Background
– Organizational Vision for Evaluation and Accountability
Vision
for Evaluation
For Texas AgriLife Extension Service – at all levels – to understand,
value, and practically implement excellence in evaluation for accountability,
program improvement, planning,
and interpretation purposes.
Extension Education Strategic Plan, 2006 – 2010
Vision for Accountability
For Texas AgriLife Extension Service to fully and accurately account for individual,
fiscal,
and programmatic efforts – as evidence of our value and to maximize
the
agency’s effectiveness and efficiency with our stakeholders.
Extension Education Strategic Plan, 2006 – 2010
Texas AgriLife Extension Service will develop and utilize a comprehensive system
for
individual, fiscal, and programmatic accountability to maximize the agency’s
effectiveness and efficiency with our stakeholders.
Organizational Goal, Accountability, TCE Agency Strategic Plan, 2006 –
2010
Texas AgriLife Extension Service will develop and utilize a comprehensive system
for
program interpretation to maximize accountability efforts aimed at maximizing
the
agency’s effectiveness and efficiency with our stakeholders.
Organizational Goal, Accountability, TCE Agency Strategic Plan, 2006 –
2010
Vision
for EAC
In order to help advance the aforementioned organizational visions, the
EAC
will serve as the focal point for leadership and practical support of
strategically
important Extension evaluation and accountability efforts –
utilizing the diverse perspectives, talents, and experiences of faculty
from a
variety of disciplines within the agency.
Target Audiences
TCE Administration
Legislative Budget Board
Funders, granting agencies, TCE partners
Developers of high-potential programs
Extension faculty who conduct evaluations
Project Scope
EAC will conduct and support high impact evaluation and accountability
projects of
regional or statewide scope and/or of strategic importance to the agency.
Unit Participation
Agricultural Communications
Agricultural Economics
Extension Education
Extension Information Technology
Collaborative Team
Elizabeth Gregory – Agricultural Communications
Dr. Dean McCorkle – Agricultural Economics
Dave Mayes – Agricultural Communications
Paul Pope – Extension Education
Dr. Rey Santos – Extension Information Technology
Other Participants
Program area liaisons (ANR, FCS, 4-H, CD)
Faculty as individual projects dictate
Operational Vision / Timeframe
EAC seeks to coordinate and more effectively utilize the existing resources
and efforts of individual team members to address major evaluation and
accountability issues.
It is envisioned that the goals and strategies outlined in this document will be accomplished over the next three to five years. A separate plan of work would outline anticipated efforts for next year.
Addendums
EAC may modify or otherwise adapt this strategic plan to the changing
needs of the organization or in response to issues that arise in the course
of working on projects.
Goal #1 Support statewide reporting of outreach and impact.
Strategies
1.1 Support ongoing, strategically important statewide reporting efforts such as customer satisfaction.
1.2 Conduct periodic impact studies in four major program areas.
1.3 Study feasibility of developing a central database of Extension clientele for sampling frame purposes to support research efforts at the state level.
1.4 Provide input and technical assistance into the design of TExAS reporting system.
1.5 Support tabulation and summarizing outcome data from TExAS across numerous projects for statewide reporting purposes.
Goal #2 Conduct high quality, timely evaluations for selected projects.
Strategies
2.1 Design and implement evaluation projects as appropriate for EAC – from defining study requirement through interpretation.
This may include needs assessments, participant satisfaction, output measurement, outcome measurement, economic impact measurement, and administrative directives such as employee surveys.
2.2 Utilize advanced data collection technologies (forms scanning, ASP, web surveys, etc.) – where feasible and appropriate – for more efficient data collection.
2.3 Utilize PPRI or other research organizations for data collection and other services – where feasible and appropriate.
2.4 Incorporate economic impact analysis – where feasible and appropriate.
2.5 Utilize internal and external data sources to augment evaluations – where feasible and appropriate.
2.6 Utilize subject matter and research methodology expertise of EAC team members and other Extension faculty.
2.7 Make results
of studies conducted by EAC accessible to all Extension personnel.
Goal #3 Serve in consulting role for faculty conducting high-impact
evaluations.
Strategies
3.1 Provide general guidance to faculty designing evaluations via a regular avenue of communication (i.e., EAC web page).
3.2 Provide technical assistance in all areas of evaluation for specific projects — from defining project requirements through interpretation.
3.3 Serve in a review role – to ensure that interpretation of results are reasonable, accurate, and defensible.
Goal #4 Improve the overall quality of Extension evaluations.
Strategies
4.1 Develop and implement data quality standards – to help faculty design and produce higher quality evaluations and to give faculty, administrators and other users of evaluation context in interpreting results.
4.2 Develop software tools and techniques to support evaluation as needed.
4.3 Educate faculty on including economic impact questions in evaluations.
4.4 Create a library of evaluation projects to improve archiving and accessibility of past evaluations efforts. This can serve as a resource for quality evaluations and best practices.
4.5 Educate faculty on effective and defensible interpretation of program impacts
4.6 Encourage peer review, especially at county level.
Goal #5 Explore new evaluation models, methodologies, best practices, and technology and recommend to Extension faculty as appropriate.
Strategies
5.1 Scan web and review relevant literature for cutting-edge evaluation models, methodologies, best practices, and technology – and innovative application of evaluation principles. Develop and communicate recommendations to Extension faculty.
5.2 Develop and apply new evaluation techniques, methodologies, and best practices to EAC projects.
Goal #6 Increase awareness among faculty of evaluation’s strategic importance to the organization.
Strategies
6.1 Develop an “excellence in evaluation” award to recognize outstanding evaluation efforts (independent of outcomes) – from the collaborative or possibly as a new Superior Service Award category.
6.2 Highlight and praise outstanding evaluation efforts throughout the year via a regular avenue of communication (i.e., EAC web page).
6.3 Increase awareness of strategic importance of including economic impact analysis in evaluation – if possible.
- Review and recommended changes
to customer satisfaction form
Review entire customer satisfaction form, item by item. Assess the worth of each question – delete, add, and modify questions to produce more useful and meaningful data. Develop online data entry option to complement forms scanning.
- Review and recommendations
to reporting side of TExAS
Develop and submit recommendations to the TExAS Design Team on reporting actual results to a planned evaluation task within TExAS.
- Revamp of 4-H Online Evaluation
Update the 4-H online evaluation system to increase functionality and use more current evaluation instruments.
- Online Evaluations (ZipSurvey)
Project
Provide faculty a software tool (ZipSurvey) for conducting their own web-based evaluations or just to experiment or learn about web surveys – at no cost to faculty. Documentation was developed to guide faculty through the process.
Anticipated (Possible) Projects in near future
- GIS interface to TExAS database
- Forage Legumes program evaluation
- Revamp of BLT evaluation
For more information
on the Evaluation & Accountability Collaborative, please contact Paul
Pope