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Experimental Evaluation: Dealing With Random Assignment of Individuals Within Units
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| Presenter(s):
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| Andrea Beesley, Mid-continent Research for Education and Learning, abeesley@mcrel.org
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| Sheila A Arens, Mid-continent Research for Education and Learning, sarens@mcrel.org
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| Abstract:
The presenters will discuss experimental evaluations with random assignment at the individual level. While this design has significant benefits to power, it may have unexpected consequences. The presenters will explore this kind of evaluation and its implications, in order to help prepare attendees for similar projects. Specifically, the presentation will address:
• To what extent should the evaluator be involved in ensuring that the client’s communications with participants adhere to ethical guidelines?
• Does the evaluator have a role in ensuring that the client follows through on the program as originally planned? Does the evaluator therefore take on a curriculum development role, or merely document what happened?
• To what extent should evaluators press to ensure the integrity of random assignment? How can evaluators diplomatically monitor and discuss crossovers?
• Are there situations in which this design should be abandoned in favor of one with a different level of randomization?
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Evaluation Influence Within Population Health Partnerships: A Conceptual Framework
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| Presenter(s):
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| Sarah Appleton-Dyer, University of Auckland, sk.appleton@auckland.ac.nz
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| Janet Clinton, University of Auckland, j.clinton@auckland.ac.nz
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| Peter Carswell, University of Auckland, p.carswell@auckland.ac.nz
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| Abstract:
Evaluation has had a long interest in its utility. Equally, those commissioning evaluation want to benefit from its potential. The importance of evaluation use has led to a large amount of theoretical and empirical study, although it is still not well understood. More recently, the notion of ‘evaluation influence’ emerged. This term encompasses traditional conceptions of use, as well as changes at the individual, interpersonal and collective levels (Mark & Henry, 2004). This paper presents a theory of evaluation influence within population health partnerships. Specifically, the literature is used to develop hypotheses about the relationships between evaluation attributes, partnership functioning, contextual factors and evaluation influence. The model highlights the importance of understanding the contextual influences on evaluation, especially when evaluation is implemented within complex organisational systems. The model will be useful to both evaluators and public sector workers seeking to implement and benefit from evaluation within a partnership context.
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