F1ID 4035 - Evaluating Development - The Fundamentals

This course serves as an entry point to PSIA new evaluation learning pathway. Evaluation is an essential function in the development world. Evaluator is a profession that is in demand and for which there is a need for more specialized training.

This course is a foundational one about evaluation applied to development. It aims to build student skills on evaluation but also to develop their capacity to critically reflect on what evaluation design and approaches to use when and for what.

The course starts with an introduction of what an evaluation is, how distinct it is from monitoring. The course then moves onto describing the context of evaluations: the subject of evaluation, the stakeholders, the timing and the purpose. From the fourth session the class follows the different steps of the evaluation logic from the evaluation questions, design and approaches to the data analysis.

Learning Outcomes

• Identify evaluation stakes and stakeholders
• Frame an evaluation matrix
• Decide which evaluative approach is best suited for which evaluations questions
• Explain the key features of the evaluation logic

Professional Skills

• Evaluation
• Data collection and analysis
• Teamwork
• Problem solving

None.

The theoretical class content is delivered through lectures, with complementary reading and podcasts. Students are encouraged to critically reflect on the content through two oral debates organized in class that students have to prepare. Students also apply their learning throughout a group work. On the basis of real-life evaluation terms of reference, the objective of the group work is for students to construct an evaluation matrix.

Written:

Three 15 min quiz in class, 20% of the final mark

Evaluation matrix – group assignment, 35% of the final mark

In person mid term exam, 35% of the final mark

Oral:

Individual mark of the overall participation during the semester: 10% of the final mark

• Face to face lectures: 24 hours
• Self-study: journal article, podcast & E-learning: 40h a semester
• Autonomous group work: 40 hours a semester
• Individual research: 46 hours a semester