The Alaska Evaluation Network AKEN News & Opportunities Blog

[RFP] Tyonek Tribal Conservation District - Project Evaluation RFP for Participatory Conservation Project

Thu, 24 Oct 2024 19:18:22 GMT

External Project Evaluation for Participatory Conservation

The Tyonek Tribal Conservation District [TTCD] is seeking an evaluation contractor familiar with Participatory Action Research and developmental-model evaluation practices to inform adjustments in TTCD’s approach toward community-led conservation, demonstrate best practices for including participatory methodology in outreach activities based on evaluation findings, and share best practices with the conservation sector.

Timeline:

RFP Sent: October 24, 2024
Responses Due: November 8, 2024
Chosen Agency Contacted: November 15, 2024
Project Start: Week of November 18, 2024
Project End: April 30, 2025

Organizational Overview:

Tyonek Tribal Conservation District [TTCD] is a 501c3 nonprofit that supports local conservation and resource management projects in the Tyonek, Alaska area. Our tagline is “Subsistence is our Agriculture.” TTCD was founded in 2004 as the first tribal conservation district in Alaska. Our district boundaries mirror Alaska Fish & Game Management Unit 16B, covering nearly 6.6 million acres of habitat and multiple communities. Our four focus areas are: habitat restoration, landowner technical assistance, Tyonek Grown community garden and Tyonek Youth Conservation Science. We partner with numerous tribal organizations, state and federal agencies and fellow nonprofits to achieve our goals.

Project Overview:

TTCD was funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) to implement the project “Participatory Conservation through Subsistence Agriculture in the Tyonek Tribal Conservation District.” The goal of this project was to leverage existing data, projects, and agency resources within the conservation district to ensure that current scientific information, conservation solutions, and projects are publicly accessible and culturally responsive, and that they serve the needs identified by Tyonek subsistence farmers, ranchers, and landowners.

Project Objectives:

Objective 1: Subsistence farmers, ranchers, and landowners within the Tyonek Tribal Conservation District can easily access all publicly available data on natural resources within the district in formats relevant to their needs and are able to request collaborations with agencies best able to respond to their inquiries. As a result, stakeholders will be able to make better informed decisions and inquiries regarding habitat for the subsistence wildlife upon which their community depends, as well as the community garden which also contributes to food security in this remote district.
Objective 2: Science outreach and information is relevant, co-created, and culturally responsive to subsistence farmers, ranchers, and landowners within the Tyonek Tribal Conservation District, leading to increased utilization of available knowledge on local resources.
Objective 3: Tribal Conservation Districts within Alaska share technical information on an annual basis, increasing the shared inclusion of tribal subsistence agriculture in decision-making conversations throughout Alaska.
Objective 4: Increase capacity of residents and shareholders of Native Village of Tyonek to build and maintain sustainable agricultural and subsistence practices through increased knowledge, skills, and access to partnerships.

Project Scope:

The evaluator will work closely with the TTCD Executive Director and staff to understand the vision, accomplishments, and setbacks for each objective and associated activities. The evaluator will also work with Tyonek subsistence farmers, ranchers, and landowners, as well as Native Village of Tyonek, Tyonek Native Corporation and Tebughna Foundation staff to understand the impact of these project activities in the community of Tyonek. These activities include:

Re-design of the TTCD website become an information hub for publicly available data pertaining to natural resource projects, data, and policies within the conservation district.
Community Conversation engagement meetings intended to ensure that current scientific information, conservation solutions and projects are publicly accessible and culturally responsive, and that they serve the ongoing conservation needs identified by Tyonek subsistence farmers, ranchers, and landowners.
TTCD staff training in trauma-informed management and the integration of these trainings into organizational policies as well as outreach products and trainings.
Hiring two field interns to assist with seasonal fish assessments and invasives mitigations, with the intention that these internships build competencies, confidence, and interest in pursuing careers in natural resource management.
Outreach to other conservation organizations to share technical skills.

The evaluator is encouraged to invite partnering agencies and community stakeholders to help inform the creation of the evaluation model and interpret the data, identifying ways in which TTCD can better integrate Participatory Action Research or similar principles into future projects. The evaluation deliverable will be a final report with summative findings and a set of best practices, which will be used to train staff and agency partners on strategies for designing conservation, research, and outreach projects with community-led, participatory methodology. The evaluator and TTCD Executive Director will co-present best practices learned from the evaluation to conservation stakeholders.

Budget: Up to $36,000

Project Period: November 18, 2024 – April 30, 2025

Proposal Requirements:

Brief description of your company or organization’s evaluation experience with Participatory Action Research, developmental-evaluation models, or similar evaluation models applicable to this project, and examples of past deliverables.
Estimated timeline for each step of the evaluation process.
Demonstration of qualifications and experience for key personnel, such as a resume or curriculum vitae.
A general budget for facilitation and project evaluation. Meetings for this project will largely occur in Anchorage with possible travel to Tyonek. Travel budget will be negotiated separately as workplan is finalized.

Scoring Criteria:

Experience with appropriate evaluation techniques and/or description of anticipated methodologies	50 points
Professional qualifications	15 points
Cost (proposed budget expenses appear reasonable and justified given project scope and duration)	35 points

Please submit questions and proposals to Erica Lujan at elujan@ttcd.org

A full RFP document is attached or can be found at our website: https://ttcd.org/how-you-can-help/job-opportunities/

Or the following direct link: https://ttcd.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/NRCS-ECC-RFP-External-Project-Evaluation-for-Participatory-Conservation.pdf

Evaluation Manager at the Alaska SeaLife Center

Tue, 15 Oct 2024 22:46:31 GMT

Summary:
The position is responsible for the successful development and implementation of evaluation projects that enhance our understanding of our many audiences’ experiences. The role fosters innovation and informed decision-making across departments at the Alaska SeaLife Center (ASLC). It leads evaluation studies and reporting, provides operational support to improve the quality of projects, and ensures lessons from evaluations are applied to the continuous improvement of programs and strategy.

Education/Training Requirements:
This manager-level position will hold a master’s degree in public policy or other social science discipline such as environmental education or museum studies and has a minimum of five-years’ experience as an evaluator or senior evaluation position in a comparable sized mission-driven organization.

Primary Responsibilities:

Impact Measurement

1. Leads development, implementation, and reporting of evaluation obligations to internal audiences, the Board of Directors, and multiple grant-funded programs.
2. Collaborates with in-house and external groups to formulate program objectives and priorities with a focus on observable metrics for assessment; collaborates with Senior Managers on the scope and methodologies to be used in evaluation; provides advice on evaluation methods and techniques to other members of the ASLC team; works with colleagues on the development of evaluation instruments, data collection and collaborative interpretation of results; and drafts written reports and presentations related to the evaluation process and findings.
3. Designs, pilot-tests, and revises evaluation instruments and methods. Collects, analyzes, and disseminates evaluation findings through reports, presentations, and participation in professional networks.
4. Remains current with trends, theories, and effective practices of evaluation and visitor research through literature, professional development, and collaboration with other professionals.
5. Leads proposal writing and coordination for grants and communications with other external funds.
6. Supports an impact assessment dashboard for ASLC to easily and meaningfully track outcomes that advance the mission.

Management

7. Provides leadership in design and implementation of studies to assess the impact and effectiveness of ASLC’s programs and strategies and leads collaboration with internal and external partners. Including coordination, planning, development, and implementation of evaluation for new program plans or exhibitions, including literature reviews and background research and market research.
8. Collaborates with the CEO, Chief Science and Learning Officer, and Director of Mission Impact on priority setting for work of the program area.
9. Supervises data collectors and evaluation staff, including performance assessment, spot-checking of compliance with protocols.
10. Performs validity tests on all data to ensure accuracy and integrity.
11. Coordinates IRB processes within ASLC and oversees record keeping, compliance reports, and ensures all staff retain current certifications as required for Human Subjects Research.
12. Coordinates with the Research Integrity Officer on any investigations and oversights of human subject research.

Strategic

13. Supports the Center’s strategic and operational goals through fostering evaluative thinking and the use of logic models, theory of change, and other planning tools.
14. Coordinates any external evaluation consultant contracts for grant-funded programs and ensures deliverables meet the Center’s standards and expectations.
15. Supports an institutional culture of adaptive learning and continual improvement at ASLC.
16. Supports relationships with other organizations or academic departments conducting collaborative research studies and enhance ASLC’s capacity to advance knowledge in the field of zoos and aquariums.

Other

17. Fosters good relations with visitors, volunteers, community leaders, contractors, and fellow staff members by promoting positive attitudes, good will, cooperation, and providing high standards of service.
18. Complies with all Alaska SeaLife Center policies, procedures, and programs.
19. Performs other duties as assigned.

Minimum/Required Qualifications:
● Five-years’ experience as an evaluator leading and directing evaluation projects.
● Familiarity with quantitative, qualitative, and mixed-methods analysis procedures.
● Excellent oral and written communication skills in English.
● Knowledge of Microsoft Office software and able to learn and use institutional software systems.
● Familiarity with R and python for quantitative data analysis.
● Complies with all federal, state, and local laws.

Preferred Qualifications:
● Familiarity with principles of data equity and equitable evaluation.
● Second language in addition to English is an asset.
● Prior experience collaborating or working in Alaska Native organizations.

Physical Requirements:
The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by the employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this position. The person in this position will operate a computer and other office equipment, laptop computers or smart phones for data collection, copy machine, and computer printer. Communicate with staff and collaborators, remain stationary for longer periods of time, and move equipment including audio/visual equipment weighing up to 20 pounds.

Accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums

APPLICATION DEADLINE: OPEN UNTIL FILLED

START DATE: ASAP

PAY RATE: $57,720 - $63,440

Full-Time Position with Benefits

Please upload your resume, cover letter and letter of reference when you apply.

Must be able to pass a background check.

Here is the link to the job posting with the job description as well: https://jobs.ourcareerpages.com/job/908531?source=ccp&key=sCIpk0%2fZtprF6Y16O00G3DFbMs9nhWQC8tBkTdQDiCA%3d

Invitation: Practice Presentations for Alaskan AEA Conference Presenters

Tue, 01 Oct 2024 18:29:54 GMT

In the spring, several AKEN members requested possible availability to pre-present their AEA conference presentation, before the Portland conference in late October, for practice and potential feedback and comments.

This is an invitation to any AEA conference presenters in Alaska who would like to present prior to the AEA conference via Zoom to an audience of AKEN members/supporters to practice their presentation.

If you are interested in presenting, please email the AKEN address with your availability and possible presentation dates and times, ranging from Wednesday, October 9th through Friday, October 18th. AKEN BoM will coordinate details with you and getting the word out to AKEN membership.

Thank you, and have a great rest of your week,
AKEN BoM

Recruiting for a Health Program Manager 1

Tue, 03 Sep 2024 20:25:11 GMT

We are excited to share with you that we are recruiting for a Health Program Manager 1 position, the newly reclassed PRAMS and CUBS Survey Operations Manager position!

This is a permanent position in the Alaska Department of Health Section of Women’s, Children’s and Family Health, Maternal and Child Health Epidemiology Unit in Anchorage. This position supports public health surveillance efforts of the Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System (PRAMS) and its three-year follow-up survey called the Childhood Understanding Behaviors Survey (CUBS). Please see the posting for more information:

https://www.governmentjobs.com/careers/alaska/jobs/4620936.

The application process will close on 9/6/24.

Please share this opportunity! Thank you so much!

Invitation to Participate in a Research Study Interview on Evaluator Professional Quality of Life

Tue, 13 Aug 2024 00:24:40 GMT

Dear Evaluator,

I hope this email finds you well. My name is Stacy Huff, a doctoral candidate at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. I'm conducting a research study on the professional quality of life of program evaluators, with a special focus on understanding experiences related to compassion fatigue —a state of emotional exhaustion and dysfunction due to the emotional strain of empathetic involvement with others.

Why Your Voice Matters?

Your unique experiences and insights as an evaluator are invaluable in understanding the complexities of this profession, including your potential experience with compassion fatigue.

What Does Participation Involve?

If you choose to participate, you'll be part of a one-on-one interview for this research study conducted via Microsoft Teams. The interview will be an open and respectful conversation about your experiences as an evaluator. It will be recorded for accuracy but rest assured, your privacy and comfort are my top priorities. The interview will last for about 60 minutes.

Why Should You Consider Participating?

This is a chance to share your story and contribute to research that aims to support and improve the well-being of evaluators. Your participation could help shed light on the experience of compassion fatigue in the field of program evaluation.

Ensuring Your Comfort and Confidentiality

I am committed to a trauma-informed approach throughout this research study. This means I prioritize your comfort and confidentiality at every step. All data will be handled with the utmost care, and you’ll have control over your participation throughout the interview process.

Interested in Sharing Your Story?

If you’re interested in participating or have any questions, please feel free to reach out to me at srhuff@uncg.edu. I'm here to provide more information or address any concerns you might have.

If you are ready to schedule your interview, please do so through my Calendly scheduling app here: https://calendly.com/huffstacyr/compassion-fatigue-in-evaluation-interview

Thank you for considering this opportunity. Your voice can make a significant difference in our understanding of the evaluator's experience of compassion fatigue.

Warm regards,

Stacy Huff, M.S.; Ph.D. Candidate

Educational Research Methodology, Program Evaluation track

University of North Carolina at Greensboro

Evaluator Peer Networking (EPN) event on May 8th, 2024, at 2 pm EST/11 am PST

Mon, 15 Apr 2024 22:54:01 GMT

What and Where:

You are invited to attend an upcoming 1.5-hour Evaluator Peer Networking (EPN) event on May 8^th, 2024, at 2 pm EST/11 am PST.

EPN is an ongoing series of free Zoom speed networking events. The space is created for evaluators to meet and network with other evaluators in rounds of one-on-one meetings to share your work, learn from others, and build relationships.

How:

Future Dates:

Having a meeting conflict but interested in attending a future meetup? Sign up here to receive announcements about future EPN events. (Note: You don’t need to sign up again if you previously registered for an EPN event and opted in to receive email announcements.)

Hoping to see you there!

Best,

Sylvia

Sylvia Pu, Ph.D.

Principal | Sylvia Pu Consulting

April and May EnCompass Learning Center Offerings - Now part of the SHRM Professional Development Program

Wed, 03 Apr 2024 19:50:43 GMT

Dear colleagues,

Please join us for one of our upcoming #eval courses at the EnCompass Learning Center.

Equity-Focused & Culturally Responsive Evaluation – April 16, 18, and 22^nd from 1-4 pm ET
Data Quality Fundamentals – April 23, 25, and 30^th from 9 am – 12 pm ET
Organizational Capacity Assessment (OCA) – May 7, 9, and 14^th from 9 am – 12 pm ET
Mixed Methods Research and Evaluation – May 20, 21, and 22^nd 12 pm – 3 pm ET

Registrants can get the 20% group discount for AEA affiliates by emailing our team at learningcenter@encompassworld.com.

To view our full 2024 line-up, please view the schedule at: https://encompassworld.com/elc/elc-course-schedule-2024/

To join our mailing list, sign up at: https://encompassworld.us15.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=49a591b4cf3b4fb9944de2794&id=8fc76eeba0

Thanks,

Beeta Tahmassebi

Call for Submissions: May 2024 AEA IPE TIG Newsletter - Highlighting MMIW Awareness Month

Fri, 22 Mar 2024 20:10:44 GMT

Dear evaluation colleagues,

I hope this message finds you well and thriving. As Communications Chair for the Indigenous Persons in Evaluation (IPE) Topical Interest Group of the American Evaluation Association, I am very excited to bring our plans for the May 2024 newsletter to fruition. This edition is particularly special as it aims to honor MMIW (Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women) Awareness Month, casting a spotlight on crucial issues that impact our Tribal communities so deeply.

We are seeking submissions that reflect on and explore the intersections of gender, Indigenous feminisms, violence prevention, grassroots advocacy, land and environmental stewardship, among others, with a particular focus on their connection to Indigenous evaluation. This is an excellent opportunity for individuals doing innovative work in these spaces to share their insights, research, and stories.

What We Are Looking For:

Innovative Articles: Insights, projects, evaluation findings, or thought pieces that delve into the aforementioned themes. Whether you're working on the frontlines of advocacy, conducting innovative evaluation, or have compelling personal narratives tied to these issues, we want to hear from you.

Evaluator Profiles: We are also keen to feature an Indigenous evaluator who is making significant contributions to our field. If you or someone you know has a story to tell about challenges, successes, and insights gained from working in these areas, please reach out.

Submission Guidelines:

Length: Our average article length is around 500 words. However, we believe in the power of your stories and insights, so we are flexible and open to pieces of varying lengths. Please visit our website to view previous newsletters.

Format: Please send your submissions or proposals in a Word document or PDF file. Include any relevant images, graphics, or links that complement your article (please be sure to provide image credits where necessary).

Deadline: We aim to finalize contributions by May 1, 2024. This will give us ample time to prepare and showcase your valuable work in the best light possible.

How to Submit:

Send your articles, ideas, or profiles to me (jeremy@tlpi.org) with the subject line "May 2024 Newsletter Submission." If you have preliminary ideas or questions, do not hesitate to contact me beforehand. We are here to support you through the submission process.

Spread the Word:

If you know someone whose voice and work should be featured in our newsletter, please forward this call for submissions to them or send me their contact details. Your recommendations and networks can help ensure a rich, diverse collection of perspectives and knowledge in our upcoming edition.

Thank you for considering contributing to our May 2024 newsletter. With your involvement, we can shed light on pressing issues, celebrate our strides in advocacy and evaluation, and foster a community of support and resilience. Looking forward to your submissions and stories!

Yours in love and solidarity,

Jeremy

Call for Submissions: May 2024 AEA IPE TIG Newsletter - Highlighting MMIW Awareness Month

Fri, 22 Mar 2024 20:10:44 GMT

Dear evaluation colleagues,

I hope this message finds you well and thriving. As Communications Chair for the Indigenous Persons in Evaluation (IPE) Topical Interest Group of the American Evaluation Association, I am very excited to bring our plans for the May 2024 newsletter to fruition. This edition is particularly special as it aims to honor MMIW (Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women) Awareness Month, casting a spotlight on crucial issues that impact our Tribal communities so deeply.

We are seeking submissions that reflect on and explore the intersections of gender, Indigenous feminisms, violence prevention, grassroots advocacy, land and environmental stewardship, among others, with a particular focus on their connection to Indigenous evaluation. This is an excellent opportunity for individuals doing innovative work in these spaces to share their insights, research, and stories.

What We Are Looking For:

Innovative Articles: Insights, projects, evaluation findings, or thought pieces that delve into the aforementioned themes. Whether you're working on the frontlines of advocacy, conducting innovative evaluation, or have compelling personal narratives tied to these issues, we want to hear from you.

Evaluator Profiles: We are also keen to feature an Indigenous evaluator who is making significant contributions to our field. If you or someone you know has a story to tell about challenges, successes, and insights gained from working in these areas, please reach out.

Submission Guidelines:

Length: Our average article length is around 500 words. However, we believe in the power of your stories and insights, so we are flexible and open to pieces of varying lengths. Please visit our website to view previous newsletters.

Format: Please send your submissions or proposals in a Word document or PDF file. Include any relevant images, graphics, or links that complement your article (please be sure to provide image credits where necessary).

Deadline: We aim to finalize contributions by May 1, 2024. This will give us ample time to prepare and showcase your valuable work in the best light possible.

How to Submit:

Send your articles, ideas, or profiles to me (jeremy@tlpi.org) with the subject line "May 2024 Newsletter Submission." If you have preliminary ideas or questions, do not hesitate to contact me beforehand. We are here to support you through the submission process.

Spread the Word:

If you know someone whose voice and work should be featured in our newsletter, please forward this call for submissions to them or send me their contact details. Your recommendations and networks can help ensure a rich, diverse collection of perspectives and knowledge in our upcoming edition.

Thank you for considering contributing to our May 2024 newsletter. With your involvement, we can shed light on pressing issues, celebrate our strides in advocacy and evaluation, and foster a community of support and resilience. Looking forward to your submissions and stories!

Yours in love and solidarity,

Jeremy

Alaska Evaluation Network Spring Social Announcement - April 19th

Tue, 19 Mar 2024 21:26:37 GMT

Hello AKEN Members and Supporters,

On April 19th, the Alaska Evaluation Network is holding a Spring Social in Anchorage to bring together network members and evaluation colleagues in an informal gathering to connect and meet with other Alaskan evaluators. During the evening, there will be open time to socialize as well as some interactive activities with attendees and upcoming network event announcements. Light snacks will be provided.

We are requesting that interested parties RSVP, as this will help with our planning for attendance numbers. For full details and to RSVP, please visit the Spring Social web page, through the QR code below or provided LINK.

Please forward this announcement within your networks and to interested colleagues and peers.

We look forward to seeing you on the 19th!

AKEN BOM

REMINDER - AKEN Quarterly Members Meeting - Thursday, March 7th 2-3:30pm

Mon, 26 Feb 2024 09:30:02 GMT

Hello AKEN Members and Supporters,

We have set our quarterly Member Meeting for Thursday, March 7th at 2:00-3:30 pm. Please register in advance for this meeting: https://zoom.us/meeting/register/tJYsf-2pqD0tE9brn1jkfPdG_s3LtSrDa-bF

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email with information about joining the meeting. The agenda will be forthcoming in late February.

We are also looking for volunteers who would like to present their work or on an evaluation topic at the Members meeting, where there would also be Q&A and/or a Group Discussion on the presentation. If you are interested in presenting, please contact the AKEN BoM at alaskaeval@gmail.com.

Thank you for your continued support and we hope to see you at our March meeting!

AKEN BoM

Job Position: Alaska SeaLife Center Research Coordinator-Evaluator

Thu, 21 Dec 2023 07:58:46 GMT

Alaska SeaLife Center is hiring for a Research Coordinator/Evaluator. Please see link for full application details: https://jobs.ourcareerpages.com/job/861602?confirmID=84aed790-26ef-4dc6-957f-b3c9e0479896

APPLICATION DEADLINE: Open until filled; apply by Jan 3, 2024 for full consideration.

Summary:

This position is responsible for ensuring the successful development and implementation of evaluation projects that enhance our understanding of our audience experiences and fosters innovation and informed decision-making across departments. It will lead and/or participate in evaluation studies and reporting, provide operational support to improve the quality of projects, and ensure lessons from evaluations are applied to the continuous improvement of programs and strategy.

Job Posting: Alaska Justice Information Center Research Professional Post, Open until Filled

Sat, 09 Dec 2023 00:12:25 GMT

Link to Job Posting: https://careers.alaska.edu/en-us/job/527149/research-professional-justice-center

Position Summary:

AJiC is the research unit of the UAA Justice Center and is formally recognized by the U.S. Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Statistics as Alaska’s dedicated criminal and juvenile justice statistical analysis center (SAC). The UAA Justice Center also houses academic programs in Criminology & Criminal Justice, and Legal Studies. As an organized research unit, the Justice Center conducts basic and applied research examining justice issues in both urban and rural Alaska, disseminates the findings from that research widely and in diverse formats, and provides students with a variety of undergraduate research opportunities. This Research Professional 2 position works under the administrative supervision of the AJiC Director to: (1) answer research questions using analytic skills, (2) retrieve and prepare data for processing and analysis, (3) perform data analyses, and (4) prepare reports, presentations, and other research project dissemination products/deliverables.

Crime and criminal justice are among the most urgent public policy issues facing Alaskan communities. Become a member of Alaska’s preeminent crime and criminal justice research center – the Alaska Justice Information Center (AJiC)! AJiC’s mission is to compile, analyze, and report crime and justice data to assist policymakers and practitioners with the development of evidence-based policies and practices to improve the safety and wellbeing of Alaska communities.

To thrive in the Research Professional role, you must possess knowledge of social science research methods and be able to develop and maintain analytic data sets and perform descriptive data analyses using computerized software applications. You will be required to accurately document data analytic processes and procedures according to established standards. Importantly, you’ll be working as a member of a team in a highly collaborative research environment, so well-developed interpersonal and oral communication skills are a must. AJiC research projects have firm deadlines, which makes personal organization and time management skills paramount. As a dedicated research unit housed within the UAA Justice Center, you will routinely interact with Justice Center and other UAA faculty, students, and staff and therefore you must embrace the values of intellectual curiosity and lifelong learning, rigorous and systematic empirical inquiry, professional and public service, as well as the principles of inclusion and diversity in the workplace.

Minimum Qualifications:

Bachelor’s degree and one year experience in a field relevant to criminal justice/criminological research, or an equivalent combination of training and experience. One year of research experience in a social science (e.g., criminal justice/criminology, sociology, psychology) or other data analytic discipline (e.g., economics, mathematics/statistics, data science). This experience may include a combination of post-secondary training, university thesis work, and/or paid professional experience.

Position Details:

This position is located on the UAA campus in Anchorage. This is a full-time, term-funded, exempt staff position complete with both a competitive salary and full employee benefits package. UA provides a generous compensation package that includes retirement options, annual leave, 12 paid holidays per year, tuition waivers for employees and family members, and affordable medical, dental and vision care coverage. New hires will be placed on the UA staff salary schedule, Grade 79, based on education and experience.

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis until a successful candidate is identified. Review of application materials will begin immediately. Search and selection procedures will be closed when a sufficient and viable number of qualified candidates have been identified.

Evaluator Search for Alaska SeaLife Center NSF Proposal

Fri, 08 Dec 2023 23:57:52 GMT

The Alaska SeaLife Center is searching for an evaluator with expertise in learning program evaluation, ideally informal learning evaluation, and prior experience working with Alaska Native communities in the Kenai Peninsula. Dr. John Fraser, the new Director of Mission Impact for the Alaska SeaLife Center, is submitting a 4-year NSF grant proposal for a two-part study of the quality of forage fish that are the basis of the food web for our subsistence and recreational fishing, and specifically how the general public, recreational fishers, and Alaska Native communities are learning and acting on what’s changing in our food supply.

Dr. John Fraser is in the midst of a grant proposal that’s due in the second week of January, but the project wouldn’t start until Fall 2024. The Alaska SeaLife Center’s critical priority for this search/call is to find an evaluation firm who is the right fit for the project and to meet and discuss the NSF project proposal and next steps to submit by the deadline. The estimated evaluation budget for the proposal is about $200K over four years. If you’re interested, Dr. John Fraser can be contacted for more details.

John Fraser Ph.D. AIA (he/they)
Director of Mission Impact
Alaska SeaLife Center
P.O. Box 1329 • 301 Railway Ave • Seward, AK 99664

Email: JohnFraser@AlaskaSeaLife.org

Job Posting: Alaska Mental Health Trust Authority (Trust) Evaluation & Planning Officer Recruitment

Fri, 08 Dec 2023 23:55:42 GMT

The Alaska Mental Health Trust Authority (Trust) is seeking a skilled and dynamic professional who is committed to forwarding the mission of the Trust of improving the lives of its beneficiaries to join the Trust as an Evaluation and Planning Officer.

The Evaluation and Planning Officer (EPO) is an integral part of the Trust team. The EPO supports Trust leadership and the board of trustees in accomplishing Trust goals and responsibilities, and in developing policy concerning the nature, level, scope, and funding of the state’s Comprehensive Integrated Mental Health Program (the Plan). The EPO is responsible for reviewing and analyzing the effectiveness of the state’s statutorily required integrated comprehensive mental health state program (the Plan) as directed by AS 47.30.660(a)(1). The EPO will assist in complying with state statutory mandates to gather and analyze data to report the status and needs of Trust beneficiaries as well as assist in the facilitation and evaluation of the Trust’s grantmaking and performance.

The Trust is a leader in philanthropy in Alaska and grants approximately $25 million a year to organizations across the state. The Trust focuses all grants towards improving the lives of beneficiaries which include Alaskans with mental illness, developmental disabilities, substance abuse disorders, Alzheimer’s and related dementia, and traumatic brain injuries.

Interested individuals should submit a cover letter, resume, and the names and telephone numbers of three professional references by mail or email to:

Valette Keller, Administrative Manager
valette.keller@alaska.gov
Alaska Mental Health Trust Authority
3745 Community Park Loop Suite 200
Anchorage, AK 99508

The application period closes Thursday, December 14, 2023. Inquiries will be kept confidential.

A complete copy of the position description is attached and can be viewed online.

This is a fully exempt, professional position in Anchorage, Alaska, and is offered with a starting salary between $90,000 to $100,000 annually and a complete State of Alaska benefit package. Final salary will be negotiated at the time of hire and will be based upon the successful candidate’s qualifications and experience.

The Trust and State of Alaska is an equal employment opportunity employer and supports workplace diversity. Individuals requiring accommodation should call 907-269-6039.

Request for Contributions: New Directions in Evaluation Geography-based Issue

Wed, 29 Nov 2023 20:04:37 GMT

We are seeking evaluation colleagues who would be interested in contributing to an issue of New Directions in Evaluation focused on geographic information systems and geospatial analysis, and we would like to welcome you to consider contributing. We are seeking examples of using geographic techniques in evaluations that include Indigenous People and places. See the abstract below for details. We will need a 1-2 page abstract from contributors before the end of the calendar year. If you are interested, please contact Katie (katie@geoliteracyproject.com) and Marcel (marcel@performhy.com) to discuss additional details.

Program evaluation is an inherently cross-sectoral discipline. Evaluators use methods and philosophies from social sciences and integrate these with quantitative data collection and analysis techniques to present fulsome pictures of program strategies, implementation, and results. Geographic methods and philosophies are designed to accomplish a similar task using different techniques. Geography is an inherently interdisciplinary approach to understanding the interactions between places and people. Once the purview of ecologists and other Earth scientists, geographic tools and techniques have advanced and simplified in the past 20 years. Mapping tools are now more accessible and affordable. Evaluators can access and approach free, simple geographic tools for understanding, analyzing, and presenting evaluation data. Using these tools provides evaluators with improved access to contextual information that can be used to target their evaluation methods, like surveys, focus groups, and workshops. The tools also provide additional data analysis power, allowing evaluators to correlate findings with underlying sociological and ecological geographic information. This issue of New Directions in Evaluation provides philosophies, methods, and examples of how geographic techniques can enhance evaluation results.

Alaska Center for Climate Assessment and Policy (ACCAP) Small Grants Evaluator

Tue, 22 Aug 2023 19:01:35 GMT

The Alaska Center for Climate Assessment and Policy (ACCAP) is seeking an evaluation of our small grants project.

About ACCAP

ACCAP is one of eleven Climate Adaptation Partnerships (CAPS formerly known as RISA) funded by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Operating in Alaska since 2006, ACCAP’s mission is to conduct innovative and collaborative research and engagement to inform climate policy, decision making, and action for a just and sustainable future to realize our vision of healthy and thriving Alaska communities, economies, and ecosystems in a changing climate. More information about ACCAP can be found at: https://uaf-accap.org/. ACCAP is housed at the International Arctic Research Center (IARC) at the University of Alaska Fairbanks. More information about IARC can be found at: https://uaf-iarc.org/.

Small Grants Project Background

Alaska Center for Climate Assessment and Policy has awarded small grants to four statewide and regional non-profit organizations to enhance capacity for resilience and climate adaptation in Alaska Native communities. These awards are approximately $50,000 each for 1 year. The US Arctic Research Commission is collaborating in the effort by funding one of the four awardees. More information about the project can be found at: https://uaf-accap.org/projects/small-grants-program/

Objective/Scope/Purpose:

ACCAP is seeking an external evaluator with experience in rural Alaska villages to conduct an evaluation of the small grants project. The evaluation will be utilized to determine the societal impact of the Small Grants Program and the extent to which we achieve the program objectives.

Program objectives are to:

● Enhance capacity for resilience and adaptation

● Develop leadership for addressing climate challenges

● Increase awareness of ACCAP products and services

● Build relationships and mutual learning

● Provide access to the most relevant scientific information in an understandable format

Please contact Sarah Trainor, sftrainor@alaska.edu, (907) 474-7878 for more information and to set up an informational interview.

Employment Opportunity - Stellar Group Research & Evaluation Associate

Thu, 10 Jun 2021 22:12:44 GMT

Job Opportunity: Research & Evaluation Associate

The Stellar Group, a local research and evaluation consulting firm is looking for a new Associate to join the team. Job description attached. Find out more about the Stellar Group’s work and our team on our website at www.stellargp.com. Contact Iris Matthews iris@Stellargp.com, with any questions.

Full Job Description: 2021 Website - Associate description.pdf

AKEN Lexi Hill: IRBs, Tribal Approvals, and Bears, Oh My!!

Alaska Evaluation Network — Mon, 10 Mar 2014 17:00:00 GMT

Over the last forty years, the federal government has issued and revised extensive regulations around the protection of human subjects involved in research; the need for such regulation was evident not just from the extreme abuses by Germany during the Nazi era, but also from abuses closer to home, such as the decision to study the progression of syphilis by withholding treatment from research subjects in Tuskeegee from the 1940s to the 1970s,and to study hepatitis by deliberately infecting children in the Willowbrook State School in New York in the 1950s and 60s. Key in that protection are Institutional Review Boards that review research plans for ethical challenges.

While the regulations are directed at ‘research’ rather than ‘evaluation’, many of our studies as evaluators (especially those of us working in public health and post-secondary institutions) fall under the purview of one or more IRBs. In addition, research may require one or more tribal approvals. For example, if research is focused on Southcentral Foundation’s customer-owners (Alaska Native or American Indian people living in or near Anchorage), if recruitment occurs on the Alaska Native Medical Center campus or if Southcentral Foundation employees are engaged in the research, the researchers must obtain Southcentral Foundation approval; similarly, research in the Bethel area may require approval from the Yukon Kuskokwim Health Corporation.

Obtaining approvals, making all the required changes, and ensuring the final research protocol is the same across all the potentially different approvals can be time consuming and organizationally challenging. However, the process isn’t just a bureaucratic exercise. It can be series of valuable and useful reviews of your research plans by professionals who bring multiple different perspectives and make suggestions (and requirements) that improve your research design.

Hot tips:

Plan plenty of time. A full board review by just one IRB can easily take two to four months to prepare and submit, and another month to make the required modifications and receive approval. Projects that require multiple board and tribal reviews can take a year, even without significant delays or modifications, just because of the meeting schedules of different review levels.

Communicate, communicate, communicate! The IRB administrators and sometimes the board members (when they have time) can be valuable resources to guide your efforts, to understand how the reviews take place, and to clarify required modifications, if there are any.

Be compulsively organized. If your institution uses IRBNet (or a similar software package) to manage IRB submissions, it may have tools for tracking document revisions, as well as on-line instructions and forms that you’ll need for your submissions. You’ll also want your own copies of everything submitted, organized so that you can easily tell what’s been submitted, modified, or approved through the process.

Rad Resources:

For a quick overview of human subjects protection issues, see the AEA365 blog post by Judy Savageau on “The IRB Process in Human Subject Research” (http://aea365.org/blog/judy-savageau-on-the-irb-process-in-human-subject-research/)

Everyone should read the Belmont Report sometime:http://www.hhs.gov/ohrp/humansubjects/guidance/belmont.html

AKEN Goes to Washington

Alaska Evaluation Network — Sat, 08 Feb 2014 18:00:00 GMT

During the 2013 American Evaluation Annual Conference in Washington DC, the local affiliateWashington Evaluators Group coordinated an effort for "Evaluators to Visit Capitol Hill" (EVCH). Using webinars and other distance technology, they trained evaluators from around the nation on how to contact their representatives and discuss the importance of evaluating government programs for better management and accountability.

AKEN Representatives met with staffers from Senator Murkowski, Senator Begich, and Congressman Young's offices, to highlight the utility of evaluation for government decision-making nationally and talk about evaluation capacity and efforts in Alaska. The staffers were interested in our group and look forward to learning more evaluation in Alaska!

Karen McCarthy, a staffer in Senator Murkowski's office, suggested AKEN consider putting together an occasional newsletter highlighting the work of our members. If you would be interested in coordinating of contributing to such an AKEN newsletter/brief, please drop us an email at alaskaeval@gmail.com.

AKEN Corrie Whitmore: 2014 President's Vision

Alaska Evaluation Network — Thu, 06 Feb 2014 20:25:18 GMT

I’m Corrie Whitmore, the founding President of AKEN. I am very proud of our organization’s growth in 2013 AKEN Corrie Whitmore: 2013 President's Report and look forward to a busy second year. In 2014 I hope AKEN will:

Connect with more evaluators outside Anchorage and Fairbanks, to bring their important perspective to the conversation and build evaluation capacity around our enormous, diverse state.

Increase our outreach to students by adding a Student Liaison to the Board of Managers.

Work with faculty teaching evaluation in Alaska to share AKEN members’ expertise with students and invite more student voices into the AKEN conversation.

Host two panel presentations at our General Membership Meetings, facilitated by Diwakar Vadipalli. In 2012, Diwakar hosted a panel on teaching evaluation. In 2013, he organized a panel discussing the current and future state of evaluation practices in Alaska’s human service agencies. These presentations were well attended and fostered great discussion among our members.

Increase our social media presence by doubling the number of blog posts written and shared onFacebook and Twitter. The blog is a great place for our members to share resources, describe projects they are working on, or seek feedback on questions they find interesting. If you are interested in writing a post or joining the blog team, please contact us at alaskaeval@gmail.com

Grow our organizational infrastructure, including a designated AKEN conference line that will remain the same from meeting to meeting.

Propose at least one Alaska-focused presentation for the AEA Annual Conference in Denver in October 2014.

Designate a Conference Steering Committee and move toward hosting an AKEN Conference in 2015, which has been designated as the international “Year of Evaluation.” Stay tuned for more information on this, including conference location, dates, and topics.

2014 is going to be a great year for the Alaska Evaluation Network! I hope you will join us, as we pursue our mission to “support evaluation practices that are responsive to the uniqueness of Alaska's geographic, social, cultural, and administrative context; encourage effective evaluation; improve evaluation capacity within the state; and advocate for evaluation leadership.”

AKEN Corrie Whitmore: 2013 President's Report

Alaska Evaluation Network — Wed, 01 Jan 2014 02:00:00 GMT

I’m Corrie Whitmore, the founding President of AKEN. I am very proud of our first year as an officially recognized American Evaluation Association (AEA) affiliate organization. At the beginning of the year, we had a mailing list, a newly elected board, and the start of by-laws. By the end of the year, we had held twelve meetings, taken on 39 official members, and presented a full slate of programming.

AKEN has adopted a schedule of hosting five General Membership meetings around programs, one General Membership Business meeting, and six Board of Managers (BoM) meetings each year.

February’s General Membership meeting focused on forming our Membership, Programming, and Nominations Committee. Over the course of the year, the Membership Committee developed our organizational website and social media presence (Facebook, Twitter, blog), created the forms and process for members to join the organization, and conducted the first AKEN Member Survey. The Programming Committee coordinated the content of our four program meetings and the Nominating Committee put together a slate of candidates for our 2013 Elections.

At April’s General Membership meeting, Alda Norris of UAF’s Cooperative Extension presented on Data Visualization Tools. This presentation is available in our Resource Library.

In May, we organized the “AKEN Week” on the AEA365 blog with posts by seven members. I introduced the Alaska Evaluation Network; Amelia Ruerup posted on Understanding Indigenous Evaluation in an Alaskan Context; Alda Norris discussed Interdisciplinary Approaches to Extension Evaluation in Alaska; Diane Hirshberg and Lexi Hill posted about Mixed Methods for Small Sample Sizes and Culturally Responsive Practices; kas aruskevich wrote about Strengthening Itinerant Evaluations in Rural Alaska; and Vanessa Hiratsuka posted about Continuous Quality Improvement, Quality Assurance, Evaluation, and Research: Where does my project fit? Participating in the AEA365 blog was a great way to be part of the broader evaluation conversations that are taking place, while also getting our organization’s name out there.

In June, Karen Heath and Danielle Reed from UAA’s Center for Human Development presented on the Evaluation of Employment Projects at the General Membership Meeting.

At August’s General Membership meeting, Lexi Hill of UAA’s Institute of Social and Economic Researchpresented preliminary data from AKEN Membership Survey. We plan to repeat this survey in the future, now that we have baseline data from our first year.

In October, Diwakar Vadipailli of UAA’s Institute of Social and Economic Research hosted a panel with Andrea Fenaughty, Bernita Hamilton, and Lisa Aquino, discussing the current and future state of evaluation practices in Alaska’s human service agencies. This panel was well attended and sparked a great deal of discussion.

Later in the month, six AKEN members presented a panel entitled “The State of Evaluation in Alaska: Capacity Building in Alaska's Complex Evaluation Environment” at the AEA National Conference. Alda Norris of UAF’s Cooperative Extension presented on “Evaluation in the Last Frontier: Unique Aspects of Documenting Formal and Non-Formal Learning in Alaska;” Wendi Kanneberg, of Southcentral Foundation, spoke about “Building Capacity for Culturally Competent Evaluations in a Tribal Environment;” and Susan Tucker (of Evaluation & Development Associates, LLC) Ed McLain (from theUAA College of Education), Lexi Hill, and I presented the “Theoretical Base and Design of the Alaska Evaluation Network Membership Survey” and “Lessons for Evaluation Capacity Building in Alaska: Learning from the Results of the Alaska Evaluation Network's Membership Survey." The session was well attended by evaluators with Alaska connections and it was great to meet so many people interested in the evaluation in the 49th state!

In November, we elected a new Vice President, Doug Cost, and Treasurer, Iris Matthews, for 2014. I look forward to working with Doug and Iris on the Board of Managers in 2014.

December is the month of our General Membership Business Meeting. We revisited our by-laws to propose a few small changes, discussed next steps toward an AKEN Conference in 2015, and began recruiting members for the 2014 committees. I hope you will consider increasing your participation in AKEN activities or joining a committee this year, to help our organization flourish in 2014.

What a wonderful, full year we had in 2013!

AKEN: Rhonda Johnson: Health Workforce Training Needs - Part Three

Alaska Evaluation Network — Tue, 31 Dec 2013 20:23:33 GMT

KEY FINDINGS FROM ALASKA

The workforce training survey conducted by Northwest Center for Public Health Practice (NWCPHP) discussed many results. Here are highlights of the key findings:

• Supervisors reported the most interest in having the people they supervise attend training programs focused on performance management, evidence-based public health, and public health management.

• Almost all respondents indicated that skills in communication and cultural competency, and analytic/assessment were most important to their jobs. Systems thinking was also indicated as being of high importance to the jobs of all respondents.

• Skills in leadership, management, systems thinking, and analytic/assessment were important to supervisors’ jobs.

• The domains non-supervisors identified as being of moderate/high importance to their job are community dimensions of practice, systems thinking, analytic/assessment and program planning.

• Supervisors indicated a higher need for training in management, systems thinking, analytic/assessment and cultural competency.

• Non-supervisors indicated a higher need for training in communication, analytic/assessment and community dimensions of practice.

• Webinar presentations and distance education were the preferred training formats.

• Webinar presentations and computer-based training were the preferred forms of distance training.

• Respondents indicated that Twitter and blogs were the forms of social media of highest training need. Training in Facebook and LinkedIn followed closely.

• Respondents prefer email as a means to receive information about training.

An Executive Summary Brief for the entire Regional Training Needs Assessment (including but not limited to Alaska) is available at http://www.nwcphp.org/documents/communications/news/training-needs-assessment-regional-brief-2013

If you are interested in learning more about the Alaska Training Needs Report or the Northwest Center for Public Health Practice, please feel free to contact me at Rhonda.Johnson@uaa.alaska.edu

Link to part one: Introduction and Methods and part two Description of Respondents:
http://www.alaskaeval.org/blog.html

AKEN Rhonda Johnson: Health Workforce Training Needs - Part Two

Alaska Evaluation Network — Sat, 14 Dec 2013 20:22:48 GMT

DESCRIPTION OF RESPONDENTS

Respondents to the workforce training survey conducted by Northwest Center for Public Health Practice (NWCPHP) were primarily female (93%), between 30 and 59 years of age (83.3%), and Caucasian (82%). The largest percentage of respondents had an advanced college degree (96%), and their highest degree was in the field of nursing (54%).

When respondents were asked about the type of public health organization they work in, the majority of respondents reported working at a state health department (63%). Nurses (community or public health nurse and other) and administrator or director made up two-thirds of the respondents (54% and 12%, respectively). Forty-two percent of respondents have worked in public health or a related field for over 10 years, while 13% have worked at their current position for 10 or more years. Approximately 35% of respondents have been in their current position for 1 to 3 years, and 91% work full-time.

When asked about organizational role, the majority of respondents report that they are non-supervisory staff (53%). Among those that reported a management or supervisory organizational role, the majority indicated that they were office directors or program managers (25% of leaders, managers, and supervisors). The majority of respondents indicated that they plan to retire in 5 or more years (70%).

Respondents were also asked if they had supervisory responsibilities in their current job. Those who answered yes were asked how many people they supervised and interest in training programs for the people they supervise. Those respondents who answered no were directed to answer questions about their own training needs. Forty-percent of the respondents indicated that they had supervisory responsibilities in their current job. Of those respondents that have supervisory responsibilities, the largest percentage indicated that they supervise 1 to 4 people (38%), followed by 5 to 9 people (36%).

Next is Part Three: KEY FINDINGS FROM ALASKA

Link to Part One: Introduction and Methods http://www.alaskaeval.org/blog.html

AKEN: Rhonda Johnson: Health Workforce Training Needs - Part One

Alaska Evaluation Network — Fri, 06 Dec 2013 20:00:00 GMT

Hello Fellow AKEN members:

I’m Rhonda Johnson, and for those of you I haven’t had the pleasure to meet, I am pleased to be part of this still new network with you! I am also Chair of the Department of Health Sciences at UAA, and have been Program Director of our statewide, distance-delivered graduate program in public health since 2004. We have program evaluation courses in both our undergraduate minor in public health and in our graduate MPH degree program. For more info on our programs, see http://www.uaa.alaska.edu/healthsciences/about/index.cfm

I thought some of you might be interested in some highlights from a regional public health workforce survey that was recently conducted in partnership with the Northwest Center for Public Health Practice (NWCPHP) based at University of Washington. I serve on the Regional Network Steering Committee for the NWCPHP.

This post is the first of a three part series for the month of December:

Introduction and Methods – December 6
Description of Respondents – December 13
Key Findings from Alaska – December 20

INTRODUCTION

THE NORTHWEST CENTER: NWCPHP is one of 38 public health training centers (PHTC) across the country funded by the Health Resources Services Administration (HRSA). One of the four legislative mandates for PHTCs is to conduct a needs assessment to develop training for the public health practice community. The purpose of this training needs assessment is to identify the regional interests and needs of public health practitioners in the six-state region of Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Washington, and Wyoming, including practitioners in tribal health settings. For more information on NWCPHP see http://www.nwcphp.org/training

Note that they have a section of their website devoted to Evaluation, including program evaluation tips, training evaluation tips, training needs assessment tips, drill and exercise evaluation tips and online training, plus additional tools and resources!

http://www.nwcphp.org/evaluation/learn-evaluation

THE WORKFORCE TRAINING SURVEY METHODS

The questionnaire was developed by the evaluation team at NWCPHP with input from local and state partners. The focus areas included in the training needs assessment were based on the Council on Linkages Between Academia and Public Health Practice Core Competencies for Public Health Professionals. NWCPHP worked closely with the Regional Network Steering Committee and other practice partners to collect names and email addresses, coordinate announcements to encourage participation, and disseminate the survey to the public health workforce in the six-state region. To distribute the survey to public health professionals in Alaska, the NWCPHP partnered with the State Department of Health and Social Services, the Alaska Public Health Association, and University of Alaska Anchorage.

Information about the survey and a link to participate were featured on the NWCPHP website homepage from February 5th to March 1st, 2013. An email link to take the survey was also sent to personnel from the Alaska public health nursing professionals. The instrument included questions about employment, specific competencies, social media, mentoring and questions related to training modality preferences and barriers. The instrument also included questions specific to supervisors to assess interest in training programs, which were defined as multiple sessions over an extended period of time, and basic demographic information. The report summarizes training needs assessment results from Alaska respondents. The results presented are from a convenience sample rather than a random sample, and are therefore not necessarily representative of the public health workforce in our region, but rather of the 118 people who completed the questionnaire. NOTE, however, that this is more than twice the number of Alaskan public health professionals who participated in the last regional workforce assessment about five years ago, and all regions of the state were represented in the sample.

Next is Part Two: DESCRIPTION OF RESPONDENTS

Call for nominations for the AKEN Board of Managers

Alaska Evaluation Network — Wed, 13 Nov 2013 00:00:00 GMT

Hello all AKEN Members,

We are seeking nominations for student affiliate, vice president and treasurer of the Alaska Evaluator's Network (AKEN). Please forward names to me at kas@evaluationresearch.us; or to alaskaeval.gmail.com.

Nominations will be accepted until Nov. 21.

Electronic voting will be opened for 2 weeks - from November 25 - Dec.

10th. Those elected will be notified prior to the December AKEN meeting.

Best regards,

kas aruskevich
AKEN VP

SAGE Research Methods

Alaska Evaluation Network — Mon, 04 Nov 2013 20:17:23 GMT

Hello AKEN members:

I’m Diane Hirshberg, and for those of you I don’t know, I’m director of the University of Alaska Anchorage (UAA) Center for Alaska Education Policy Research, a part of the Institute of Social and Economic Research. I conduct both research and evaluations around education policy and practice, and have taught program evaluation as well.

I want to share with you one of my favorite research and evaluation resources that we have at UAA, the SAGE Research Methods (SRM) online database. http://Srmo.sagepub.com

SRM is a both an online repository of thousands of SAGE publications and a tool for exploring research methods. It includes full text chapters and articles from numerous SAGE handbooks, textbooks, encyclopedias, journals and other reference materials, and all of the “Little Green Books” - quantitative research methods and “Little Blue Books!” – qualitative research methods. But in addition to these reference materials, the website includes videos from researchers discussing how they make decisions around methods, a “methods map” visualization tool that allows you to explore relationships between methods (and to discover new methods), and access to lists of resources that other researchers have developed.

I use SRM both when I am developing my own research and evaluation projects and in teaching others how to do research and evaluation. My students, especially my graduate students, are thrilled to learn about this resource!

Unfortunately, SRM is only available via an institutional subscription; individuals cannot subscribe. If you are in Anchorage, however, you can come to the UAA Consortium Library and access the database free of charge. At the library you can download .pdf files and then email them to yourself. You also can get access to SRM as a distance UAA student – if you were thinking of taking an online course from UAA, access to SRM will add to making it worth your while!

Otherwise, if you work at an organization that invests in research reference materials, you may want to encourage them to sign up. Information on how to contact SAGE about SRM is at:http://srmo.sagepub.com/page/how-to-purchase. There is also link at the bottom of the “how to purchase” page if you want to send a recommendation direct to your campus or organization’s librarian.

AKEN at AEA2013

Alaska Evaluation Network — Wed, 30 Oct 2013 16:30:00 GMT

AEA 2013 was vibrant and full! It is always a delight to meet others working in the field, and this year ourState of Evaluation in Alaska panel brought together folks interested in Alaska. I met several students from Alaska now studying evaluation outside and a few evaluators working locally who hadn’t yet encountered our group. I hope those fleeting conference hellos will turn into bigger conversations, over time.

The panel itself was great – we had interested attendees, engaging speakers, and lots of time for questions and answers. Alda Norris spoke about evaluation in Cooperative Extension in Alaska, giving three examples of programs she works with. Wendi Kannenberg spoke about capacity building in Alaska Native organizations, and Susan Tucker, Ed McLain, and Lexi Hill talked about the development of our recent membership survey and shared some findings (some of you may remember a version of the data tables from Lexi’s August program).

What should we add to the conversation, as we prepare to represent AKEN at AEA 2014 (in Denver) next year?