"The purpose of the Media for Democracy Assessment Tool (MAT) is to assist United States Agency for International Development (USAID) in producing media assessments to inform strategy on media and democracy programming, help inform potential media development programming goals, and help provide an i
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nformed understanding of where USAID investment is most feasible and needed and will have the best chances for impact. The MAT provides a standardized methodology to answer the key question: How do media connect to democracy and how can media support democracy promotion and civic space?" (Introduction, page 6)
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"The aim of this paper is to provide guidance on the evaluation of complex interventions in international development. Our contribution to the literature is threefold. First, unlike other reviews on the same subject, our focus is exclusively directed to evaluations of development interventions. Seco
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nd, we identify methods that are new or little used in the evaluation literature. Third, we map methods to project types with the aim of identifying methods that are useful to the evaluation of particular projects.
We start by making a distinction between complex interventions and complex systems. While much recent research has been devoted to understanding how interventions can be implemented and understood in complex systems, our interest rests primarily with the goal of understanding and evaluating complex interventions. We therefore abstract from complexities arising from the interaction between interventions and complex systems. In our framework, complex interventions can be implemented in simple as well as in complex systems, but the latter are not the primary focus of our paper. Removing the consideration of interactions between interventions and complex systems reduces the scope of our review, but helps focus attention on a manageable number of issues and methods.
We define complex interventions as interventions characterised by multiple components, multiple stakeholders, or multiple target populations, or interventions incorporating multiple processes of behavioural change. These interventions cannot be represented by single-intervention or single-outcome models, and present several challenges to evaluation. Occasionally, or purposely, these interventions give rise to emergent outcomes such as non-linear effects, tipping points, and multiple equilibria. The presence of emergent outcomes of this type adds additional difficulties to evaluation because existing methods are ill-equipped to detect and estimate non-linear impacts of interventions." (Inroduction)
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"To mark 20 years of Outcome Mapping, this paper explores the core principles and concepts that are foundational to using the approach. It also presents a set of guiding practices to support transformative change.
Three principles inherent in Outcome Mapping: 1. Social, policy & systems changes depe
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nd on changes in human behaviour; 2. People contribute to their own wellbeing; 3. Sustained improvements in people’s lives or environments depend on relationships.
Four core concepts necessary for effective use of Outcome Mapping: 1. Outcomes understood as changes in behaviour; 2. Spheres of influence; 3. Contributions to outcomes, not attribution; 4. Setting actor-centred boundaries.
Five guiding practices for using Outcome Mapping to support transformational change: 1. Facilitate inclusive & equity-focused participatory change processes; 2. Be accountable to learning at individual, team and organisational levels; 3. Grow a complex adaptive system view, & embrace uncertainty & experimentation; 4. Commit to iterative, collective sense-making with inductive & data driven reasoning; 5. Lead from context & combine Outcome Mapping with other approaches as needed." (Summary, page 2)
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"Network results can be divided into different categories, such as network vibrancy, network connectivity and network effects. Monitoring and evaluation tools and methods need to be chosen to assess each of these areas separately, depending on the need. Network surveys and social network analysis ar
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e two of the most common methods used to monitor and evaluate networks." (Introduction)
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"Training can take different forms. It can be carried out as a one-off exercise, or can be combined with other types of support, such as coaching or mentoring. The most well-known model for monitoring and evaluating training is the Kirkpatrick model, developed in the 1950s. A number of other models
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are also used by CSOs. Most of these are variants of the Kirkpatrick model." (Introduction)
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"Unlike scientific theories, evaluation theories are prescriptive: a set of actions and approaches that should be followed when conducting an evaluation. While evaluation theorists have offered a variety of writings describing their theories and approaches, few have offered a specific outline of wha
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t the theory looks like i n practice. Thus, Alkin and Christie formulated a book to aid evaluators in how to apply theories in evaluations. This book culminates in a series of prototypes that outline each theory’s goals, appropriate contexts, prescriptions, and observable actions in application. Purpose: In order to aid evaluators in applying theories, this article seeks to provide a basis for comparison that can be used to help evaluators select which theory would be most appropriate in their practice. Setting: This comparison can be applied in any setting where evaluations fit the context prescribed by each of the theories. Findings: In order for theories to influence practice effectively, theories must be displayed in a way that allows for easy comparison. This comparison of three theory prototypes demonstrates that prototype can be an effective way for selecting a prescriptive theory when conducting an evaluation." (Summary)
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"In the emerging fields of religious and interreligious peacebuilding, the question of monitoring and evaluation is a challenging, yet necessary process. The need to develop comprehensive yet fitting evaluation models for religious and interreligious peacebuilding is not only important for donor int
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erests, but also critical as a means of documenting and learning for peacebuilders themselves. Theories and best practices in monitoring and evaluation have become prevalent in many fields, yet the amount of literature on evaluating intercultural and, especially, religious and interreligious projects remains scant in comparison. This volume offers a unique contribution that not only looks at several of the challenges and implications faced by religious and interreligious peacebuilders but also provides concrete examples of new models and tools for monitoring and evaluating religious and interreligious peacebuilding projects. In doing so, this volume serves as a tool and point of reference for individuals and organizations developing and implementing interreligious dialogue and peacebuilding projects." (Publisher description)
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"This timely and comprehensive textbook covers theoretical and practical issues related to evaluation of programs, particularly social programs and projects, with an emphasis on viewing evaluation topics through a social justice, diversity, and inclusive perspective. It provides students with an equ
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al appreciation of both the art (for example engaging stakeholders, communicating across diverse settings, recruiting participants) and science (writing questions that matter, using credible designs, data analysis) of evaluation planning, implementation, and dissemination. This textbook will help students recognize that all populations are diverse, and that high quality evaluations need to pay attention to the diversity of all populations being served." (Publisher description)
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"Changes arising from capacity strengthening work can sometimes be measured directly. A range of tools and methodologies can also be used to help assess capacity change. Most of these were not designed specifically with capacity strengthening in mind, but can easily be adapted for the purpose. CSOs
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engaged in capacity strengthening work often use multiple M&E tools and methodologies in combination." (Introduction)
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"Organisational assessment (OA) tools are designed to assess organisational capacity, and plan capacity development initiatives. Sometimes they are used for monitoring and evaluation (M&E) purposes as well. There are two main ways of using OA tools for M&E. One is to develop an action plan based on
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the OA, and monitor it over time. The other is to repeat the OA at a later date to assess what has changed, and why." (Introduction)
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"Capacity strengthening is a process in which people and/or organisations are provided with external support to enhance and maintain their capacity over time. It can be a complex process, involving multiple actors, methods and influences. Monitoring and evaluation should always be designed to suppor
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t the capacity strengthening process, and should never undermine it." (Page 1)
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"This book presents five cases that reflect on the experiences of using practices consistent with the 'Evaluating C4D framework' [published by June Lennie and Jo Tacchi in 2013]. Case studies are important to help move from a set of ideal principles to an understanding of how the framework may be op
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erationalized within the actual realities of development institutions, organizations, and communities. The authors of each chapter focus on a few key principles from the framework and contextualize how they interpreted those principles in relation to various methods, models, and projects. As well as showing the usefulness and opportunities, they illustrate the challenges of balancing the various principles as well as real-world practical needs." (Overview of the book, page 10)
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"This paper presents comparative learning from the evaluation of six international development initiatives that applied various forms of Process Tracing. While these initiatives span across diverse contexts and pursued different aims, they are connected by a common thread: all six case studies centr
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e around efforts to influence others - often decision makers and those in power - around aspects such as practices of consultation and inclusion; public policy; and resource allocation. The paper is organized in the following manner. We first explain Process Tracing and review common definitions. Secondly, we consider the potential value added of an explicitly Bayesian approach to Process Tracing. Next, we discuss the six cases where Process Tracing was applied, noting similarities and differences. Then, we explore key practical learning emerging from the cases and insights from the use of different forms of Process Tracing across different programming contexts. These reflections are organized under four meta-themes of participation, Theory of Change, methodological decisions, and mitigating bias. Finally, we present our key recommendations, ending with practical tips, targeted at practitioners and evaluators interested in applying Process Tracing, especially for initiatives falling under the ‘influencing’ umbrella." (Introduction)
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"This guide is meant to serve as a practical resource for funders who want to understand where to start. Informed by feedback from our network, it represents a synthesis of the past seven years of work we’ve done in the impact space, and includes examples of successful media impact evaluation, too
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ls and frameworks for assessment, and the challenges of defining and measuring impact in a rapidly-shifting media landscape. Our years of research have led us to four key insights: 1. There are many different frameworks for measuring media impact for different areas of practice. 2. Funders should be mindful of power dynamics, and thoughtful in determining appropriate impact strategies with their grantees. 3. Digital analytics tools provide a wealth of useful data, but grantees require financial and logistical support in implementing them. 4. There are opportunities for funders to collaborate with each other to share best practices and increase collective impact." (Executive summary)
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