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Tools Observation

Observation

Participant observation provides a means to monitor the way in which people interact in a workshop or other activity.

Participant observation can include whether participants seem attentive, or ask questions and engage in discussion. Observations can also be made of the setting in which an activity is occurring.

It is important to clarify the objectives of the activity prior to the observation in order to know whether the observer should look out for particular things occurring.  The information recorded can be used alongside other data, such as a post-activity questionnaire or dartboard, to evaluate whether the activity met its aims, or what lessons there were to be learnt from conducting the activity.

 

Further Links & Resources

Roberts Evaluation provides a guide on how to undertake participant observation.

The University of Wisconsin Program Development and Evaluation has a Guide on Collecting Evaluation Data: Direct Observation

 
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Please make a donation to upgrade the Evaluation Toolbox.

The Evaluation Toolbox is maintained by Damien Sweeney and Martin Pritchard from PREA as their in-kind contribution back to the community. The Toolbox now needs several weeks of work to review and upgrade all the contents and add new content for you. Work has begun and we are seeking your donation (big or small) to help support this major upgrade. Email us to indicate what you want to be included in the Toolbox.

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What is the Toolbox?

The toolbox aims to provide a one-stop-site for the evaluation of community sustainability engagement projects that aim to change household behaviours. Through the toolbox you can learn how to conduct your own evaluation of a behaviour change project using the guides and templates provided.

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Why Evaluate?

Conducting an evaluation is considered good practice in managing a project.

The monitoring phase of project evaluation allows us to track progress and identify issues early during implementation, thus providing and opportunity to take corrective action or make proactive improvements as required.

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