharp Westat, Joy (1997) User Friendly Handbook for Mixed-Method Evaluations. Washington, DC: National Science Foundation.

Government Accountability Office (GAO) (1992) Quantitative Data Analysis: An Introduction. Washington, DC: GAO.

Holm-Hansen, Cheryl (2007) "Ethical Issues: Tips for Conducting Program Evaluation," Minnestoa Office of Justice Programs.

Kellogg Foundation (2017) The Step-By-Step Guide to Evaluation. Battle Creek, MI: W.K. Kellogg Foundation.

Kellogg Foundation (2004) W.K. Kellogg Foundation Evaluation Handbook. Battle Creek, MI: W.K. KelloggFoundation.

Malkinson, Trevor (2010) "To What End Are We Living?- Instrumental Reason and the Problem of the Good Life in Modern Times," Beams and Struts. (July). Accessed October 7, 2017 http://beamsandstruts.com/essays/item/85-to-what-end-are-we-living?-instrumental-reason-and-the-problem-of-the-good-life-in-modern-times

Michaud, Mary (2002) "Tips on Preparing a Conference Poster," Madison, WI: Uiversity of Wisconsin.

Muriel J. Bebeau (1995) "Moral Reasoning in Scientific Research: Cases for Teaching and Assessment." Bloomington, Indiana: Poynter Center.

National Center for Environmental Innovation (NCEI) (2009) Guidelines for Evaluating an EPA Partnership Program. Washington, DC: USEPA.

National Center for Environmental Innovation (NCEI) (2009) "EPA Program Evaluation Worksheet," Washington, DC: USEPA.

National Oceanopgraphic and Atomospheric Administration (NOAA) (2014) "Program Evaluation Guide," Washington, DC: NOAA.

Preskill, Hallie and Jones, Nathalie (2009) A Practical Guide for Engaging Stakeholders in Developing Evaluation Questions. Princeton, NJ: Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.

Rogers, Patricia (2014) "Rainbow Program Evaluation Framework," RMIT University, Melbourne, Australia.

Taylor-Powell, Ellen and Henert, Ellen (2008) "Developing a Logical Model: Teaching and Training Guide," (plus Logical Model Slides) Madison, WI: University of Wisconsin Extension.

University of Wisconsin-Extension, (2014) Developing a Logical Model p. 1-140. Mikwaukee, WI.

World Health Organization (WHO) (2000)Workbook 1: Planning Evaluations. Wasington DC: WHO.

World Health Organization (WHO) (2000) Workbook 2: Implementing Evaluations. Wasington DC: WHO.

Yumi, Sara and Beaudry, Susan (2007) "Monitoring & Evaluation," World Bank Small Grants Program.

Course Tablers and Figures:

Figures, Exhibits and Tables for Rossi et al's Evauation.

Course Tables, Figures and Exhibits - Merged;

Course Requirements:

• Weekly Submission of Homework Questions. (50% of grade)
• Completion of a mid term comprehensive exam (25% of grade)
• Completion of a final comprehenive exam at the conclusion of the course (25% of grade)

Grading Scale

Homework consists of answering the discussion questions and the "application exercises" found on each of the web pages for each class session.

Homework submitted later than 5:00 p.m. on the final date of each weekly class session will will be considered late and will not be credited. Distance learning courses are considered to operate over a seven day week period. Missing (i.e. nonparticipation or inadequate participation in class activities on Canvas via Canvas email) for 3 classes or more without instructor permission will result in students being withdrawn from the class.

Any work mailed in from any other email source than Canvas email - even if mailed in if mailed to the instructor's FGCU email address - will not be graded for the simple reason that when such work is mailed from an external email account to Canvas it is not received on Canvas in any way that the instructor can retrieve. Consequently, work submitted in such a way cannot and will not be graded. For that matter, any work submitted to the instructor by any email source outside of Canvas that is sent to the instructor's FGCU email address or to any other instructor email addresses will also not be accepted or graded - period. The same applies for any assignment that is simply typed into the email field of any Canvas email homework submission.

NOTE: Course assignments and schedule, course objectives, and grading criteria, distributions and weights may change as circumstances dictate and at the discretion of the instructor.

APA Documentation Method:

I strongly encourage every student to take the time to complete the following online APA Citation and Reference Tutorial. One of the objectives of this class is that you learn how to use the APA documentation style. You can learn everything you need to know about how to use this method by studying the fmaterial at the following sites. Please understand that any of your discussion questions or your student presentation papers that are lacking in complete APA styled documentation will be returned to you and will not be graded until they are in order.

APA Documentation Aids:

A Guide for Writing Research Papers in APA Style

Purdue University: Using American Psychological Association (APA) Format

APA Citation Styles - University of Toledo

APA Style Sheet (Cornell)

Quick Guide APA Style (UNC)

APA Guide to Electronic Resources

APA Style for Videos

APA Style for Court Decisions

Frequently Asked Questions Regarding APA Style