Impact Evaluation

This subject has the following teaching availabilities in 2016:

170

It is preferable to have completed the subjects EDUC90850 Foundations of Evaluation and EDUC90848 Applied Research for Evaluation or EDUC90713 Program Evaluation: Forms and Approaches prior to or concurrent with commencement of this subject.

For the purposes of considering request for Reasonable Adjustments under the Disability Standards for Education (Cwth 2005), and Student Support and Engagement Policy, academic requirements for this subject are articulated in the Subject Overview, Learning Outcomes, Assessment and Generic Skills sections of this entry.

It is University policy to take all reasonable steps to minimise the impact of disability upon academic study, and reasonable adjustments will be made to enhance a student's participation in the University's programs. Students who feel their disability may impact on meeting the requirements of this subject are encouraged to discuss this matter with a Faculty Student Adviser and Student Equity and Disability Support: http://services.unimelb.edu.au/disability

This subject analyses design options for establishing the impact of social interventions. Topics include: causation; dealing with issues of attribution; conceptual and technical considerations associated with experimental and quasi-experimental design; and alternative strategies for causal analysis.

On completion of this subject, students should be able to:

• Recognise the fundamentals of causal analysis;

• Identify the nature, role, and logic of experiments in the evaluation of social programs;

• Compare alternative approaches and methods for conducting impact evaluations; and

• Assess strengths and limitations of different impact evaluation designs.

Minor assignment (1500 words), due in week 4 (30%)

Exercises (1500 words) ongoing (30%)

Major assignment (2000 words) due in week 8 (40%)

There are no required texts for this subject.

Shadish, W. R., Cook, T.D., and Campbell, D. T. (2002). Experimental and quasi-experimental designs for generalized causal inference. Boston, Houghton Mifflin.

Pawson, R., & Tilley, N. (1997). Realistic evaluation. London: Sage.

This subject is not available as a breadth subject.