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Professional Development Workshops & Stauffer Symposium2012 Presenter BiosClick on the names and photos below to learn more about our presenters.
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Monday, August 20, 2012 |
Stewart I. Donaldson & Christina A. Christie This workshop will provide participants with an overview of the core concepts in evaluation and applied research methods. Key topics will include the various uses, purposes, and benefits of conducting evaluations and applied research, basics of validity and design sensitivity, strengths and weaknesses of a variety of common applied research methods, and the basics of program, policy, and personnel evaluation. In addition, participants will be introduced to a range of popular evaluation approaches including the transdisciplinary approach, program theory-driven evaluation science, experimental and quasi-experimental evaluations, empowerment evaluation, fourth generation evaluation, inclusive evaluation, utilization-focused evaluation, and realist evaluation. This workshop is intended to provide participants with a solid introduction, overview, or refresher on the latest developments in evaluation and applied research, and to prepare participants for intermediate and advanced level workshops in the series. Students are strongly encouraged to purchase and read in advance of the workshop:
Copies are available from Amazon.com by following the links above. What Counts as Credible Evidence is also available for $20 from Claremont Graduate University. To purchase the text from CGU, send a check for $20 made out to Claremont Graduate University and addressed to: Credible Evidence Text, 175 E. 12th Street, Claremont CA 91711. Questions regarding this workshop may be addressed to Stewart.Donaldson@cgu.edu. |
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Questions regarding this workshop may be addressed to Dale.Berger@cgu.edu |
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One-time, self-report measures are widely relied upon to assess people’s use of time, and their thoughts, feelings, motivations, and well-being. These measures have several advantages but depend on processes of estimation and retrospection that distort the reality they are intended to assess. In this workshop participants will learn about the strengths and limitations of various methods – surveys, diaries, and tools for real-time measurement of experience in natural settings. Primary attention will be given to the Experience Sampling Method (ESM), considered the "gold standard" in the field. Issues to be considered include how to select the appropriate tool for a researcher’s questions and resources, how to design an ESM study, and how to analyze ESM data to answer a variety of questions such as: Where during the school day are students most engaged? How do emotions change in response to environmental factors? When do patients with chronic illness report the least pain? Questions regarding this workshop may be addressed to Jeanne.Nakamura@cgu.edu |
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This workshop covers some of the essential skills and strategies needed to prepare successful grant applications for education, research, and/or program funding. It will provide participants with tools to help them conceptualize and plan research or program grants, offer ideas about where to seek funding, and provide suggestions for writing and submitting applications. Some of the topics covered in the workshop include strategies for identifying appropriate sources of funding, the components and preparation of grant proposals, and the peer review process. In addition, topics related to putting together a research or program team, constructing an appropriate budget, grants management, and the writing of an application will be discussed. The workshop is organized around key questions relating to grant support and how to become a successful grant-getter, including WHY seek grant funding or support? WHERE to look for support? WHO applies for funding and WHEN should one seek funding? WHAT is submitted in a grant application? And, HOW to structure an application and supporting materials? The workshop is intended primarily as an introduction to grant writing, and will be most useful for new or relatively inexperienced grant writers. Workshop participants are encouraged to bring their own "works in progress" for comment and sharing. At its conclusion, workshop participants should be well positioned not only to read and evaluate grant applications, but to assist with the preparation of applications and to prepare and submit their own applications to support education, research, or program planning and development activities. Questions regarding this workshop may be addressed to Allen.Omoto@cgu.edu |
Tuesday, August 21, 2012 |
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Considering Culture in Evaluation and Applied Research The dynamic cultural demographics of organizations, communities, and societies make it imperative to understand the importance of cultural sensitivity and cultural responsiveness in applied research and evaluation settings. Responding to culture is not easy; the researcher/evaluator must understand how culture underlies the entire research process from conceptualization to dissemination, use, and impact of results. In this workshop several questions will be considered. How does culture matter in evaluation theory and practice? How does attention to cultural issues make for better evaluation practice? Does your work in an agency or organization require you to know what culturally responsive in evaluation looks like? What issues do you need to consider in building culturally competent and responsive evaluation approaches? How do agencies identify strategies for developing and disseminating culturally responsive evaluation information? We articulate how these questions and considerations are quintessential in working with organizations and communities with hard to reach populations (e.g., marginalized groups), and where evaluations, if not tailored to the organization's or community's cultural milieu, can easily overlook the mores of its members. This workshop is multifaceted and will rely on various interdisciplinary social science theoretical frameworks to both situate and advance conversations about culture in evaluation and applied research. In particular, participants will receive information and materials that help them to develop expertise in the general topics of culture in evaluation, including understanding the value-addedness for the evaluation researcher or program specialist who needs to develop a general understanding of the topic itself. Workshop attendees will also be encouraged to understand cultural barriers that might arise in evaluative settings between evaluators, key stakeholders, and evaluation participants that can hamper the development and execution of culturally responsive evaluations (e.g., power dynamics; and institutional structures that may intentionally or unintentionally promote the "isms"). We will also discuss how cultural responsiveness extends to institutional review board criteria and research ethics, and the development of strategies to garner stakeholder/constituent involvement, buy-in, and trust. The presenters will rely on real world examples from their evaluation practice in urban communities, in school districts, and in a large national multi-site federal funded community-based initiative. This workshop assumes participants have an intermediate understanding of evaluation and are interested in promoting ways to build culturally competent and responsive practices. Questions regarding this workshop may be addressed to hopson@duq.edu or Katrina.bledsoe@gmail.com. |
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The focus of this hands-on workshop is to instruct attendees how to create reliable and valid surveys to be used in applied research. A bad survey is very easy to create. Creating an effective survey requires a complete understanding of the impact that item wording, question ordering, and survey design can have on a research effort. Only through adequate training can a good survey be discriminated from the bad. The day long workshop will focus specifically on these three aspects of survey creation. The day will being with a discussion of Dillman’s (2007) principles of question writing. After a brief lecture, attendees will then be asked to use their newly gained knowledge to critique the item writing of selected national surveys. Next, attendees will work in groups to create survey items of their own. Using Sudman, Bradburn, and Schwatrz’s (1996) cognitive approach, attendees will then be informed of the various ways question ordered can bias results. As practice, attendees will work in groups to critique the item ordering from selected national surveys. Next, attendees will propose an ordering scheme for the questions created during the previous exercise. Lastly, using several sources, the keys to optimal survey design will be provided. As practice, the design of national surveys will be critiqued. Attendees will then work with the survey items created, and properly ordered, in class and propose a survey design. Questions regarding this workshop may be addressed to Jason.Siegel@cgu.edu |
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Evaluation theories and models serve as a “guide” for practicing evaluation. Theories of evaluation offer principles, rationales, and organization for the procedural choices made by evaluators and orient practitioners to the issues and problems with which they must deal. Evaluation models offer a guide for understanding when, why, and how particular procedures should be used, a sequence for doing so, and what result to expect from the action. Because evaluation theory deals with issues that are of critical importance to the practice of evaluation, it can be argued that understanding an array of evaluation theories is an essential component of any evaluator's toll kit. This course will provide participants with a basic understanding of prevalent evaluation theories and models and systems for categorizing these theories. Topics include, why theories matter in evaluation practice and an introduction to a framework for classifying multiple models of evaluation. Participants will be asked to consider the implications of different models for practice and examples of the application of different theories and models will be presented. Questions regarding this workshop may be addressed to Tina.Christie@ucla.edu |
Wednesday, August 22, 2012 |
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Maritza Salazar This workshop is designed to introduce you to different types of qualitative research methods, with a particular emphasis on how they can be used in applied research and evaluation. Although you will be introduced to several of the theoretical paradigms that underlie the specific methods that we will cover, the primary emphasis will be on how you can utilize different methods in applied research and consulting settings. We will explore the appropriate application of various techniques, and review the strengths and limitations associated with each. In addition, you will be given the opportunity to gain experience in the use of several different methods. Overall, the workshop is intended to provide you with the basic skills needed to choose an appropriate method for a given project, as well as primary considerations in conducting qualitative research. Topics covered will include field observation, content analysis, interviewing, document analysis, and focus groups. Questions regarding this workshop may be addressed to Maritza.Salazar@cgu.edu |
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Introduction to Educational Evaluation This workshop is designed to provide participants an overview of the key concepts, issues, and current trends in contemporary educational program evaluation. Educational evaluation is a broad and diverse field, covering multiple topics such as curriculum evaluation, K-12 teaching/learning, institutional research and assessment in higher education, teacher education, Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM), college access and retention, out of school time (OST), and early childhood education. To operate within these varied fields, it is important for educational evaluators to possess an in-depth understanding of the educational environment as well as implement appropriate evaluation methods, procedures, and practices within these fields. Using lecture, interactive activities, and discussion, we will explore key issues that are important for contemporary educational evaluators to know, such as (1) differentiating between assessment and evaluation; (2) understanding common core standards and related assessment systems; (3) emerging research on predictors of student achievement; and (4) practical approaches to systematically evaluating educational programs (e.g., experimental and non-experimental approaches). Case studies of recent educational evaluations will be used to introduce and discuss these issues. Questions regarding this workshop may be addressed to Tiffany.Berry@cgu.edu |
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Ross Conner Context is an important consideration in undertaking any type of evaluation, and international evaluation provides a particularly good example of why and how an explicit consideration of contextual factors is useful. Using a 5-part framework and applying context assessment (CA), we will identify, illustrate and discuss issues from international and development evaluation. In break-out groups, we will analyze several case studies to understand the salient contextual issues and how these affected evaluation planning, implementation and analysis/use. By the end of the workshop, you will have a good idea about the application, operation and utility of CA, not only in international evaluations but also in US-based cases. Questions regarding this workshop may be addressed to rfconner@uci.edu |
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The time has come for us to drastically rethink the way we teach and think about evaluation. We're still working on the basis of a kind of neo- or post-positivist philosophy of science that is fundamentally incompatible with the legitimacy of evaluation, and it's seriously limiting our thinking, teaching, and research, not just in evaluation but throughout the social/behavioral sciences. This workshop will outline a radical alternative that builds on commonsense, bypasses positivism, and opens up new vistas for evaluation as the 'alpha discipline.' Questions regarding this workshop may be addressed to mjscriv1@gmail.com |
Thursday, August 23, 2012 |
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Stewart I. Donaldson & John Gargani This workshop will provide participants with the basics of program design from a theory-driven evaluation perspective. Participants will learn the five elements of a basic program design and how they relate to program theory and social science research. Lecture, discussions, and group activities will help participants learn how to apply what they learn to design and improve social, health, educational, organizational, and other programs. Examples from practice will be provided to illustrate main points and key take-home messages. Questions regarding this workshop may be addressed to Stewart.Donaldson@cgu.edu |
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Many introductory courses on research design start and end with the randomized experiment. This is a good beginning, but knowledge of "pure" experimental designs does not prepare researchers for the messier and more complicated (and often, more interesting) state of affairs commonly found in applied contexts. Just as important as knowledge of experimental designs is a thorough understanding of quasi-experimentation design and analysis. Though they often do not support causal explanations, "quasi" designs can provide evidence that may markedly reduce the range of possible explanations for an intervention or treatment. This workshop is designed to impart an understanding of quasi-experimental design and analysis. The workshop begins with a consideration of randomized experiments, strengths and weaknesses, with particular emphasis on Campbell and Stanley’s threats to internal and external validity. Considerations of reliability validity will be an important feature of the beginning sections of our work. From here, we move to the land of the quasi-experiment. In this largest section of the workshop, we will consider designs that lack random assignment (a central feature of quasi-experiments), designs that lack a control group or pretest (or both), those that use one or another of these design features. Along the way, we will consider the dangers of matching groups to create initial equivalence, and the potential utility of the new propensity scoring approaches. After considering case control designs and analysis, we move to time series designs, with special emphasis on the use of interrupted time series studies. If time permits, we then consider regression/discontinuity designs. Analytic models useful for each of these design approaches will be discussed, but our emphasis is on design, not statistics. Questions regarding this workshop may be addressed to William.Crano@cgu.edu. |
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What are the benefits of using a longitudinal research design compared to a cross-sectional study? How do you carry out a longitudinal research project? How do you analyze longitudinal data? The answers to these and other questions will be addressed in this in-depth introductory workshop. Longitudinal research methods are greatly informed by the field of lifespan developmental science, but these methods can enhance our ability to address many basic and applied research questions across fields of inquiry. In this workshop, we will discuss theoretical principles such as continuity and discontinuity and causality to determine what makes a research question longitudinal and how longitudinal research can inform theory and practice. Key issues involved in designing a longitudinal study will be explored. Using empirical examples as a guide, the workshop will overview several cutting-edge longitudinal analyses that can be utilized to advance basic and applied research. Questions regarding this workshop may be addressed to Laura.Wray-Lake@cgu.edu. |
Last updated 5/14/12
2012 Claremont Graduate University 
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