Monitoring and Evaluation Training: A Systematic Approach

This one-of-a-kind book fills a gap in the literature by providing readers with a systematic approach to monitoring and evaluation (M&E) training for programs and projects. Bridging theoretical concepts with practical, how-to knowledge, authors Scott Chaplowe and J. Bradley Cousins draw upon the scholarly literature, applied resources, and over 50 years of combined experience to provide expert guidance that can be tailored to different M&E training needs and contexts, including those for novices, professionals, organizations and their staff, community members, and other groups with a desire to learn and sustain sound M&E practices.

Table of Contents:
Part I: Key Concepts of M&E Training 1. M&E Training That Makes a Difference What is M&E Training That Makes a Difference? Systems Thinking for Training Revisiting M&E The Rising Demand for M&E Training Who Provides M&E Training? What Kind of M&E Training? Chapter Summary Recommended Resources 2. The Training Landscape What is a Training? Formal, Non-formal, Informal, and Incidental Education Training Types – A Brief Overview Face-to-Face Training Distance Training and eLearning Blended Learning Chapter Summary Appendices Recommended Resources 3. The M&E Capacity Building Context What is Evaluation Capacity Building? M&E Capacity Building at the Individual Level M&E Capacity Building at the Organizational Level M&E Capacity Building in the External Environment M&E Capacity Assessment and Strategic Planning Chapter Summary Recommended Resources 4. Adult Learning What is Learning? How Adults Learn Andragogy Experimental Learning Learning Styles and Preferences Differentiated Instruction Learner-Centered Training Adult-Learning Principles for Effective M&E Training Chapter Summary Recommended Resources 5. What Makes a Good M&E Trainer? Trainer Competencies Recruiting a Trainer Chapter Summary Appendices Recommended Resources Part II: A Systematic Approach to M&E Training 6. An Overview of the ADDIE Framework for Training ADDIE as a Systematic and Systems Approach for Training Why Have We Chosen the ADDIE for This Book? Planning to Manage the ADDIE Process Chapter Summary Appendices Recommended Resources 7. Training Analysis Solution Analysis Needs and Outcomes Analysis Trainee Analysis Context Analysis Task Analysis Gap and Causal Analysis Training Analysis Report Chapter Summary Recommended Resources 8. Training Design Identify Training Objectives Preparing Learning Objectives Organizing the Instructional Content Designing the Training Curriculum Designing Training Evalaution and Follow-Up Chapter Summary Recommended Resources 9. Training Development and Preparation Develop Training Materials and Resources Review and Pilot the Training Preparing for an M&E Training Workshop Chapter Summary Recommended Resources 10. Training Implementation Training Facilitation Facilitating the Workshop Introduction, Activities, and Closing Chapter Summary Recommended Resources 11. Training Evaluation What is Training Evaluation? Training Evaluation Methods - An Overview Training Evaluation Guidelines Determining Who Will Conduct Training Evaluation Chapter Summary Appendices Recommended Resources Part III: M&E Training Methods and Techniques Icebreakers Energizers Lectures Discussion Activities Subgroup Formations Case Studies Learning Games Guest Speakers Panel Discussions and Debates Role Playing Simulations Demonstrations M&E Software Activities Learner Presentations Practicum Experiences Independent Learning Activities Review Activities Learning Assessment Activities Training Monitoring and Evaluation Activities Training Closing Activities Training Follow-Up Activities

About the Author :
Scott G. Chaplowe is currently a senior monitoring and evaluation (M&E) officer at the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), based in Geneva. In addition to M&E, he has over twenty-years experience in policy research and analysis, strategic planning, and capacity building and development for civil society and international organizations. He holds a MA degree from UCLA in Geography, with a focus on political ecology and natural resource management and has authored articles on urban agriculture, civil society and evaluation, coedited a book on sustainable agriculture, and developed an assortment of guides on M&E, program design, capacity assessment, and strategic planning. His initial experience in adult education was working with experiential learning and leadership with Outward Bound and the National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS). He has since taught at universities in both the United States and abroad (China and Taiwan) and has extensive experience in the development, delivery, and evaluation of individual and organizational training (face-to-face, e-learning, and blended learning). He has provided training in M&E and related topics in North and South America, Europe, Africa, and Asia, including professional development workshops for the American Evaluation Association (AEA), the European Evaluation Society (EES), the South African Monitoring and Evaluation Association (SAMEA), the Malaysian Evaluation Society (MES), and the Sri Lankan Evaluation Association (SLEVA). For more information, visit www.ScottChaplowe.com. J. Bradley Cousins is professor of Evaluation at the Faculty of Education, University of Ottawa. Cousins’ main interests are in program evaluation including participatory and collaborative approaches, use, and capacity building. He received his PhD in Educational Measurement and Evaluation from the University of Toronto in 1988. Throughout his career he has received several awards for his work in evaluation including the Contribution to Evaluation in Canada award (CES, 1999), the Paul F. Lazarsfeld Award for Theory in Evaluation (AEA, 2008) and the AERA Research on Evaluation Distinguished Scholar Award (2011). He has published many articles and books on evaluation and was editor of the Canadian Journal of Program Evaluation from 2002 to 2010. Throughout his career, Cousins has had considerable experience planning, delivering, and evaluating evaluation training and capacity building in Canada and abroad. Internationally he led evaluation capacity building in Central and West Africa and a major three and one-half year project in India. He is currently leading a nation-wide evaluation of teacher in-service training in that country in collaboration with several of the people he had previously trained. Cousins completed a three and one-half year term as director of the Centre for Research on Educational and Community Services at the University of Ottawa in July 2015. He continues to be an active member of CRECS, which has a strong mandate for research and evaluation capacity building. For more information, visit www.crecs.uottawa.ca.

Review :
This text is excellent for building the capacity of trainers that help professionals and nonprofessionals to learn about program evaluation. The book contains useful guidelines for designing effective M&E training, or for designing training generally. Monitoring and Evaluation Training: A Systematic Approach reflects a meticulous review of the literature and discourse on evaluation capacity building and development to inform successful M&E training. It acknowledges the complexity of interdependent considerations, including larger organizational and societal contexts, to not only deliver effective M&E training, but also training transfer - the ability of trainees to apply M&E learning after training has been completed. I often note that it seems like we’re endlessly training NGO staff in M&E, and frustrated with the mediocre work that results.  Effective training is so much more than just delivering or facilitating good content. What is so essential about this book is that it fills a key gap on how to effectively train for M&E, and it does so in a thorough yet digestible format. In an era of increasing demand and need for evaluation capacity building, this book is a key tool for higher quality and more sustainable results. Monitoring and Evaluation Training is a very comprehensive and well-illustrated training manual which is grounded on modern theories and presents practical application of all known M&E training and facilitation tools and methods. As a former trainer in Project Cycle Management related M&E and facilitator of planning and self-evaluation workshops, I would have loved to have such a book. Whether managing or delivering M&E training in the fields of development or philanthropy, this book prides both the "nuts and bolts" as well as the conceptual backdrop for effective M&E training. Written for a diversity of training contexts, this excellent and timely book draws extensively from current literature yet is highly practical, reflecting the vast real-world experience of the authors. It will be very useful for anyone who has to cultivate an appreciation for M&E and evaluative thinking in their organizations, teams or communities – whether evaluators, program managers, team leaders or researchers. After more than 25 years of observing and delivering M & E training, I′m delighted to see this book which provides such good advice about building in adult learning principles and proper planning. M & E training is an important element of building and strengthening evaluation capacity. The book combines accessible guidance about principles of good instructional design and delivery with very practical exercises and examples. Novice and experienced M & E trainers could all learn from it. Monitoring and Evaluation Training: A Systematic Approach is a welcome addition to the field of monitoring and evaluation, notable in its scope and breadth of a topic of increasingly importance in the evaluation community. The authors support effectively capacity building in M&E by providing an enriching compendium of well-tried tools and practical hints for systematic training, complemented with a sound grasp of the underpinning theoretical concepts. This book is valuable resource for people, like me, who are involved in building and strengthening evaluation capacity in the humanitarian sector. It balances the personal experience of the authors with up-to-date academic knowledge, communicated in an easy and humorous way that makes reading this book serious fun.