Impact Evaluation Of Interventions For Sustainable Development

Introduction

Impact evaluation is an integral process in monitoring and evaluation of projects, programs and implementation of policies. The information revealed by impact evaluation establishes the cause of observed impacts of an intervention. The impact of an intervention can be positive, negative, intended or unintended, direct and indirect. Impact evaluation results therefore can be used to improve or reorient an intervention or to inform decisions about whether to continue, discontinue, replicate or scale up an intervention. This 5 days course will equip participants with skills on how to design a program theory of change, conduct impact evaluation estimation using Stata and interpretation, reporting and dissemination of impact evaluation findings.

Course Duration

5 days

Course Outline

Module 1: Context of Impact Evaluation

·        Impact evaluation: Theory and practice

·        What impact is?

·        What impact evaluation is?

·        How to measure impact

·        Definition of Monitoring and evaluation

·        Importance of impact evaluation

·        Understanding logical framework in Monitoring and evaluation

·        Results Framework

·        M&E Project Indicators

Module 2: Introduction to Impact Evaluation

·        Impact evaluation quantitative and qualitative design approaches

•          Experimental and quasi experimental (Randomized Control Trials, Regression Discontinuity, Difference-in-Difference; Propensity Score Matching, instrumental variables)
•          Statistical
•          Theory based approach
•          Case based approachüParticipatory approach

 Synnthesis studies approach

·        A theory based evaluation

·        A program theory of change (ToC)

·        Differences between ToC and log frame

·        Hands on exercise: Developing a program theory of change

Determining points of Impact Evaluation

·        Hands on exercise: Using ToC derive evaluation questions and outcome indicators

·        Types of evaluation questions

·        Understanding the results chain

·        Evaluation hypothesis

·        Impact evaluation indicators

Sampling in Impact Evaluation

·        Sampling techniques in Impact Evaluation

·        Probability and non-probability sampling techniques

Module 3: Quantitative Data Analysis for Impact Evaluation

Randomized Impact Evaluation

• Setting the counterfactual

·        Statistical Design of Randomization

·        Impacts of Program Placement

·        Impacts of Program Participation

·        Capturing Both Program Placement and Participation

·        Measuring Spillover Effects

Propensity Score Matching Technique (PSM)

·        Introduction to PSM

·        Application of PSM in Impact Evaluation

·        Constructing propensity scores

·        Matching Analysis (Nearest-Neighbour, Stratification, Radius, Kernel)

Module 4: Difference in Difference Method

·        What is DID?

·        Application of DID in Impact Evaluation

·        Estimating DID estimator: Single DID, DID with covariates, Quantile DID

·        DID for Cross-Sectional Data

·        Balancing Tests

·        Diff-in-Diff with Propensity Score Matching

Qualitative and mixed methods Approaches in Impact Evaluation

·        Qualitative method of impact evaluation

•          Most Significant Change
•          Outcome Mapping
•          Outcome Harvesting
•          Appreciative Inquiry

• Mixed method of impact evaluation

Module 5: Producing and Disseminating Impact Evaluation findings

·        Writing of Impact Evaluation Reports

·        Various ways of disseminating impact evaluation  findings (policy briefs, evidence briefs and cases)