In our February blog post Get a Glimpse of the Workshops in Store for CES Toronto 2013 we spoke about the range of workshops available for evaluation conference delegates at every level in the field. Well, this week we’re highlighting three more workshops as examples of how we’ve fulfilled that promise to you. One is a workshop aimed at people just starting out in their evaluation careers; another is pitched at intermediate level and, for the well-established, we have a solid, meaty session that will really stimulate your mental processes.

An Executive Summary is Not Enough

with Kylie Hutchinson

This beginner-level, morning workshop will help wake you up with an in-depth look at the importance of reporting skills and the best ways to communicate the results of an evaluation. Presenter Kylie Hutchinson will offer an overview of the three key principles for reporting results effectively, and you’ll be able to participate in discussing the role of communications and reporting in good evaluation practice and to work in groups on a real-life example. Afterwards, you’ll leave with an expanded repertoire of four innovative reporting techniques. The workshop will address the following evaluation competencies:

1. Technical Practice 2.16
2. Situational Practice 3.5, 3.6

Kylie Hutchinson is an evaluation consultant with a strong background in training, facilitation and eLearning.  She works closely with the Public Health Agency of Canada and the UBC School of Population and Public Health, and is on the faculty of the Justice Institute of BC’s Instructor Development Program.

Causal Inference for Qualitative and Mixed Methods

with E. Jane Davidson 

“Causation: The relation between mosquitoes and mosquito bites. Easily understood by both parties but never satisfactorily defined by philosophers and scientists.” – Scriven (1991).

This full-day, intermediate level workshop aims to deliver eight practical strategies to build an evidence base for getting an answer to the question of causal inference – albeit an approximate one. Delegates will learn how to build causal elements into interview and survey questions and to use a range of sources to build the case for causal contribution.

Delivered by Dr. E. Jane Davidson, the workshop will address the evaluation competencies of:

1. Technical Practice 2.1, 2.6, 2.7

Dr. E. Jane Davidson is the author of several books on evaluation methodologies as well as co-author of the blog GenuineEvaluation.com. She delivers international keynote addresses and professional development workshops online and won the American Evaluation Association’s Marcia Guttentag Award in 2005.

Processes of Learning in a Developmental Evaluation

with Wendy Rowe & Keiko Kuji-Shikatani 

“Developmental Evaluation refers to long-term, partnering relationships between evaluators and those engaged in innovative initiatives and development. Developmental evaluation processes include asking evaluative questions and gathering information to provide feedback and support developmental decision-making and course corrections along the emergent path.”  Michael Quinn Patton

This workshop will provide an overview of the principles of Developmental Evaluation and introduce process learning tools that have been used by seasoned evaluators to guide the development, sustainability and effectiveness of the program intervention.

You will learn:

1. How to attend to the unique interests, emergent issues, and complex contextual circumstances.
2. How to decipher and infuse evaluative thinking by applying and embedding technical and management practice competencies into the work cycle, evaluation design, data collection, analysis, interpretation and reporting.
3. How to apply Reflective Practice competencies as an intervention to facilitate the process of learning

Evaluation competencies to be addressed include:

1. Situation Practice 3.2, 3.3, 3.8

Dr. Wendy Rowe is a professor in the School of Leadership.  She teaches evaluative inquiry and performance measurement and is an experienced facilitator in program evaluation. She works with organizations to enhance their performance and capabilities.

Dr. Keiko Kuji-Shikatani facilitates job-embedded professional learning on a daily basis in the Public Sector using a logic model as a tool for infusing evaluative thinking and to guide developmental evaluation and has provided professional learning workshops on Developmental Evaluation to various audiences in Canada and internationally.

View the full list of workshops planned for CES Toronto 2013 or take in the video and audio messages from some of our presenters and make your choice ahead of time. Follow us on LinkedIn,Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Google+, or subscribe to our bilingual Conference Newsletter.

The Engineers Without Borders’ co-founder and CEO is scheduled to deliver a keynote address at this year’s evaluation conference.

Intelligent development. That’s how Engineers Without Borders (EWB) views its social change programs that are working to accelerate rural African development. According to a February 2013 article in Forbes magazine, EWB’s CEO and co-founder George Roter has revolutionized engineering in Canada and built a global system-changing network supported by more than 45,000 engineers, volunteers, staff and entrepreneurs from all over the world that is impacting the lives of more than 2.5 million people in Africa.

A New Way

George Roter believes in a new way of looking at issues. Inspired originally by the extreme poverty of people in Zambia and Malawi, Roter decided to address the problem at its root and find a way to resolve some of its manifestations, such as the absence of clean water. This led to the creation of EWB, whose purpose is to create opportunities and training for rural Africans that will result in the next generation having more favorable conditions for change and prosperity.. Roter previously spoke on redefining poverty at the third annual TEDxToronto conference in September of 2011.

Inspiring Change

Through EWB, Roter inspires an ever-growing network of leaders who are dedicated to making disruptive, positive change. He has been recognized as an Ashoka Fellow for Social Entrepreneurship (2012), was awarded the Young Leaders Award by the Public Policy Forum (2007), named as one of Canada’s Top 40 Under 40 (2005) and awarded an Action Canada Fellowship (2004) on public policy. Roter was also recognized by Time magazine as one of Canada’s next generation of social leaders (2001).

Transforming How We Work

Transparency and accountability are key to EWB’s culture. Speaking publicly about setbacks in their groundbreaking Failure Report, EWB is leading the way in creating a culture that openly discusses and critically learns from failures. Roter is looking forward to addressing the CES 2013 Toronto. “We have a huge opportunity for us to start thinking about evaluation as completely integrated with learning, with discovery, and with iteration,” says Roter. “If we do this, evaluation will not just be an exercise in accountability and report writing, but will truly unlock the potential of practitioners to deliver great work, and the potential of projects to be truly transformative.”

Watch this space for more information on workshops lined up for 2013, or subscribe to our bilingual Conference Newsletter and follow us on social media. You can find us on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and  Google+.