Resources for the 2025 session of Eval Lab will be uploaded later this year!
Past Session Materials
- Session 1 Presentation Slide Deck (PDF)
Readings
- A Developmental Evaluation Primer (2008) by Jamie A.A. Gamble.
- Evaluating Social Innovation (2012) by Hallie Preskill & Tanya Beer.
- “Section 1: The Evaluation Context”, from (1998) by Ellen Taylor-Powell, Boyd Rossing, and Jean Geran.
- Case Study: Dr. John Snow
- The Learning Journey Canvas
- Adaptive Cycle Worksheet
- P2P Worksheet: Defining Your Mission & Mandate
- Session 2 Presentation Slide Deck (PDF)
Readings
- Evaluation for Strategic Learning: Assessing Readiness and Results (2014) by Anna Williams
- Evaluation to Support Strategic Learning: Principles and Practices (2011)by Julia Coffman & Tanye Beer,
- “Chapter 1: State of the Art and Practice of Developmental Evaluation”, in Developmental Evaluation Exemplars (2016) by Michael Quinn Patton.
- “Chapter 1: The Evaluation Context”, in Evaluating Collaboratives (1998) by Ellen Taylor-Powell, Boyd Rossing & Jean Geran.
- Iceberg Analysis
Interactive
- Guide to Building a Theory of Change
- Theory of Change: Clarifying Purpose
- Logic Model: Building a Tree Diagram
- Session 3 Presentation Slide Deck (PDF)
Readings
- Building a Strategic Learning and Evaluation System for Your Organization (2013) by Hallie Preskill, PhD & Katelyn Mack, MS
- Chapter 9: An Example of Patch Evaluation, Cabaj et al., in Developmental Evaluation Exemplars (2016) by Michael Quinn Patton.
- Source Book for Facilitators Leading Theory of Change Development Sessions (2012) by Dana H. Taplin, PhD & Muamer Rasic.
- “Section 8: Methods and Techniques”, from (1998) by Ellen Taylor-Powell, Boyd Rossing, and Jean Geran.
- All In For Youth: A Case Study
- All In For Youth: The Stakeholders
- Descriptions of Evaluation Methods
Worksheets
- Matrix of Questions
- Creating User Profiles
- Session 4 Presentation Slide Deck (PDF)
Readings
- How Shortcuts Cut Us Short: Cognitive Traps in Philanthropic Decision Making (2014) by Julia Coffman & Tanya Beer
- Outsmart Your Own Biases (2015) by Jack B. Soll, Katherine L. Milkman, and John W. Payne
- Fooled by Experience (2015) by Emre Soyer and Robin M. Hogarth
- Chapter 5: Fostering Learning through Developmental Evaluation…, Gamble et el., in Developmental Evaluation Exemplars (2016) by Michael Quinn Patton.
Interactive
- Data Analysis Chart
- Session 5 Presentation Slide Deck (PDF)
Readings
- Facilitating Intentional Group Learning: A Practical Guide to 21 Learning Activities (2017)
- Shine a Light: The Role of Consultants in Fostering a Learning Culture at Foundations (2015) by J. Raynor, A. Blanchard, & M. Spence.
- “Chapter 6: Science and how we care for needy young children…”, Asher et el., in Developmental Evaluation Exemplars (2016) by Michael Quinn Patton.
Recordings
In Session 5 of the Eval Lab, we usually invite Tamarack Institute’s Mark Cabaj to come answer participants’ burning questions related to evaluation and evaluative learning. Because of the COVID-19 crisis, we decided instead to shift to recording an online facilitated conversation with Mark around some of these questions.
We recorded this conversation and have uploaded a series of videos for viewing that speak to burning evaluation and evaluative thinking questions. The conversation was facilitated in a way that grouped like questions together according to the Learning Journey Canvas. The Learning Journey Canvas, the overarching learning framework for this course, is a way to orient your process of evaluation.
A Conversation with Mark Cabaj
Many collaborations involve aligning the activities of organizations who come with unique histories, different organizational cultures and structures, and varying capabilities capacities. What is the role of evaluation and evaluators in supporting collaborations?
KEY CONCEPTS: Collaborative, participatory, and empowerment evaluation
In the context of networks and collaboratives, how do we figure out what we want to know?
KEY CONCEPTS: Asking questions, inquiry processes, principles and techniques, facilitating
Recognizing that there are often differentials in power between members of a collaborative, and that our worldviews and social positions shape how we see the world and the questions we ask …
How do we address issues of power and privilege in evaluation, especially as we try to accommodate different potential users and uses?
KEY CONCEPTS: Power and privilege, dominant and nondominant worldviews and ways of knowing
Recognizing that there is a plethora of theories, tools, and approaches…
- How do we meet people where they are at?
- How do we better match practices (tools) to purpose and principles?
- How do we adapt as we go?
KEY CONCEPTS: Purpose, principles, practices, methods
What is the role of evaluation/evaluators in times of crisis?
How do we address the simultaneous challenges of ideology and “decision-based evidence-making”?
KEY CONCEPTS: Crises, complexity, cognitive biases, scenario-based approaches