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Past Events & Event Resources
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Jan 22nd 11:30-1:00 Hillsdale Library
Now More Than Ever: The Role of Evaluation in Government Transformation
In the 19th century, government was dominated by the spoils system. In the 20th century, government was dominated by bureaucracy. What type of government do we need in the 21st century, and what is the role of evaluation in making that transition?
Beverly (Bev) Stein is President of the Public Strategies Group, consultants to numerous state and local government agencies committed to innovation, customer focus, and results-based governance. Closer to home, Bev served for eight years as the elected Chief Executive of Multnomah County, leading the county to the Oregon Quality Award (based on the Baldrige Criteria) and herself to Governing Magazine’s Local Official of the Year. Bev is in demand nationally and internationally for her expertise in implementing quality management techniques and creating high-performance government based on results.
More info on this event: https://www.123signup.com/event?id=jhszv
Click her for Slide Presentation
2009
Annual Conference October 2, 2009
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Logic Modeling
Presented by Heidi Herinckx, PSU Regional Reserach Institute
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Brown Bag discussion March 25, 2009
With Mike Riley of Riley Research Associates about On-line Surveys: Scientific or Convenience
Portland State University IRB Changes May 5, 2009
Survey Design Strategies & Tactics May 27, 2009
Mike Riley will be leading a workshop on survey design strategies and tactics. This session will cover some of the best of current thinking on the use of online, traditional, and special purpose methods for producing useful and credible qualitative and quantitative opinion research
OPEN Networking & Discussion Groups Brown Bag July 17, 2009
Program Evaluation in Complex Organizations (AEA's New Directions for Evaluation)
Join Oregon State University Cooperative Extension Service faculty members Marc Braverman, Molly Engle, Mary Arnold, and Roger Rennekamp for a half-day workshop and think tank session on evaluation in complex organizations. The workshop will focus on the concepts presented in the Winter 2008 volume of New Directions for Evaluation, co-edited and co-authored by our OSU colleagues!
2008
AtlasTi Qualitative Software Training, November 19-20, 2008
As part of its continuing professional development and training series, OPEN offered a two-day workshop on ATLAS.ti, a powerful computer application for qualitative data analysis, led by leading ATLAS.ti trainer Dr. Nick Woolf. Day 1 covered the basic concepts behind the program and its features; strategies for setting up your project and designing your data analysis; using ATLAS.ti appropriately for different approaches to qualitative research; and the theory and practice of coding. Day 2 covered the advanced features of the program, focusing on the use of graphical networks from the very beginning stages of your project; strategies for using complex retrievals with the Query Tool; and strategies and tools for team working.
Needs Assessment Workshop, Before You Start, and Beyond: The strategic importance of needs assessments for programs and services, and methods for implementation, April 11, 2008
This workshop demonstrated from soup to nuts considerations for each stage of a needs assessment. We’ll also reflect on the pros and cons of using internal resources vs. inviting an outside consultant. Attendees gained an understanding of the importance of a needs assessment and its relationship to planning as well as an understanding of methods for conducting a needs assessment. Specific Topics & Activities Included:
- Why conduct a needs assessment?
- The relationship to project planning and the difference between assessment and evaluation.
- The essential question of needs assessment
- Who are your participants?
- Politics and other possible obstacles
- The Needs Assessment Process: Data collection: preparation, logistics, resources needed
- Data collection methods: interviews, focus groups, surveys
- Analyzing your needs assessment data
- Reporting your results and wrap up
SAS Skills Training: Introductory, Intermediate, and Advanced, February 23, 25-27, 2008
Read the flyer with more information describing the workshops.
OPEN-Sponsored Brown Bag Discussion, Promoting Behavioral Change, January 10, 2008
Mike Riley presented on Promoting Behavioral Change. The discussion covered the use of research techniques for measuring public opinion and the steps necessary for impacting change. Key topics and case histories involve driving the adoption of environmentally responsible behavior will be discussed. This presentation was originally presented to the North Pacific Regional Conference of the Public Relations Society of America in San Francisco. Mike Riley is the Research Director of Riley Research (RileyResearch.com) and a graduate of Oregon State University. His background is in quantitative study design, and all phases and techniques of qualitative studies. Additionally, Mike is past-President of the Oregon Chapter of the American Marketing Association.
2007
OPEN-sponsored Brown Bag, Using Logic Models, November 15, 2007
The high utility of logic models was explored by facilitator Kari Greene. Ms. Greene covered how to integrate logic model use into evaluation activities, and she shared some logic model examples, a logic model plan, and varied resources related to logic modeling. This brown bag was aimed at attendees with some logic model experience, and participants had the opportunity to share their own logic models and the challenges, successes and frustrations they have had using a logic modeling process.
OPEN-sponsored Brown Bag with Michael Bamberger, September 27, 2007
RealWorld Evaluation: Conducting Evaluations under Real-World Budget, Time, Data and Political Constraints
This was one in a series of monthly brown bag discussions, organized by OPEN, aimed at providing a forum for the dissemination of evaluation tools and techniques. This was a no host lunch, and participants were encouraged to bring their lunches to this discussion.
Brown Bag Hand-out:Conducting Evaluations under Real-World Budget, Time, Data and Political Constraints
OPEN-sponsored Brown Bag, Understanding and influencing adolescents: 3 Common Mistakes, September 13, 2007
This was one in a series of monthly brown bag discussions, organized by OPEN, aimed at providing a forum for the dissemination of evaluation tools and techniques. This was a no host lunch, and participants were encouraged to bring their lunches to this discussion. Discussant Andrew Robinson presented methods for understanding and influencing adolescents. His primary focus is on optimizing the influence of adults in the lives of adolescents. Andrew notes, “I speak the language of program people but can serve as a translator between the researcher and the program. My role with clients is typically to help them prepare for evaluation and/or translate their evaluation results into actionable solutions. Too often research findings remain dormant and aren't used to make programs more effective.” Mr. Robinson currently works with organizations to optimize the effectiveness of their efforts to positively influence adolescents. His evaluation and monitoring services are designed to strengthen the connection between the people delivering the message and the adolescents receiving the message. Prior to starting his own evaluation group, Mr. Robinson was a Marriage and Family Therapist and a director of a nonprofit that worked with adolescents. More information about Mr. Robinson can be found at ARobinsonConsulting.com
OPEN poster session at the Healthier Communities through Action and Research conference, July 19, 2007
This conference is coordinated by the Northwest Health Foundation. OPEN collaborated on this conference, Northwest Health Foundation 3rd Community-Based Participatory Research Conference (CBPR), geared towards community organizations, academic research and teaching faculty, public health officials, funding organizations, and policy makers. This was the first time OPEN and the Northwest Health Foundation \collaborated, and this sponsorship allows OPEN to spotlight, honor and celebrate our local evaluators and researchers.
OPEN-sponsored student Happy Hour, July 10, 2007
At this Happy Hour at the Bridgeport Brewing Company, students learned about the opportunities for students to receive training as program evaluators and also network with other students and program evaluators in the community. In addition, students were provided with information about upcoming summer and fall events.
OPEN Brown Bag Presentation, July 12, 2007
During Presentations to Community-Based Stakeholders: Sharing Strategies that Work, discussant Tanya Ostrogorsky covered strategies used in communicating evaluation results to community stakeholders. She used her varied experiences at the
Portland
State
University, Regional Research Institute, and her current work at the Oregon Health and
Science
University
School of
Nursing. Ms. Ostrogorsky encouraged attendees to bring samples of what has worked in their own evaluation settings for use in the discussion.
Portland SAS Users Group (PDXSUG) Meeting, June 11, 2007
The annual PDXSUG Meeting was held in downtown Portland, located at the Standard Center Building. Along with two speakers, the event had door prizes (including SAS books) and information on upcoming SAS events. See Flyer
Introduction to OPEN and the Evaluation Field, May 15, 2007
An introduction to OPEN and to evaluation as a job field. This event was geared towards students and featured a variety of speakers sharing their career paths in evaluation. For this session, program evaluation was defined as the use of research to measure the effects of a program in terms of its goals, outcomes, or criteria.
Electronic Medical Records for Surveillance: The CDC Immunization Datalink Project, May 15, 2007
Brian Hazelhurst (of Kaiser) presented at Oregon Health and
Sciences
University.
SAS Training with Renu Gehring, May 10, 2007
Renu Gehring delivered a training session on SAS (a statistical database program). The training focused on SAS loops, functions and macroprocessing with examples from hospital discharge data. Ms. Gehring is Managing Partner at Ace-Cube, LLP, has an undergraduate degree in economics and history from
Mount
Holyoke
College and a graduate degree in economics from
Brown
University. In addition to working for several economic, research and marketing consulting companies, she has worked for and consulted with corporations such as Fidelity Investments and Nike, Inc. Her key strengths include statistical analysis, economic valuation, as well as end-to-end management, analysis, and reporting of large and complicated data sets using SAS. Ms. Gehring is a SAS Certified Professional, with over 12 years programming experience.
Brown Bag: Portland-based Research Analysts, May 10, 2007
This event was cosponsored by the Oregon Public Health Association, Epidemiology- Biostatistics section. Portland is home to many public health research analysts and evaluators employed by varied governmental agencies, and this brown bag event will allow them to meet each other and learn more about the research conducted by their colleagues.
Brown Bag Luncheon on Independent Evaluation Consulting, March 15, 2007
Independent Evaluation Consulting was the topic of the fall 2006 issue of New Directions for Evaluation, a journal of the American Evaluation Association. OPEN is one of the oldest affiliates of the American Evaluation Association. At the brown bag, consultants had the chance to meet each other at an informal setting. Attendees enjoyed lunch while making contacts and learning about the work of other local evaluation consultants.
Related links: American Evaluation Association and American Evaluation Association New Directions for Evaluation
What is Evaluation?, March 14, 2007
The annual student event at Portland State University was geared towards students, and featured a variety of speakers sharing their career paths in evaluation. For this event, program evaluation was defined as the use of research to measure the effects of a program in terms of its goals, outcomes, or criteria.
The Oregon Health Policy and Research Collaborative (OHREC)
March meeting theme of evaluating the safety net, March 13, 2007
Rachel Gold, PhD, MPH (Kaiser Permanente Center for Health Research, formerly of OHSU Department of Public Health and Preventive Medicine) presented: Conducting Research in the OCHIN Practice Management Data: Opportunities and Examples.
Robert A. Lowe, MD,MPH (
OHSU
Center for Policy and Research in Emergency Medicine) presented: What Does Emergency Department Data Tell Us About the Safety Net? The Canary in the Coal Mine.
2006
OPEN hosted the American Evaluation Association annual conference, Evaluation 2006: The Consequences of Evaluation, in Portland October 30-November 5, 2006
OPEN/SAMHSA Diversity/Cultural Competency Workshop: Improving the Quality of Culturally Competent Evaluation in Federal Health and Human Services Grant Programs, Portland State University, September 8, 2006
Dr. James Herrell and colleagues from the US DHHS Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration (SAMHSA) discussed the criteria SAMHSA uses to assess proposals for evaluations involving culturally diverse populations, including recent changes in these criteria such as greater emphasis on standard data collection, with possible implications for local evaluations. The discussion addressed topics including the approaches SAMHSA has found to be most effective, challenges in assuring appropriate protection of human subjects from diverse populations, and navigating the Institutional Review Board process. The teleconference presentation by SAMHSA was followed by questions and open discussion.
Current Topics in Statistics for Applied Researchers Workshop July 17-20, 2006
The
School of Nursing at
Oregon Health & Science University designed and hosted a workshop for researchers interested in updating and improving their statistical knowledge in order to strengthen the design and analyses of their research.
Mid-Valley Workshop Brownbag, May 25, 2006
The OPEN Mid-Valley Cluster, in cooperation with the University of Oregon Institute on Violence and Destructive Behavior, hosted "Conducting evaluations with budget, time and data constraints: Doing the best you can with available resources, " with Michael Bamberger Ph.D.
at the University of
Oregon,
901 East 18th Avenue in Eugene.
Effect Size and Power Analysis, May 23, 2006
Dr. Nancy Perrin, statistician and professor at Oregon Health and Sciences University, presents a two-hour workshop for evaluators and researchers. The workshop focuses on how many times you may have written a sentence like, "Although program participants performed better than the control group, the difference was not statistically significant." Perhaps, you needed a sample size four times larger and did not realize it. A member of the Program Committee, Michael Bamberger, recently pointed out that many evaluations are doomed from the start, if the criterion is statistical significance, because it is impossible for the results to show such a difference given the sample size.
Social Event, May 23, 2006
Meet for a social and networking opportunity following Nancy Perrin's workshop! Light refreshments and cash bar provided. Parking is available behind the Pub, in the parking garage opposite the Multnomah Building, or on the street. We will have available, for your comments and suggestions, copies of a draft resource document: "Networking Information on Evaluation Resources in Oregon and the Northwest". If you are unable to attend the presentation by Nancy Perrin, but would like to take advantage of this opportunity to network with fellow evaluators, we'll meet you at the Lucky Lab.
Annual OPEN Student Event, "Program Evaluation 101: What You Need to Know," May 11, 2006
Event Resources: Annotated Evaluation Reading List and Online Resource Guide, Portland State University
2005
OPEN Annual Conference
2005 Annual OPEN Conference with Dr. Melvin M. Mark, Professor of Psychology and Senior Scientist at the Institute for Policy Research and Evaluation at the Pennsylvania State University as keynote speaker. Dr. Mark is President-Elect for the American Evaluation Association and Past Editor of the American Journal of Evaluation, September 16, 2005. Call for Proposals. Read the flyer. Read conference information and session details. Some materials conference presentations:
OPEN Technical Assistance Workshops. Contact Kari Greene for more information:
Foundations and Evaluation, PowerPoint presentation, Jana Kay Slater, Ph.D., February 16, 2005
Start Off on the Right Foot: Some Initial Steps for Clarifying Evaluation Needs, April 29, 2005
Pamela Clark and Beatriz Lynch presented a brief role-play on the critical first steps in the evaluation process. Juliette Mackin, Ph.D. then led a panel discussion guided by audience observations and questions.
Intermediate Logic Modeling: Beyond the Good, the Bad & the Ugly,June 17, 2005
Evaluators frequently view logic models as a necessary evil required during the program definition step of evaluation. Oftentimes, the logic model product overtakes the logic modeling process. This interactive, practice-oriented workshop offered participants with some logic modeling experience an opportunity to reexamine logic modeling as both a product and a process. Workshop attendees gained practical tools & techniques for logic modeling, critiqued existing models, and began to understand how program definition acts as a foundation for program evaluation activities.
OPEN Book Club. Contact Mike Ponder for more information:
Damned Lies and Statistics: Untangling Numbers from the Media, Politicians, and Activists, by Joel Best.
The Chicago Guide to Writing About Numbers: The Effective Presentation of Quantitative Information, by Jane E. Miller.
The First Measured Century : An Illustrated Guide to Trends in America, 1900-2000 by Theodore Caplow, Louis Hicks, and Ben J. Wattenberg.
A discussion about program evaluation and careers. The field of evaluation was explored through discussions of evaluator basics and of applications of the basics to three cases. Representative evaluators shared their stories about how they got into the field, why they chose (or were chosen) to become evaluation professionals, and how they apply their knowledge and skills in their work.
OPEN Workshops on Cultural Competence and Diversity Issues in Evaluation. Contact Elizabeth Bamberger, Member Services Chair for more information:
From Evaluation to Community Implementation, March 15, 2005
Dr. Alyson Burns-Glover shared her experience of many years conducting evaluation with Native Hawaiian communities. Some of the topics included: building the long-term social relationships vital for gathering meaningful data; balancing ethics (Human Subjects and other legal requirements) with cultural sensitivity; methods that include “talk story, a multi-ethnic team of insiders, negotiating the evaluators own outsider status, and doing authentic research on a deadline; and ensuring that the community benefits from the evaluation process.
Measuring Diversity and Cultural Competence, May 24, 2005
Dr. James Mason and colleagues from the Oregon Department of Health Services Office of Multicultural Health shared their experience in the area of measuring diversity and cultural competence in the workplace and other organizations.
2004
December 2004: Annual Meeting, Advocacy in Evaluation led by Linda Mabry, Ph.D.
October 7 & 8th, 2004: Annual Conference (Click here for full conference brochure)
- Reclaiming Evaluation: Evaluation's Response to Urgent Public Issues, Jennifer C. Greene, Ph.D., OPEN Annual Conference Keynote Address (pdf here)
- Three Innovative Evaluation Methods: Online Surveys, Video-Stimulated Focus Groups, and Think-Aloud Interviews, Linda Mabry & Juna Snow
- What You Really Need to Know About Conducting An Evaluation, Juliette Mackin & Scott Keir
- Visual Display of Data, Michael Ponder
- An Indigenous Framing for Evaluation and Thoughts on Process Evaluation Models for American Indian Programs. Joan LaFrance (Chippawa) and Jane Grove (Abenaki/Vermont)
June 26, 2004 1st Annual Columbia Gorge Hike, Angels Rest
June 4, 2004: Concurrent Workshops: Making Sure Your Evaluations are Used and Creative Data Collection Methods
May 12, 2004: OPEN Student Event 2004 (held at OSU)
March 31, 2004: Networking Event: What Counts as Scientific Evidence? Implications for Evaluation . .
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2003
Dec 3, 2003: Cross-disciplinary Investigation Methods: What can Evaluators Learns from Collateral Fields?
Join OPEN for our final program of the year. We will explore cross-disciplinary research methods, new investigative techniques, and new ways of looking at evidence: obtaining it, verifying it, interpreting it, and using it. Presented in an informal "talk show host" format, the program will engage a panel of practitioners from diverse professions in an interactive discussion about lines of inquiry, standards of evidence, logic and analysis, and presentation of findings and results; activities that are also at the heart of our work as evaluators. Panelists will use illustrative examples from their own experience and practice, and comment on a fictitious case scenario. And of course, we will reserve time for audience Q & A at the end! The panelists will be:
Ellen Konrad, Research Associate, RMC Research Corporation will moderate the panelists:
- Brenda Tam, Investigator, Multnomah Public Defender's Office & private investigator
- Brent Walth, Investigative reporter, The Oregonian
- David Hornibrook, jewelry appraiser, Smith and Bevill Jewelers
Siobhan Maty, Social epidemiologist and Assistant Professor of Community Health, Portland State University
October 23, 2003: Evaluation Theory into Practice, Daniel Stufflebeam, Ph.D., OPEN Annual Conference Keynote Address
2002
2001
2000
September 22, 2000:
Session 1: Dr. Michael Quinn Patton is an internationally renowned evaluation expert and author of Utilization-Focused Evaluation (3rd edition, Sage, 1997) Qualitative Evaluation and Research Methods (2nd edition, Sage, 1990), and Grand Canyon Celebration: A Father-Son Journey of Discovery (Prometheus, 1999). A former President of the American Evaluation Association, he is the only recipient of both the Myrdal Award for Outstanding Contributions to Useful and Practical Evaluation Practice from the Evaluation Research Society and the Lazarsfeld Award for Lifelong Contributions to Evaluation Theory from the American Evaluation Association. He brings with him over 25 years of evaluation work focused on the question of how to improve utilization of evaluation information. Dr. Patton is widely known for his humorous, interactive, and (of course) useful workshops and training sessions for both evaluators and evaluation consumers. For more information about Dr. Patton, visit: www.tui.edu/Faculty/FacultyGrad/Patton.html
One of the key issues facing all evaluators is how to ensure that information generated through evaluation is actually used by program staff and policymakers. To enhance use, many evaluations now attempt to involve key stakeholders, recognizing that buy-in from interested parties can enhance utilization. New evaluation techniques have taken stakeholder involvement one step further, recognizing that it is important that evaluation be integrated with overall organizational functioning and management. To be useful, evaluation cannot be perceived as primarily a technical activity, as paperwork, or as a compliance function. Dr. Patton will demonstrate how to position evaluation as a leadership function based on four critical elements that undergird enhanced use and organizational learning. Concrete techniques will be offered for making this approach work in practice.
Session 2: Methods Decision Making to Enhance Use: The great variety of methods available for conducting an evaluation pose special challenges in communicating with non-researchers about project design options. Such communication has been shown to be critical to involving stakeholders and supporting effective use of evaluation results. Challenges arise from both the perspective of evaluators— who often have difficulty communicating complex methodological issues to non-researchers, as well as from stakeholders, who see the evaluator as the “paid expert” in charge of making such decisions. This session will offer concrete techniques for working with stakeholders, especially the primary intended users, to improve the quality of shared decision making about evaluation methods |
