You
are ready to begin this workshop if you have (1) received an
e-mail confirming your registration and (2) prepared
your computer for participation. Please take a moment to
read through this page. It will help you understand how this
site is organized, how much time you should expect to spend participating
in this event, and where to go for technical support. To learn
about our theoretical approach to developing these online events, click
here.
Getting Started will help you answer the following
questions:
What
Does Participation Entail?
Locating, Hiring, and Managing an Evaluator combines
readings, online activities, and discussion to explore key
concepts related to program evaluation. As a participant,
you will be expected to do four things:
- Read the course presentation for each
day. Most presentations are also supplemented by anywhere
from one to six related resource papers, articles, or tools,
which you may want to print for future reference.
- Complete online activities. This
event includes five online activities—each designed to
help you apply the course content to your prevention work.
- Participate in online discussions. After
you have completed each activity, please share your responses
with other participants on the Message
Board. Your active participation on the Message
Board is key to the success of this event. We encourage all
participants to post at least two comments each day.
- Complete an online evaluation form that
will help us assess the effectiveness of this course and improve
future online programs.
Do
I Need to Follow a Set Schedule?
This is an asynchronous event, which means that you can take the course at
your own pace and log in when it is most convenient for you. However, to benefit
most from the materials and your interactions with other participants, we strongly
suggest that you visit the site regularly and adhere as closely as possible
to the following schedule:
Day 1: Understanding the Basics.
It’s hard to think about conducting an evaluation without
a clear sense of what it entails and why it is important. This
session begins to answer the question “What is evaluation?” and
identifies a number of important reasons for conducting a thorough
evaluation of your prevention activities.
| Tasks |
-
Read Day 1 Presentation
- Complete Activity 1: Introductions
- Introduce
yourself on the Message Board
|
Day 2: Selecting an Approach. Hiring
an evaluator shouldn’t mean the end of your involvement
in the evaluation process. In fact, the most successful evaluations
often represent collaborations between the evaluation expert
and program staff. This session compares traditional and participatory
approaches to evaluation, and explores the benefits and drawbacks
of each.
| Tasks |
-
Read Day 2 Presentation
- Complete Activity 2: Selecting an Approach
- Answer discussion questions
- Share your responses on the Message
Board
|
Day 3: Bringing an Evaluator on Board. The
assistance of an evaluator attuned to, and practiced in, the
art and science of theory-based evaluation is often key to getting
evaluation results that are useful and credible. Today’s
session focuses on how to find an evaluator who is not only skilled,
but also the right “fit” for your project. You will
learn about potential differences between internal and external
evaluators, important things to consider when interviewing candidates,
and strategies for streamlining the interview process.
| Tasks |
| - Read Day 3 Presentation
- Complete Activity 3: Bringing
an Evaluator
 on
Board
- Answer discussion questions
- Share your responses on the Message
Board
|
Day 4, Part 1: Managing an Evaluator. It
can be difficult to assess the work of an evaluator, particularly
if you don’t have experience working with evaluators or
you are not familiar with evaluation methods. This session offers
some tips for monitoring and assessing an evaluator’s work
and for establishing and maintaining a good working relationship.
Day 4, Part 2: Minimizing Costs. Among
the many excuses people have for not conducting an evaluation,
cost is often first and foremost. This presentation offers
some cost-saving tips for reducing your evaluation price
tag, in addition to highlighting some of the long-term financial
benefits of investing in an evaluation.
| Tasks |
-
Read Day 4 Presentation (Parts 1 and 2)
- Complete Activity 4: Managing an
Evaluator/Minimizing
Costs
- Answer discussion questions
- Share your responses on the Message
Board
|
Day 5: Wrap-up and Evaluation. This
is the time to complete the online evaluation, review comments
for the week's discussion, and share lessons learned.
| Tasks |
- Complete the online evaluation form
- Read comments on the Mesage Board
- Share lessons learned
|
For a reminder of what you should “do” each
day, click on the schedule icon located on the left navigation
bar.
How Is
the Site Organized?
Each online event Web site contains these sections:
Course
Presentation
This is where you can acquire a basic understanding of the event topic. Materials
will appear in a variety of formats and can be printed for future reference.
We also ask you to complete a series of online activities designed to help
you reflect on and apply the information contained in the materials.
SAMSHA/CSAP
Online Tools
This section connects you to the following tools: Prevention Pathways, CSAP’s
new, interactive Web site; Prevention Platform, an updated online program
designed to support effective, evidence-based substance abuse prevention
programs;
Foundations
of Prevention, an online course focusing on the basics of substance abuse
prevention; SAMHSA's National Registry of Effective Programs and Practices,
and the CSAP Training Library.
Resources
The information contained in this section is designed to complement the event
materials, facilitate your participation in the event, and enhance your
overall learning. Resources include tip sheets, tools, and related links.
Event
Support
You can have your technical or content-related questions answered by linking
to this section.
Message
Board
After reading each day's materials and completing the activities, you will
be asked to share your experiences and lessons learned in this section of
the Web site.
Take some time to tour the site and familiarize
yourself with its layout and content. In particular, you may
want to review the following:
These tip sheets are housed under the Resources section
of this site.
How
Much Time Should I Spend on This Event?
You should log on at least once a day. Please allow enough time to read through
the day’s assignment, complete any associated activities, and visit the Message
Board. We strongly encourage
you to post at least two comments to the Message Board each day. The more you
contribute, the richer the discussion. The moderator will check in three times
a day to answer any questions or facilitate discussions on the Message Board.
Can
I Print These Materials?
All of the materials and tools on this site can be printed and used for future
reference. However, we strongly suggest that you review the materials online
before you print them so you can see how the different sections fit together.
To print a specific page, go to the page of interest, place your cursor on
File (at the top of the page), go to Print, and then press OK. This will print
everything on the screen in front of you.
Unfortunately, it is impossible to print the entire
site with a single click of the mouse.
How
Can I Provide Feedback on the Course?
At the end of the week, you will be asked to complete an online evaluation
form. This lets us know how successful we have been at communicating the event
content
to you. You can also post general questions and comments on the Message
Board or by clicking on Event Support.
Will
I Receive Credit for Participating?
To receive credit for participation, you must do the following:
- Read all course presentations
- Visit the Message Board daily
- Complete course activities (i.e., post a response
to at least one discussion question per activity)
- Respond to at least one comment posted by a fellow
participant (optional, but strongly recommended)
On fullfilling these requirements, we will
send you a certificate for five hours of training. Certification
will be sent, by email, within 14-days of the course end date.
Participants from New York can submit this certificate to New
York State's Office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Services
(OASAS) to receive Credentialed Alcoholism and Substance Abuse
Counselor (CASAC), Credentialed Prevention Specialist (CPS) or
Credentialed Prevention Professional (CPP) credit hours.
The Northeast CAPT is a NAADAC approved education
provider. Our provider number is 556.
Where
Can I Go for Help?
For technical support, contact Anina Estrada at AEstrada@edc.org.
For questions about session content, contact Sarah Dakin at sarahdakin@oasas.state.ny.us.
(You can also reach these staff members by clicking on Event
Support.) You may also find answers to your questions in Tips
for Navigating This Site, Tips
for Participating in Online Activities, and Tips
for Using the Message Board.
How
Do I Begin?
When you are ready to begin the event, simply click on the Course Presentation
button at the top of the screen.
You have completed this section.
Please proceed to the Course Presentation.
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