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    Monitoring, Evaluation and Research
    Monitoring, Evaluation and Research
    Monitoring, Evaluation and Research
    Ebook115 pages1 hour

    Monitoring, Evaluation and Research

    By Ityai Muvandi

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    About this ebook

    The book ‘Monitoring, evaluation and research: Tools for supporting effective managerial decisions and policy development’ is based on the author’s experience as a monitoring and evaluation expert for over three decades and addresses major issues which are not uniformly understood by monitoring and evaluation practitioners. The author points out what is not clearly understood, how the issues are misunderstood and provides what are believed to be accurate ways of understanding such issues and concepts. Although development interventions focus on results, the author argues that processes are equally important, thus, fully explains both the monitoring and evaluation domains in terms of their content, potential problems and actions required to avoid such challenges.

    The book uses the logic model to planning, implementation and evaluation as the guiding framework and unpacks each of the blocks, that is, inputs, processes and activities, outputs, outcomes and impact. The importance of understanding the use of logic in the logic model in assisting selection of relevant project activities, is emphasised. In this regard, research conducted to support monitoring and evaluation can be used to empirically validate the logic in the logic model or theory of change. To aid the reader’s understanding, examples of indicators along the logic model continuum are provided. Good monitoring and evaluation practices are demonstrated by giving examples of a work plan and Indicator Dictionary, aspects that are rarely presented in evaluation texts. Sometimes donors require estimates of physical performance of projects at regular periods. To this end, an excel model for estimating the physical performance of projects is presented.

    This book is a must-read for both undergraduate and graduate students taking introductory courses in monitoring, evaluation and research, as well as being an important reference for monitoring and evaluation practitioners.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherItyai Muvandi
    Release dateMar 9, 2020
    ISBN9780463548288
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      Book preview

      Monitoring, Evaluation and Research - Ityai Muvandi

      Monitoring,

      Evaluation

      and Research

      Tools for supporting effective managerial decisions and policy development

      Ityai Muvandi

      Copyright © 2020 Ityai Muvandi

      Published by Ityai Muvandi Publishing at Smashwords

      First edition 2020

      All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording or any information storage or retrieval system without permission from the copyright holder.

      The Author has made every effort to trace and acknowledge sources/resources/individuals. In the event that any images/information have been incorrectly attributed or credited, the Author will be pleased to rectify these omissions at the earliest opportunity.

      Published by Ityai Muvandi using Reach Publishers’ services,

      P O Box 1384, Wandsbeck, South Africa, 3631

      Edited by Caroline Webb for Reach Publishers

      Cover designed by Reach Publishers

      Website: www.reachpublishers.co.za

      E-mail: reach@reachpublish.co.za

      Ityai Muvandi

      ityaimuv@yahoo.com

      Dedication

      This book is dedicated to my grandchildren: Lefika Ethan Tinotenda Muvandi, Rukudzo Nathan Muvandi and Jessica Mufaro Tressler.

      Acknowledgment

      I am grateful to my wife, Mollen Muvandi, for her unwavering support and dedicated encouragement during the entire period of preparing this book. Her encouragement pushed me at times when I felt low and thought of putting the project aside. Appreciation is extended to my nephew, Tinashe Muvandi, who assisted with the figures in this book. Although the above-mentioned have contributed in important ways, errors of omission, content and interpretation remain my responsibility.

      Table of Contents

      Dedication

      Acknowledgment

      List of Figures

      List of Tables

      Why this Book?

      Summary of the book

      1. The foundations of monitoring and evaluation

      2. Monitoring of Interventions

      3. Evaluation of Interventions

      4. Role of Research in Programme Evaluation

      5. Challenges to effective project monitoring and evaluation, and utilisation of results

      6. Monitoring and Evaluation as Learning

      7. Key Take-Away Messages

      Glossary

      References

      About the Author

      List of Figures

      Figure 1: The logic model to evaluation

      Figure 2: The logic model defining monitoring and evaluation domains

      Figure 3: Things that must be monitored

      Figure 4: Illustration of summative evaluation as a black box

      Figure 5: Pre-test and Post-test Design

      Figure 6: Pre-post quasi-experimental design with control group

      Figure 7: Game of darts illustration of reliability

      List of Tables

      Table 1: An example of a project workplan

      Table 2: Components and budget for intervention Y

      Table 3: Detailed dummy workplan and budget for intervention Y by component

      Table 4: Component weights for intervention Y

      Table 5: Individual component activity weights

      Table 6: Calculation of component physical performance

      Table 7: Structure of an indicator dictionary with an example

      Table 8: Hypothetical distribution of beneficiaries by age

      Table 9: Hypothetical distribution of proportionate stratified sample by age

      Why this Book?

      Since the late 1970s, monitoring and evaluation (M&E) have gained prominence globally. This is largely due to two factors. First, insistence by funders and governments that project managers account for the resources used for project implementation using concrete results. Second, the increase in the number of Universities offering M&E courses, especially in the developed world. Available literature shows that monitoring and evaluation courses are taught in universities as one course, but with the focus heavily skewed in favour of evaluation and paying cursory attention to monitoring. This approach is consistent with the adoption of results-based M&E where the focus is on results (evaluation domain) and not processes or activities (monitoring domain). While we agree with the importance of focusing on results, it is argued that processes are equally important given that results may not be achieved because of implementation bottlenecks. However, the bottlenecks can only be identified through systematic monitoring. Thus, this book dedicates an entire chapter to the process, content and potential challenges of monitoring.

      The book is based on the extensive M&E and research experience of the author in training and conducting evaluations and research studies. The focus is on addressing errors that are commonly committed by M&E and research practitioners as encountered by the author during his work with M&E professionals. Relevant literature was also reviewed to complement the author’s experience. The emphasis is on clarifying and providing solutions to problematic areas, and on facilitating sound managerial decisions on the basis of M&E findings. The book walks beginners through the basics and develops materials to levels that will no doubt benefit students taking M&E and research courses at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels. M&E practitioners and consultants will also, no doubt, benefit from this book.

      A unique aspect of this book is the Excel tool for measuring the physical performance of a project at any point in time during its life cycle. This tool is important as it helps identify implementation bottlenecks for different components of a project. Some funders require information on the physical performance of interventions on a regular basis. If this tool is appropriately used, it will yield information useful for informing managerial decisions at both levels of project managers and funders.

      The book takes the logic model as its guiding framework. The different blocks of the logic model are unpacked and fully explained. The importance of defining and including concrete milestones and outputs in project workplans to enable meaningful progress reporting is emphasised. The types of evaluations are explained and the need to address issues of sustainability, potential for replication of interventions, efficiency and effectiveness are discussed as part and parcel of evaluation. The role of research in supporting evaluation and collecting additional information to determine the validity of the logic in the theory of change (logic in the model) is also covered. This helps M&E practitioners and project managers to carefully identify activities that are believed to lead to expected results.

      This book is intended to be used as reference material for introductory courses on M&E and research in the social sciences, health and other related fields, as well as being part of a tool kit for practising monitoring, evaluation and research personnel in both the public and private sectors.

      Summary of the book

      Chapter 1 presents the foundations of monitoring and evaluation, its progression and current status. Some commonly used terms are defined in order to create common understanding among readers. The need to systematically assess the worthiness of a project by determining the extent to which improvements have been made to project beneficiaries has become imperative due to limited resources and the need for accountability on the part of project or programme managers and funders. The logic model for planning, implementation and evaluation is taken as the appropriate evaluation framework for organising the book.

      Chapter 2 presents material on monitoring, focusing on what is monitored and linking the logic model, especially inputs, processes, activities and outputs, to the monitoring domain. Using Excel for measuring the physical performance of a project is presented as a monitoring tool. The potential challenges to the monitoring processes are presented and potential solutions proposed.

      Chapter 3 is on

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