| Home | Schedule |

x

Environmental Program Evaluation

(An Online Course)

EVR 6825

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. It does so by exposing the student to a variety of evaluation frameworks employed by such organizations as NSF, EPA, NOAA, WHO, the W.W. Kellogg Foundation and more. Participants will learn evaluation techniques currently used to determine whether their organization's programs are having the intended effects. Participants will also 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 generating 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:

Boulmetis, John and Dutwin, Phyllis (2011) The ABC's of Program Evaluation. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass. (Available on Amazon Kindle)

Emison, Gerald A. (2007) Practical Program Evaluations: Getting From Ideas to Outcomes. Washington, DC: CQ Press. (Available on Amazon Kindle)

Other Readings:

CDC (2014) Developing and Effective Evaluative Plan - Setting the Course for Effective Program 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.

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 Evalution 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 Requirements:

  • Weekly submission of homework questions drawn from the texts and readings. (25% of grade)
  • Completion of a comprehensive Exam. (25% of grade)
  • Course Paper (25%): (1) Thoroughly review one of the environmental cases linked below and research related mateiral pertinent to your chosen case, (2) Choose one of the evaluation paradigms discussed in this course, (3) Discuss how your chosen evaluation paradigm might be fruitfully be applied to the case topic you have selected.
  • Completion of a program evaluation analysis (Session 13) for FGCU's University Colloquium Course (IDS 3920) using the W.W. Kelogg Foundation Framework and utilizing information found in FGCU's first Quality Improvement Plan (QEP) to in part do so. (25% of grade).

Environmental Program Evaluation Cases:

  1. Calderon, Margaret M. and Nawir, Ani A. (2006) "An Evaluation of the Feasiblity and Benefits of Forest Partnerships to Develop Tree Plantations: Case Studies in the Phillipines," CIFOR Working Paper No. 27, Bogor, Indonesia: Center for International Forestry Research.
  2. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) (2011) "Introduction to Program Evaluation for Public Health Programs," (See this guide and its associated Case Studies)
  3. Chen-Hsuan Cheng, Judith, Monroe, Martha C. and Gordon, Alison (2010) "Measuring the Effectiveness of Lagoon Quest: A Case Study in Environmental Education Program Evaluation," Gainesville, FL: University of Florida Institute for Food and Agricultural Science.
  4. Enviro-Vision and Herrera Environmental Consultants (2006) "Evaluation of Washington's Industrial Stormwater General Permit," (November) Washington Department of Ecology Contract No. C0600124, Washington, DC: Office of Policy, Planning and Evaluation, USEPA.
  5. Martin, Shiela A. et al. (1996) "Eco-Industrial Parks: A Case Study and Analysis of Economic, Environmental, Technical and Regulatory Issues," RTI Project No. 6050FR,
  6. Matirui, Violet and Stewart, Howard M. (2007) "Country Program Case Study: Kenya," Joint Evaluation of the GEF Small Grants Programme, UNDP Evaluation Office (June).
  7. Mendoza, Patricia B. (2007) "Country Program Case Study: Belize," Joint Evaluation of the GEF Small Grants Programme, ABEN Services and Consulting Limited, Belize City, Belize (June).
  8. Minkler, Meredith et. al. (2008) "Promoting Healthy Public Policy Through Community Based Participatory Research: Ten Case Studies," A project of the University of California, Berkeley, School of Public Health and PolicyLink, funded by a grant from the W. K. Kellogg Foundation.
  9. U.S. Envirionmental Protection Agency (USEPA) (2012) "Measuring the Effectiveness of the Ocean Dumping Management Program," Washington, DC: USEPA.
  10. Worlen, Christine (2011) "Meta Evaluation of Climate Mitigation - Case Study: Poland's Heating Sector," Berlin, GR: Areopo Consultants