Participants evaluate education program.

Module 14 – Project Evaluation

Learning Expectations

• Understand the rationale for effective project and plan evaluation
• Outline what you feel are the ingredients of a good monitoring and evaluation program
• Prepare a road map for evaluation of progress to date
• Develop a realistic methodology to assess outcomes to date
• Begin preparation of an outcomes report for local source protection planning

Section One – Module Content – Learning Expectations and Learning Activities

Field Learning

There is one field learning assignment to be completed for next session. Prepare an ‘outcome report’ about an environmental project undertaken by your organization or sector.

Evaluate its effectiveness by answering the following questions:
What were the intended outcomes of the project?
Which outcomes were achieved?
What part goes further by answering a number of evaluation questions:
What part did the project play in the outcome?
Was the project on time?
On budget?
Carried out as planned?
Was the project the best means to achieve the outcome?
Are other initiatives more effective?
Did the benefit reach the intended area or population?
What was learned?

Unit 1 – What is project evaluation and why is it needed?

Unit 2 – How would we set up project evaluation in our local planning region?

Unit 3 – What advice would we like to give the Source Protection Committee (SPC)

Unit 4 – Wrapping It Up

Unit 1 – What is project evaluation and why is it needed?

Activity 1 – Personal Reflection

1. Using the Province of Ontario Rural Economic Development Data and Intelligence (REDDI) website [2007], or the Health Canada Community Action Resources for Inuit, Métis and First Nations publication on ‘Evaluating,’ [1998] and review some of the rationale behind, and the methods for, effective project evaluation.
2. What are the ‘ingredients’ of a good monitoring and evaluation program?

Unit 2 – How would we set up project evaluation in our local Source Protection Region?

Activity 2 – Group Activity

Inside/Outside Circle

Instruction: Form two groups to take part in an inside/outside circle discussion around the following questions:

1. Do we need an evaluation team? What are the pros and cons?
2. Do we need outside expertise? If so at what stages?

For three minutes exchange your views with your counterpart on question.

1. Then the outside circle shifts one to the right and circle members exchange views on question
2. Then shift again and return to question 1., etc.

Unit 3 – What advice would we like to give the Source Protection Committee (SPC)

Activity 3 – Facilitated Group Dialogue

After returning to the group as a whole, a consensus will be sought out on each question. Alternatively, comments will be recorded for submission to the Source Protection Committee (SPC).

Unit 4 – Wrapping It Up

Advice for the Source Protection Committee

Activity 4 – Group Activity

What we would like to share

Section Two

Priming the Pump

Notes, Definitions, Fact sheets

Preparing an Evaluation Report

For larger projects or for a group of related projects, an evaluation report is needed. Similarly periodic evaluation reports will be needed on the Source
Protection Plans themselves. Sometimes done by outside consultants (bringing an unfettered viewpoint) the report contains plan or project findings, conclusions and recommendations.

What is project evaluation?

According to the Province of Ontario Rural Economic Development ‘REDDI’ site, project evaluation is a step-by-step process of collecting, recording and
organizing information about project results, including short-term outputs (immediate results of activities, or project deliverables), and immediate and
longer-term project outcomes (changes in behaviour, practice or policy resulting from the project).

Common rationales for conducting an evaluation are:
Response to demands for accountability;
Demonstration of effective, efficient and equitable use of financial and other resources;
Recognition of actual changes and progress made;
Identification of success factors, need for improvement or where expected
outcomes are unrealistic;
Validation for project staff and partners that desired outcomes are being
achieved.