Part I.pdf - MTB-MLE Network

A good evaluation begins before programme planning starts, continues until after the programme,itself, has ended and assesses all aspects of the programme:• Context evaluations take place before the programme begins. They help programmeleaders learn about the community in which the programme will be implemented – thegoals and needs that community members have identified, the resources that might beavailable and the factors that are likely to affect the programme.• Input evaluations take place during planning and initiation of the programme. Theyhelp stakeholders assess the degree to which the programme plan meets thecommunity’s expectations. Input evaluations are also concerned with the effectivenessof training and the relevance and acceptability of learning and reading materials. Theyassess the degree to which resources are being utilized effectively.• Process evaluations take place at regular intervals during the programme (for example,in the middle and at the end of eachclass year). They assess learners’perceptions of their own progressand the community’s perceptions ofthe programme in general.• Impact evaluations take place at theend of the programme or whena group of learners complete theprogramme. They help programmeleaders assess the degree to whichthe literacy programme has helpedthe learners and the community, ingeneral, to achieve their goals.Evaluation ProcessParticipatory planning and evaluation of literacy for development programmes involving communitymembers can lead to stakeholders implementing the evaluation outcomes. The results of the evaluationand the feedback of the evaluation can be shared with stakeholders for verification and lead tofurther capacity-building among community members. Programme ownership can be enhanced asa result of adapted programme implementation based on the results of participatory evaluation.Encouraging community members to take part in evaluating their programme is an important wayof ensuring that, as it expands and is sustained, the programme will help them achieve their ownand their community’s goals.The best way to equip community members to plan and conduct evaluations is to go through theprocess with them: 3• Identify the focus of the evaluation.3UNESCO. Manual for Developing Literacy and Adult Education Programmes in Minority Language Communities. Bangkok:UNESCO, 2004, p. 110.56