Evaluation

Evaluation is the structured interpretation and giving of meaning to predicted or actual impacts of proposals or results. It looks at original objectives, and at what is either predicted or what was accomplished and how it was accomplished. Evaluation can be formative - that is, taking place during the development of a concept or during a seminar, with the intention of improving the value or effectiveness of the proposal of the project. It can also be assumptive, drawing lessons from a completed action of the project or a finished seminar.

Evaluation

Structured interpretation and giving of meaning to predicted or actual impacts of proposals or results.

Focuses of reflection

During Planning facilitators were considering goals, contents, methods, topic, needs and the environment. From time to time it's necessary to check if the process is still inline with the plans or if priorities have changed or needs are different, or a process should take a general different direction.

Goal Achievement

Group: Regarding the aimed interaction and cooperative learning in the group
Topic: The coverage of the foreseen topical aspects
Individual: Learning/development goals (in particular competency development, see below)
Process: The proceeding of the collective learning process

Methodology

The choice of methods and their mix
The ability of facilitators to implement their methodological concept
Process moderation

Content

Coverage of the necessary thematical aspects at a satisfactory depth
Inclusion of knowledge from the field participation/citizenship/democracy and how it was connected to the goal of the training

Space/Context

Facility: Opportunity to learn, to cooperate, to meet, to feel well-accommodated
Group: Opportunity and ability to involve, interact, relate to the other learners
Individual needs: Possibility to satisfy individual needs inside and outside the scheduled activities: social, cultural/spiritual, physical, intellectual, emotional
With special attention to special needs
Inclusion of the local environment: in seminar work, in topical aspects

Competency development

Participant's acquisition of competencies
Participant's development towards feeling self-empowered and their ability to democratic participation
Your acquisition of competencies as a facilitator

Management

Event management, logistics, problem-solving
Cooperation within the facilitation team

Concept: The Method Mix

The quality of results depends on the methodology of data collection for reflection. In particular, a range of different ways to assess and interpret the needed data should be included, according to the principle of method mix.

Method Mix:

Style

Choose appropriate methods for your target group

Confidentiality:

Anonymous, half-public, or public

Group Relation

In a plenum, in other collaborative ways, or in individual work

Addresses different senses

Individually speaking, dialogue, writing, or moving

Quantitative or qualitative?

How deep should or must your evaluation go? When you want to know how your participants feel, you ask them to show you “thumb up/down”. Afterwards you know that ten persons feel well and three of them not so well. Or you ask detailed qualitative questions, with which you find out why they feel such a way or what they need to feel better. You use a quantitative and a qualitative method – both of them are effective based on the situation, and often complement each other.

Documentation of the Results

When choosing your method, you should also consider the form in which you need results. Language, pictures, photos… Many things are possible and they can complete a particular situation or also contrast it. It is important with most methods to formulate a question as concretely as possible.

As self-evaluation is crucial for independent learning, we also include methods her that help individuals to document learning outcomes, inspirations, and insights in an individual way.

Selected Methods

Individual Reflection and Assessment

An overview over different methods for evaluation in between and at the end of a learning process.

Learning Curve
A letter from the past
From now to tomorrow
Personal Portfolio
Bullet Journal
Project Impact on Community

Selected Methods for Group Evaluation

These methods are facilitating a collective process of reasoning. Therefore, they are less confidential, allowing the group to exchange or discuss their observations or findings.

Decision cake
Targeted feedback
Bar Graphs
Conflict tree
Color Diary
Spoken Word Poetry
Constructive Feedback
Touch Somebody Who...

Self-Assessment of Facilitators

Checklists for a team of educators or for individual self-assessment.

Facilitator: Self-Assessment
Checklist: Self-assessment Working Culture
Constructive Feedback

Inspiring Handbooks and Sources from the Community

Valued by You, Valued by Others
Improving the visibility of competences in Youthpass (and also in other contexts)
Download
Recognizing Learning in Youth Exchange
Youth Work Service, Léargas' handbook complementary to YouthPASS, with suitable methods as well for evaluation and competence assessments without using the YouthPASS
Download
Assessment and recognition in formal and non-formal learning in entrepreneurship education
An introduction not only for entrepreneurship education by the project EntreComp 360
Download
The Learning Curve
A guide to evaluation for youth organizations
Download
YouthPASS unfolded
Practical tips and hands-on methods to make the most of the Youthpass process edieted by SALTO and Jugend für Europa
Download
Empower yourself
Self-assessment tool created by the French Scout and Guides movement
Download
Facilitation Step-by-step
Competendo Portfolio Tool for Facilitators
Download
Captain's Log
Competency-related portfolio tool
Download
Reflective Peacebuilding
John Paul Lederach, Reina Neufeldt, Hal Culbertson,
Kroc Institute for International Peace Studies: Planning oriented on impact Download

Apps and Tools: Evaluation

iEVAL

Platform for evaluation of international youth exchanges by IJAB
i-EVAL
Q!App
Collaborative project concept development online by European Platform for Learning Mobility (EPLM)
Q!App
ONCOO Zielscheibe

Target feedback method. Non-commercial and privacy-sensitive (currently only in German)
ONCOO

Apps and Tools: Recognition, Assessment, Validation

Several online tools support learners and educators in (self-)assessment. However, one should check their terms and conditions for storing and using personal data before using them in trainings.

AppRaiser

Trainers appraisal platform of the International Youth Work Trainers Guild
AppRaiser
Go Formative

Track developments of learners online
Go formative
Open Badges

Share "learning badges" with your learners for every achievement in a learning process with help of a digital platform.
Open Badges
EaSY soft skills

A skill assessment online tool, model and method handbook
Online
Skilloon
A research-based self-learning platform following the EntreComp model from Not a bad idea (Finland) and the Finnish education ministry.
Online

After

Download: Banner

Evaluation is the structured interpretation and giving of meaning to predicted or actual impacts of proposals or results.