Project
REACH
Program
Planning Guide
Documenting
and Evaluating Your
Cancer
Education Program
Project
REACH Evaluation Tools
All
programs can be evaluated in some form. A series
of Evaluation Tools have been developed to help
you assess any local programs or events you plan
as a result of participation in Project REACH.
For
shorter interventions, such as handouts or inserts
in mailboxes and paychecks, get feedback. Ask
those in your school community what kind of information
they would like to receive and try to incorporate
their interests in future outreach efforts. A
more involved program, lasting an hour or more
and/or including a speaker, should be evaluated
differently because it can produce valuable information
about the content of the program as well as its
strengths and weaknesses. Table 7 outlines the
tools included in this guide for your use. At
the end of this Chapter you will find the blank
tools mentioned in Table 7 and checklists for
using these tools.
Although
you may choose to skip a formal evaluation process,
getting an overall impression of your program
is very important to its success. Take time to
talk with attendees to find out what aspects they
enjoyed, or the kinds of changes they would make
in future programs. Having conversations with
those in attendance will enable you to alter your
activities to fit the needs of the participants.
Breast
and cervical cancer are very personal and emotional
issues. Sometimes participants of local programs
will confidentially share information intended
only for you, the program planner, or for other
participants. Anyone with access to others’ descriptions
of their private thoughts, experiences, feelings,
and health have a moral duty to preserve the confidence
in which people provide this information. If you
decide to use any of the forms provided, be careful
not to record or share any information on the
evaluation or observation forms that can be linked
to a specific person. You will protect yourself
and the personal information of your participants,
enabling them to freely share at your program.
Using
the Event Observation Form
Observations
about your program or event are important to help
you remember successful characteristics and document
your efforts for future reference. Although you
can fill out this form after the event has ended,
completing the form while the event is taking
place will prevent important information from
getting lost or being forgotten later.
Before
the program/event:
- Decide
who will observe the event and complete the
Event Observation Form. - Be
familiar with confidentiality issues discussed
earlier in this section. - Bring
extra paper and pens/pencils to write your program
observations without interruptions. - Read
this checklist.
During
the program/event:
- Start
recording your observations when the program
begins (all are seated, Facilitator begins introductions).
- Be
unobtrusive: Minimize the extent to which your
presence influences others’ behavior. - Be
focused: Observe closely. - Be
thorough: Provide enough detail for others to
picture the scene. - Be
precise: Aim for details rather than generalizations.
- Read
over the observation sheet several times during
the program to ensure you are answering the
questions. - To
ensure confidentiality, do not leave your notes
unattended and available for others to read.
Using
the Event Evaluation Form
Getting
participant feedback about your event is important
to determine what worked well and what participants
feel should change.
Before
the program/event:
- Decide
who will introduce the evaluation form at the
end of the event. - Be
familiar with confidentiality issues discussed
earlier in this section. - Read
this checklist.
At
the end of the event before participants leave:
- Explain
the reason for the form and thank participants
in advance for giving their honest feedback.
- Be
prepared to answer questions about the survey
that may arise. - Take
this checklist with you when you attend each
program.
After
the program or event, remember that this information
is to help you improve your future efforts. Be
careful to preserve any confidential information
about participants or events that are not related
to improving the format or content of your event.
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