Research Methods for Evaluating Social Programs and Human Service Organizations

SW831, Section 001

The course is an advanced seminar on the practice of program evaluation: techniques and issues. Course content will include a brief overview of theoretical approaches to evaluation and evaluation typologies: such as, implementation evaluation, process (formative) evaluation, summative evaluation, availability criteria, rational vs. utilization-focused evaluation and the use of program theory. A major focus of the course will be on evaluation design selection, based on: evaluation questions, stakeholder interests, resource lev-els, feasibility, expected utilization, timeliness, and other concerns. Included in this will be specific focus on the quantitative vs. qualitative debate and on ethical and other issues involved in experimental designs and random assignment. The course will also focus on the conduct of evaluation, with an emphasis on maintaining quality and minimizing bias. We will discuss the pro's and con's of alternative data collection techniques, such as using agency data or clinical records, interviews, surveys, analysis of secon-dary data, focus group methods, use of key informants. Finally, we will discuss methods to enhance the utilization of evaluation, including its use in social change. Throughout all course content, the need for an awareness of the impact of factors reflecting mul-ticultural perspectives, and politicized positions as well as gender, social class and other disenfranchised statuses will be highlighted. The course is intended to be interactive; examples and applications of course concepts will be frequently presented in lectures and discussions. The course is designed for individuals, who are/will be conducting, teaching, or utilizing evaluation research in human services and should provide an opportunity to integrate social work practice and coursework in an evaluation design or other product.