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Session Title: Evaluations of United States Foreign Assistance Programs: Implications for Evaluation Practices
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Panel Session 234 to be held in Wekiwa 4 on Thursday, Nov 12, 9:15 AM to 10:45 AM
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Sponsored by the International and Cross-cultural Evaluation TIG
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| Chair(s): |
| Krishna Kumar, United States Department of State, kumark@state.gov
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| Abstract:
This panel discusses evaluation designs and findings of three international evaluations, which were conducted by the US foreign assistance agencies, and explores their implications for evaluation practices. These evaluations had complex research designs and required use of multiple data collection methods. The first presentation describes the findings of an evaluation of HIV prevention USAID program in Jamaica, which used randomized cluster design, to assess the effectiveness of a multi-level prevention program to increase condom use. The second presentation examines the approach adopted by the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, in the Department of State, in assessing the nuanced impacts of cultural and arts exchange programs. The third presentation outlines methodological lessons of a multi-country evaluation. The evaluation involved fieldwork in seven countries and assessed the impacts of USAID's assistance to promote independent media. Taken together, these evaluations illuminate the different contexts and dimensions of international, cross-cultural evaluations.
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Testing the Use of Randomized Cluster Design for Evaluating a Multi-Level HIV/AIDS Programs
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| Sharon S Weir, University of North Carolina, sharon_weir@unc.edu
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This presentation describes the randomized cluster evaluation funded by USAID that was used in Kingston, Jamaica to assess the effectiveness of a multi-level prevention program to increase condom use and compare the strengths, weaknesses and cost of this randomized design with two alternative designs that were not used: 1) the epidemiological design of choice, a community randomized trial with HIV as an endpoint and 2) a simpler cross-sectional monitoring tool called the "PLACE" method that does not include randomization. It examines whether the simplest cross-sectional design using the PLACE method is "good enough", and if so, what are the risks of using a flawed design and what improvements could be made to the protocol to increase its value as an evaluation protocol.
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Evaluating Cultural and Arts Exchange Programs Globally
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| Robin S Silver, United States Department of State, silverrs@state.gov
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The Cultural Programs Office of the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, in the Department of State, conducts a wide range of cultural exchange programs in performing arts and visual arts, across genres, cultures, and countries. The Office of Policy and Evaluation broke new ground with an evaluation of the Rhythm Road -American Music Abroad program (formally the Jazz Ambassadors program), surveying musicians participating the program, State Department staff responsible for program implementation globally, and conducting extensive fieldwork in four countries, Bulgaria, Cameroon, Honduras and India. The paper describes how the methodology enabled the collection of data on cross-cultural sharing and learning, the specific impacts of cultural diplomacy, introduction of unique American art forms, and conversations between cultural communities, educators, musicians, and institutions, in the US and overseas.
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Lessons of a Multi-Country Impact Evaluation of United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Media Assistance
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| Krishna Kumar, United States Department of State, kumark@state.gov
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The US Agency for International Development provides assistance to promote independent media in developing and transition countries. Media assistance programs train journalists, build and strengthen journalism training institutions, provide grants and loans to purchase media equipment, arrange technical assistance to reform media laws and regulations, and assist pro-media civil society organizations. This evaluation examined the overall impacts of US assistance in Afghanistan, Bosnia, Central America, Russia, Serbia and Sierra Leone. The paper describes the complex methodology designed for the evaluation, the problems and difficulties faced in conducting fieldwork and the lessons learned for the conducting evaluations of democracy promotion.
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