Just as in needs assessments, interviews and focus groups are common tools for obtaining information about the processes involved in the implementation of programs. Process evaluation should include specifics about purpose, questions which the evaluation will address, and methods that social workers will use to conduct evaluations.
Review the many examples of process evaluation results described in Chapter 8 of Dudley, J. R. (2014). Social work evaluation: Enhancing what we do. (2nd ed.) Chicago, IL: Lyceum Books, or in the optional resources. Select an example of a process evaluation that produced valuable information. Compare the description of those results with the Social Work Research Qualitative Groups case study located in this week’s resources..
By Day 3
Post a description of the process evaluation that you chose and explain why you selected this example. Describe the stage of program implementation in which the evaluation occurred, the informants, the questions asked, and the results. Based upon your comparison of the case study and the program evaluation report that you chose, improve upon the information presented in the case study by identifying gaps in information. Fill in these gaps as if you were the facilitator of the focus group. Clearly identify the purpose of the process evaluation and the questions asked.
By Day 5
Respond to at least two colleagues’ improvements to the process evaluation report in the Social Work Research Qualitative Groups case study by doing the following:
- Explain how your colleagues’ reports improved upon that of the case study.
- Suggest further improvements.
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MUST BE STRUCTURED LIKE BELOW:
- Post a needs assessment plan for a potential program of your choice that meets a currently unmet need. Describe the unmet need and how current information supports your position that a needs assessment is warranted
- Your response
- Identify the sources of information that you might use when conducting a needs assessment, including potential informants. Explain who among these potential informants would be valuable resources and why.
- Your response
- Identify steps for obtaining credible, unbiased information.
- Your response
- References (Be sure to cite course resources or other resources, such as those in the Walden Library, related to both the program idea and to approaches to needs assessments).
- Your response
- By Day 5 (Fri.) respond to at least two colleagues by doing all of the following:
- Indicate strengths of their needs assessment plan that will enable the needs assessments to yield support for the program that they want to develop.
- Your response
- Offer suggestions to improve the needs assessment plan in areas such as: Defining the extent and scope of the need
- Your response
- Obtaining important information about the target population
- Your response
- Identifying issues that might affect the target population’s ability to access the program or services
- Your response
- References
- Your response
- Optional question to probe your peers (see grading rubric)
- Your response
- Optional return to the forum for additional participation (see grading rubric)
- Your response
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