Monitoring and Evaluation in Development

This subject has the following teaching availabilities in 2016:

170 hours

Students enrolled in this subject must be enrolled in a Masters by coursework degree.

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

The indispensability of monitoring and evaluation (M & E) in the management of projects and program has been widely recognised within the development sector. Effective monitoring and evaluation act as an anchor to keep the project moving in the right direction towards the goals and targets set at the planning stage. Historically, M & E was seen exclusively as a tool to make NGOs/development organisations accountable to donors and conducted by foreign consultants who were largely unfamiliar with project sites where development interventions took place. This has hampered development agencies’ efforts to obtain the right kind of information for effective M & E. Within new M & E paradigms that have emerged since the 1990s, M & E is intended to serve the purposes of not only accountability but also empowerment and capacity building of local communities. This subject aims to offer comparative insights into different approaches to M & E in development as well as to impart practical skills to students so that they may develop the technical proficiency in project/program M & E. The emphasis will be on development projects and programs rather than policies or public sector management. Practical exercises will be an essential part of the subject.

Upon successful completion of this subject, students are expected to:

• understand key terms and approaches in Monitoring and Evaluation in Development.
• be able to design and implement an effective M&E plan and/or M&E system for development organisations.
• be able to think critically and independently about issues relating to M&E in development.
• be able to make written and oral presentations.
• be sensitive to cultural diversity across contexts.

• A 1000 word group project (10%) due during semester.
• A 2000 word M & E plan (45%) due during the semester.
• A 2000 word essay (45%) due during the examination period.

Hurdle requirement: Students must attend a minimum of 80% of classes in order to pass this subject. All pieces of written work must be submitted to pass this subject.

Marelize Gorgens and Jody Zall Kusek (2009). Making Monitoring and Evaluation Systems Work: A Capacity Development Toolkit. Washington, DC: The World Bank.

This subject is not available as a breadth subject.

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