Kristie Wyatt, MPH
UNC Greensboro School of Health and Human Sciences
Program Evaluation
Quality program planning in public health is fueled by assessment and evaluation. Public health programs are complex and changes in the environment often influence the impact of the program. These changes make evaluation crucial for documenting and measuring implementation and outcomes.
Reflection
When I began the MPH program I had an underdeveloped idea of the processes involved in conducting quality program evaluation. I have since grown in my understanding which originally ranged from forgetting to do it entirely to handing out basic satisfaction surveys. During my first year as a Wellness Education Coordinator I provided a report to the board of trustees containing information I collected that was interesting for me as the presenter, but was irrelevant to the board and the mission of the program. It was not what they (the stakeholders and funders of my position) needed in order to decide whether or not the program should continue to be paid for. Fortunately, despite this , the funding was approved.
Over the years I spent in the MPH program, and with more experience, I began to tie my program evaluation methods to my learning objectives. I assigned journal reflections during my in-class workshops to gather qualitative data about student experiences. I also began adding questions about self efficacy and changes in knowledge to better understand the quality of the curriculum I was providing.
During HEA 625: Community Health Education Program Evaluation I was able to identify this gap between my knowledge and my strengths. I created evaluation designs and critiqued evaluation reports. I worked with a team to create an extensive proposal, which helped me to identify more clearly what I expected to get out of the evaluation process, and to hone the skills I would need to get me there.
I was able to put this into practice in a unique and meaningful way by seeking out an internship opportunity that would put my newly developed skills to the test. In the spring of 2019 I conducted a large scale needs assessment for a local life-plan community. You can read more about this capstone experience in the internship section of this portfolio.
Evidence of Competency
Background
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During Community Health Education Program Evaluation (HEA 625), my team and I were tasked with identifying a program that needed an evaluation and to create a proposal that included key assessment principles addressed in the coursework. The federally funded Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program (EFNEP) is a nationwide program providing nutrition education by local paraprofessionals, who are local community members. We discovered that while EFNEP is routinely evaluated for program success through outcome measurement, process evaluations for program implementation are uncommon. Our goal was to understand the variations in fidelity and adaptability of the program's training processes.
Methods
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We proposed an evaluation for the federally funded Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program (EFNEP) by following a series of strategic steps.
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We developed specific and broad evaluation questions that would address the purpose of the evaluation. We recommended using qualitative evaluation methods such as focus groups, surveys, and observations.
Identified a design and data collection plan including identify variables and instrumentation
We created a reporting plan that included a final report and updates for administration and other stakeholders
We provided a detailed budget
We planned a detailed timeline using the Gantt charting method
Results
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We developed an evaluation plan that identified the overall purpose of the program, sectors of influence, application of the Community Nutrition Education Logic Model, and the role of previous evaluations.
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Our design plan included meeting with state and regional program coordinators, administering surveys, focus groups, observations, and recordings.
The objective of this evaluation was to answer two questions:
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1. To what extent is the program being implemented as intended by state coordinators and national EFNEP groups/USDA?
2. How do paraprofessionals and state coordinators address adaptability in curriculum across program sites?