Agri 16 - Management of Extension Program PDF

Republic of the Philippines Iloilo Science and Technology University Leon Campus F. Cabarles St. Leon, Iloilo Telephone Number: 331-0040, 331-0179,...

Republic of the Philippines Iloilo Science and Technology University Leon Campus F. Cabarles St. Leon, Iloilo Telephone Number: 331-0040, 331-0179, 320-0513 Website: https://isatuleon.edu.ph/ Email: [email protected] Agri 16 – Management of Extension Program Unit VI : Monitoring and Evaluation There is an increased demand that extension programs give evidence of value for money and results both at national levels and among international organizations and bilateral agencies. Investments in extension are aimed at complex transformations in how people live and how they manage their natural resources. These transformations can be rigorously evaluated, but require mixed methods. In order to assess their value, you will need qualitative and quantitative data, as well as the acknowledgement that the change processes resulting from extension are non-linear, dynamic, and multidimensional. The roles of monitoring and evaluation are complementary. UNIT 6 Lesson 1 : Monitoring for Effective Management Monitoring is usually needed for good evaluations. Information needs to be systematically collected to track progress and improve on it during the course of an intervention. This information is needed for evaluation teams to make a rigorous and verifiable assessment of the progress that has been made. Monitoring - Defined Monitoring means to observe and check the progress of a project over time. This process in extension involves gathering information on project inputs, outputs, impact, effort and complementary activities that are critical to achieving the objectives. Principles and Approaches of Monitoring The principles of monitoring state that the information gathered should be used in decision making. There needs to be constant reference back to a standard or base value to determine if progress is happening. If there is no baseline to refer to, a pilot project should be done to establish a reference value. There are different methods you can use to monitor progress, and the method you choose will depend on the type of intervention or project you are implementing. Some methods that may be useful in providing extension services are activity progress reports, statistical analysis of administrative databases and reviewing service provision records. Monitoring Indicators Input, effect, output and impact are performance indicators that you monitor. They are measurable indicators of progress. Input includes things like time the staff put into a project. Effects are the results of the changes that were made. Output will be things like training days and advisory services delivered by an organization. Impact refers to the long-term changes that happen as a result of a program or intervention.  Republic of the Philippines Iloilo Science and Technology University Leon Campus F. Cabarles St. Leon, Iloilo Telephone Number: 331-0040, 331-0179, 320-0513 Website: https://isatuleon.edu.ph/ Email: [email protected] UNIT 6 Lesson 2 : Evaluation for Effective Management Meaning and Importance of Evaluation Evaluation involves checking the effectiveness of the tools and methods used in an extension program to bring about change in a community or organization. It gives a basis for adjusting and improving the extension program. This process helps the extension agents determine the degree to which they are accomplishing what they set out to do and gives them the opportunity to make a report to the public about their activities or the value of a program. Models of Extension Program Evaluation A. Expert model - This model depends on experts making judgments on the strengths and limitations of a program based on interviews, document analysis, their own perspectives or standards that are set by stakeholders. B. Goal-free model - The main focus of this model is for external evaluators to identify environmental and farming conditions and then to compare the needs identified by the extension program to what people experience as a result of extension program implementation. This model is used to identify the needs that the program has not met and then uses this information to make changes. C. Attainment of objectives model - This model assumes that the program’s success depends on achieving the outcomes compared to the original goals and objectives. In this evaluation model, it is important to outline measurable objectives from the beginning and then gather information that will indicate how much progress has been made in meeting these objectives. D. Management decision model - This model allows managers to gather the information they need to make decisions. Stakeholder participation is very important in this model because their decisions are influenced by evaluation. One disadvantage of this model is that major stakeholders hold the most decision making power and their decisions are given preference over the views of less powerful stakeholders. E. Naturalistic model - This model is valuable in making positive collaborative changes when conflict resolution skills are combined with evaluation. This is because this model assumes that program are negotiations between stakeholders and the outcome of evaluation is based on disagreements about objectives, expectations, problems, opportunities, policies, procedures, and suggested changes in methods or activities. F. Experimental model - This approach is used to determine if the changes to program outcomes were caused by program inputs or from other influences. Evaluating the success of a program depends on comparing the outcomes of an experimental group (e.g. farmers who received training) to the outcomes of a control group (e.g. farmers who did not receive training). G. Participatory evaluation model - This model relies on the extensionists and farmers identifying an ongoing major situation that needs to be changed, then to critically reflect on how their own activities might be maintaining the negative situation. After new assumptions and practices are introduced, results are validated or invalidated based on whether a positive change happened when the new approach was adopted.  Republic of the Philippines Iloilo Science and Technology University Leon Campus F. Cabarles St. Leon, Iloilo Telephone Number: 331-0040, 331-0179, 320-0513 Website: https://isatuleon.edu.ph/ Email: [email protected] Types of Evaluation A. Evaluation of extension in the value chain - In the value chain, adding value to products or services means that people will be prepared to pay more for a product or service that they think has benefitted them than one that they felt did not benefit them. Evaluation in the value chain assesses whether the value added is the best value for money or if there are areas that need to be improved to maximize the value of a product or service. Value for money should reflect results that are valued by farmers as users of extension services. B. Evaluation accountability in extension - An element of evaluation is reporting the progress of activities of a program to stakeholders or the public. Receiving feedback or complaints in response to these progress reports ensures that the program managers will be accountable to the stakeholders. It also adds information that allows program managers to make changes to improve the program. C. Evaluation of human resources in extension- Employee performance appraisals are a type of evaluation used in human resource management to assess if an employee is adding value to the organization, if they are entitled to a promotion or increased remuneration for their efforts or if they are underperforming. D. Evaluation of extension sustainability and ownership - In donor-funded interventions, sustainability can only be proven to be successful or not sometime after external funding has been discontinued.