Unlocking Evaluation Success with Program Theory

Please join us for our upcoming professional development meeting on Friday February 6th, 12 - 1:30pm.

Unlocking Evaluation Success with Program Theory

Mindy Hightower King, PhD

Program theory provides a roadmap for understanding how programs are supposed to work and how activities should lead to intended outcomes. Conversely, when program theory is not well-defined, problems will inevitably emerge that weaken both the program and its evaluation. This session provides an opportunity to dig deeper into program theory and strengthening evaluation practice through helping clients identify, clarify, and possibly revise program theory.

In this 90-minute session, we’ll explore:

• How to introduce clients to program theory through simple strategies.
• How to identify evaluation problems caused by poorly defined program theory.
• Short-term and longer-term strategies for helping clients articulate program theory to strengthen the design and implementation of an evaluation.

This professional development opportunity is provided at no cost to IEA members. Those who are members of an AEA affiliate will have the opportunity to join at no cost using a code that will be provided to local affiliate groups.