Sheila B Robinson on Welcoming Summer with a Breath of Fresh Warm Air, and New Evaluation Learning

Hello Evaluation Learners! I’m Sheila B. Robinson, aea365’s Lead Curator and sometimes Saturday contributor. Today, I’m writing about AEA’s Summer Evaluation Institute, a fabulous learning opportunity coming up soon. Anyone who knows me knows that two things I love are learning, and meeting with evaluation colleagues, and this is the perfect opportunity to do both.

Registration is now open for the 2015 AEA Summer Evaluation Institute – May 31 – June 3 in Atlanta, GA. Here’s a quick preview of just a few of the high quality courses offered. Note: Descriptions are truncated, so please visit the site for complete descriptions:

Rad Resources: 

An Executive Summary is Not Enough: Effective Evaluation Reporting Techniques with Kylie Hutchinson

Reporting is an important skill for evaluators who care about seeing their results disseminated widely and recommendations actually implemented, but there are alternatives to the traditional lengthy report. This interactive workshop will present an overview of four key principles for effective reporting and engage participants in a discussion of its role in effective evaluation.

Culturally Responsive Evaluation (CRE): Theory to Practice and Back Again with Rodney K. Hopson and Karen E. Kirkhart

This workshop addresses the theory that grounds Culturally Responsive Evaluation (CRE) and the strategies that bring it to life in evaluation practice. Presenters set the context with a brief discussion of the centrality of culture in evaluation and the history of how the evaluation profession is coming to a clearer appreciation of culture. Against this backdrop, CRE’s development is highlighted and key elements of the CRE framework are identified. The workshop then transitions from theory to practice.

Qualitative Approaches to Evaluation: Core Concepts for Defensible Practice with Jennifer C. Greene

This workshop offers an introduction to the core stances and principles of qualitative approaches to evaluation, with a focus on overall design and the collection, analysis, and reporting of interview and observation data.

Needs Assessment – Basic Ideas, a Guiding Model, and Hands-on Work with Several Interesting Methods with James W. Altschuld

After establishing the ABCs of needs assessment (NA) such as concepts, terms, a guiding model, and a brief overview of methods often employed in the NA process, participants will be involved in several hands-on activities to demonstrate what they entail and how they bring the NA process to life.

Rad Resources: The Institute also opens with two concurrent pre-institute workshops:

Practical Methods for Improving Evaluation Communication with Stephanie Evergreen

Introduction to Evaluation with Thomas Chapel

Hot Tip: Registration is still open for the 2015 AEA Summer Evaluation Institute – May 31 – June 3 in Atlanta, GA but act fast! Courses do fill up!

I wish I could share the rest of the 26 great courses here!

Do you have questions, concerns, kudos, or content to extend this aea365 contribution? Please add them in the comments section for this post on the aea365 webpage so that we may enrich our community of practice. Would you like to submit an aea365 Tip? Please send a note of interest to aea365@eval.org . aea365 is sponsored by the American Evaluation Association and provides a Tip-a-Day by and for evaluators.

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