• 01/18/2019 10:53 AM | Anonymous

    Planning Implementation and Evaluation Org (PIE) provides research and evaluation leadership to non-profit organizations throughout Chicagoland. They are currently seeking a research intern to assist PIE staff in helping organizations use their own data for decision making. 

    If you are interested, you can view the job description and email your reply to admin@pieorg.org by March 1, 2019.


  • 01/15/2019 8:09 PM | Anonymous

    The Milwaukee Evaluation association invites Chicagoland Evaluation Association members to attend its 2019

    Social Justice and Evaluation Conference

    Friday, March 15, 2019
    8:30am-5:00pm

    Goodman Community Center
    149 Waubesa Street, Madison, WI

    Members of the Chicagoland Evaluation Association are eligible for a reduced registration cost of $80. 

    Keynote Speaker: Vu Le (“voo lay”) is a writer, speaker, vegan, Pisces, and the Executive Director of Rainier Valley Corps, a nonprofit in Seattle that promotes social justice by developing leaders of color, strengthening organizations led by communities of color, and fostering collaboration between diverse communities. Known for his no-BS approach, irreverent sense of humor, and love of unicorns, Vu has been featured in dozens, if not hundreds, of his own blog posts at NonprofitAF.com, formerly nonprofitwithballs.com

    Conference participants will also participate in several methods-based capacity building breakout sessions, network with peers across the state, and meet several emerging evaluators of color. Session abstracts will be posted soon.

    Registration includes light refreshments and lunch.

    To learn more and register, visit: https://evaluation.wildapricot.org/event-3198876

  • 01/11/2019 4:02 PM | Anonymous

    The Interdisciplinary Ph.D. in Evaluation (IDPE) at Western Michigan University (WMU) is accepting applications for Fall 2019. The IDPE is dedicated to developing evaluation scholars and practitioners who have a deep knowledge of evaluation theory, methodology, and practice as well as superior critical thinking and problem-solving skills.

    We are excited to announce that starting in Fall 2019, a limited number of associateships are available to doctoral students with a demonstrated interest in STEM education evaluation and/or research on evaluation in the 2-year college environment. These annually renewable associateships will include tuition, fees, and a stipend.

    The WMU Evaluation Center is home to EvaluATE, the evaluation support center for the National Science Foundation’s Advanced Technological Education program. In operation since 2008, EvaluATE (www.evalu-ate.org) recently received a new five-year grant that will support two doctoral associates from the IDPE program to work on the grant. Being admitted to the IDPE program is the first step toward consideration for an EvaluATE associateship. 

    If you’re passionate about research on evaluation and have an interest in or experience evaluating STEM education in the 2-year college environment, we want to hear from you. Start your application today. 

    Applications requesting financial support, including these associateships, are due February 1, 2019. So, don’t delay.

    Go to https://wmich.edu/evaluationphd/apply to access WMU’s online degree-seeking graduate application system that allows all students (domestic and international) to submit required information into one system.

  • 12/07/2018 12:57 PM | Anonymous
    Institution: American Institutes for Research (AIR)

    Title: Principal Researcher, Youth Development
    Mid-career (10+ yrs experience)
    Job Posting

    Institution: Chicago Public Schools (CPS)
    Title: Arts Data and Evaluation Specialist
    Early career (2+ yrs experience)
    Job Posting

    Institution: Chicago Public Schools (CPS)
    Title: Data Strategist
    Early career (4-5 yrs experience)
    Job Posting

    Institution: Chicago Zoological Society
    Title: Program Evaluation Specialist
    Early career (2+ yrs experience)
    Job Posting

    Institution: Heartland Alliance
    Title: Research Associate
    Early career (2+ yrs experience)
    Job Posting

    Institution: American Institutes for Research (AIR)
    Title: Education - Research Assistant (Quantitative)
    Entry Level
    Job Posting

    Institution: NORC at the University of Chicago
    Title: Survey Specialist
    Entry Level
    Job Posting

  • 11/29/2018 9:00 AM | Anonymous

    REIMAGINED: HUMAN SERVICES MANAGEMENT 
    Building our next generation of leaders to achieve greater results.

    Join us as we celebrate this one of a kind, first in the nation Masters level program which focuses strictly on Human Services Management/Leadership.

    You will see how National Louis University is working with Human Services leaders in Illinois to ensure our managers/leaders are gaining systems understanding, financial intelligence, performance measurement skills and a multi-dimensional understanding of the persons being served under each of the Human Service sectors.

    When: Thursday, November 29, 2018  9:00AM - 11:30AM 
    Where: National Louis University  122 S. Michigan Ave  Chicago, IL

    AT THIS INFORMATIVE EVENT YOU WILL:

    LEARN how your organization can be a partner in changing the landscape of how leaders are being developed with respect to organizational design, stewardship, continuous improvement, and management accountability.

    DISCOVER how your organization can participate in creating long-lasting solutions to the long term problems of Human Services.

    FIND OUT how to address the lack of qualified, well- trained managers as well as strengthening your succession planning.

    WALK AWAY with the secret ingredient for establishing a learning organization.

    LEARN why values, goals, and mission are so important.

    ENJOY breakfast and networking with other funders and providers.

    RECEIVE a copy of the revised and re-release of the book Getting It Done Right: Pragmatic Wisdom for Human Services Managers.

    ONE TIME OFFER to secure a partial scholarship to our Master's in Human Services Management degree for your organization.

    RSVP Today

    This event is FREE but seating is limited.

  • 10/23/2018 10:43 AM | Anonymous

    Chicagoland Evaluation Association
    Quarterly Newsletter

    Dear CEA Members,

    The holidays are fast approaching which means it is time for CEA to plan our annual holiday event/business meeting! Every year on the second Tuesday of December we get together to hold elections and update our members on all CEA happenings in the prior year. This year, our meeting will be hosted by the Lincoln Park Zoo, courtesy of our Program Committee Co-Chair, Kathy Kiser. After the event stay and enjoy the complimentary parking to attend Zoo Lights!

    Also, the position of Secretary on the CEA Executive Board is up for election this year. If you are interested in running or know someone who may be a good fit, we encourage you to fill out the Nomination Form. Nominations will be accepted on a rolling basis until 11/20. Committee positions are also available on the Strategic Planning/Member Engagement Committee, Professional Development Committee, and the Communications Committee. Please reach out to us if you would like to learn more about these roles.

    If you will be attending the American Evaluation Association Annual Conference October 31-November 3 in Cleveland, we are hosting a meet up on Wednesday evening at 8:05pm. We will proceed to a local Cleveland restaurant for a dutch-treat dinner and networking. If you cannot make this meet up, we have also compiled a conference schedule featuring CEA members - so you can easily identify and support your fellow Chicago evaluators at the conference. 

    I hope to see you soon at an upcoming CEA event! As always, please feel free to reach us at connect@evalchicago.org if you have any questions or comments for CEA Leadership! 

    Best,

    Asma Ali


    Upcoming Events:

    Conquering Evaluation Challenges

    Wednesday, 10/24/2018
    6:00 PM - 8:00 PM
    AIDS Foundation of Chicago,
    200 W Jackson Blvd, 
    Suite 2100, Chicago, IL

    Event Page: 
    https://www.evalchicago.org/event-3065432

    Meet Up at the American Evaluation Association Conference

    Wednesday, 10/31/2018
    8:05 PM
    Outside of poster session

    Event Page:
    https://www.evalchicago.org/event-3104267 

    Holiday Event and Annual Business Meeting

    Tuesday, 12/11/2018
    6:00 PM - 8:30 PM
    Lincoln Park Zoo

    Event Page: 
    https://www.evalchicago.org/event-3084668

    Event Recap: 
    Evaluation and Community Collaboration (EC2) Conference


    On Thursday, August 30, 2018 CEA co-sponsored the EC2 Conference along with several groups from Northwestern including the Evaluation, Data Integration and Technical Assistance Program (EDIT) team, Institute for Public Health and Medicine, and Northwestern University Evaluation and Research Alliance (NU-ERA).

    The day began with a welcome from Joseph Podlasek from Trickster Art Gallery. The gallery's mission is to create a unique, contemporary view of Native arts, cultural education and awareness. Podlasek and his team offered opening words, a small ceremony and  blessing. It was a great reminder to be mindful of those that once occupied Chicago and the surrounding territory. The ceremony was the perfect lead into the keynote address, which was an interactive discussion centered around honoring your personal identities when conducting evaluation work. Efrain Gutierrez, the new Impact and Evaluation Manager for the Obama Foundation, was passionate and engaging. He encouraged the audience of evaluators and community members to “bring identifies forward” by “bringing our full selves to the work." He asked thought-provoking questions in order to engage the audience such as, “how or why have your identities brought you here today?”

    Following the keynote, the conference convened representatives from Northwestern University, community-based organizations and the Chicago Department of Public Health for a panel. They discussed their experiences working together on comprehensive, citywide HIV prevention projects since 2015. Northwestern University took an empowerment evaluation approach to assist agencies in implementing their HIV prevention programs throughout Chicago. The panel of diverse community-based organizations shared their experiences, with most reflecting that this was their first times being involved in the monitoring and evaluation of their programs. It was clear that all partners felt this was a tremendous learning opportunity.

    After lunch, the conference attendees were split into two groups to work through a few topics including: Partnership in Practice: Meeting Communities Where They Are; Empowerment vs. Extraction: Building Data Capacity in Organizations; and Comprehensive Collaboration: How Partnerships Can Help Us Address Health Disparities. To wrap up the day, attendees reconvened and shared highlights from their group discussions and ideas for action and next steps.


    American Evaluation Association Conference Sessions

    Thank you to the members who submitted their conference sessions. We look forward to stopping by and learning from you!

    CEA presenters at AEA.pdf 

  • 10/10/2018 9:39 PM | Anonymous

    Chicagoland Evaluators interested in Indigineous Evaluation are likely familiar with Nicole Bowman's work. On October 10, 2018 Dr. Bowman will lead a pre-conference workshop at the National Indian Education Association Conference.

    If you are unable to attend, Dr. Bowman also shared this PDF chapter on Culturally Responsive Indigineous Evaluationhttp://bpcwi.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/11.21.14-Book-Chapter-Galley-Copy.pdf

  • 09/10/2018 6:57 PM | Anonymous

    SAVE THE DATE!!!
    Center for Culturally Responsive Evaluation and Assessment (CREA)
    5th INTERNATIONAL Conference

    https://crea.education.illinois.edu/home/fifth-international-conference  

    March 27-29 2019
    (Pre-conference March 26)
    Chicago, Illinois
    Call for Papers -June 15-September 15

    Theme: Intersectionality as Critical Inquiry, Method, and Practice: Beyond Categories and Dichotomies in Culturally Responsive Evaluation and Assessment

    HOSTED BY THE COLLEGE OF EDUCATION AT THE UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS AT URBANA-CHAMPAIGN

    Purpose

    Escalating domestic and global tensions in our social, political, and economic institutions require that we acknowledge the urgency as well as imperative to expand how we conceptualize our work, so that it does not continue the perpetuation of underrepresenting the issues facing People of Color. These issues should be apparent to most, passively acknowledged by some, and indignantly ignored by others. When we frame the issues and opportunities that define our work, understanding intersectionality is essential if we are to avoid inadvertently prioritizing the needs of some over the conditions of others.

    If you would like to be added to the CREA listserv for conference announcements, final call for papers, and other information, please contact us at: crea@education.illinois.edu

  • 09/10/2018 6:47 PM | Anonymous

    You're Invited!

    On October 11, 2018 the College of Public Affairs and Administration (CPAA) and its Doctor of Public Administration (DPA) program at the University of Illinois-Springfield (UIS) will be hosting a community summit on program evaluation. They are offering this summit as a service to professionals in the nonprofit community and state and local governments as well as students and faculty from a variety of disciplines. Please browse this website for more detail. 

    They hope that Chicagoland evaluators will join and encourage all attendees to car pool if possible (email connect@evalchicago.org if you are planning to attend and are interested in a carpool setup). You may park in lots I and J (click here for parking map).

    Date + Time + Location + Cost

    Date: October 11, 2018

    Time: 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM

    (Check-In & Continental Breakfast Begins at 8:00 AM)

    Location: Student Union, University of Illinois-Springfield

    Cost: Practitioner: $25 (Covers Breakfast/Lunch)

    Students attend free


    Learn more and register to attend:

  • 08/17/2018 9:23 PM | Anonymous

    Dear CEA Members,

    Welcome to our inaugural CEA Newsletter! We are excited to launch this quarterly newsletter to keep you informed about CEA events and interests. The CEA Executive Committee and Board have been busy! Our focus has been to rebuild CEA infrastructure and leadership by:  

    • Expanding our membership: Our CEA membership is the largest it has ever been and we welcomed our first ever institutional members, the AIDS Foundation of Chicago and the Education Development Center. In the coming year, we will be polling members to learn about your needs and vision for CEA programming and events. Members looking to get more involved can volunteer for our committees! Send an email to connect@evalchicago.org if you are interested in learning more.

    • Creating a fresh look: The Communications Committee has been hard at work! CEA has a brand new logo and branding. Check it out on our new website www.evalchicago.org.

    • Increasing programming: Led by our Professional Development Committee, CEA has hosted six events so far in 2018. These included presentations and workshops from evaluation leaders like David Fetterman, and Tom Lipsey as well as local evaluators like the St. Louis AEA affiliate’s Matt Feldmann and UIC’s Terry Ann Solomon. Our year continues with even more opportunities for professional development this month and next.

    • Utilizing Partnerships: CEA is leveraging our partnerships with The Evaluation Institute, Lurie Children’s Hospital, and Northwestern University to bring together our membership with a broader group of organizations and evaluators. We are also active members of AEA’s Local Affiliate Council which offers opportunities for us to network with other AEA affiliates.

    Please feel free to contact us at connect@evalchicago.org if you have any comments for CEA Leadership! I hope to see you soon at a CEA event!

    Best,
    Asma Ali

    Upcoming Events:

    Jazzin' at the Shedd with AEA President Leslie Goodyear

    Wednesday, 08/22/2018
    6:00 PM - 8:30 PM
    Shedd Aquarium, 1200 S Lake Shore Drive, Chicago, IL 60605

    The Chicagoland Evaluation Association is delighted to welcome AEA President Dr. Leslie Goodyear to our Annual Event at the Shedd Aquarium. Leslie will be speaking on the AEA 2018 Conference Theme, Speaking Truth to Power, the new Guiding Principles for Evaluators, and other AEA happenings. 

    Event Page: https://www.evalchicago.org/event-2816271

    Evaluation & Community Collaboration Conference

    Thursday, 08/30/2018
    9:00 AM - 3:30 PM
    Lurie Children's, 11th Floor Conference Center, 225 E Chicago Ave., Chicago, IL 60611

    Representatives from Northwestern, community agencies, and the CDPH to talk about their experiences working together on comprehensive HIV prevention demonstration projects and will include discussion about working together to improve our response to HIV.

    Event Page: https://www.evalchicago.org/event-3007373

    Becoming Evaluation Ready: Evaluation Training Session for Community Organizations

    Wednesday, 09/12/2018
    2:00 PM - 4:00 PM
    Lurie Children's, 11th Floor Conference Center, 225 E Chicago Ave., Chicago, IL 60611

    This session is designed for community organizations and will provide information on how to prepare for partnering with an evaluator and/or evaluating their programs.

    Event Page: 
    https://www.evalchicago.org/event-3007375

    The Chicago Evaluator: Member feature

    Because CEA members have such tremendous talent and experience to share with other members, we are featuring one member post in our quarterly newsletters. If you are interested in sharing your work with other members - email us at connect@evalchicago.org.

    How To Bring A Logic Model To Life

    and wield a MUCH more powerful evaluation tool

    Hi, Amelia Kohm of the Data Viz for Nonprofits here to talk about logic models. The evaluation world is lousy with logic models. You may know logic model by one of its other names such as causal chain, model of change, roadmap, and theory of change. A logic model is really just a humble flow chart with an erudite name. It’s a visual representation of how an intervention or program is supposed to work. And it should help evaluators articulate evaluation questions and select appropriate methods and measures to answer them.

    Lessons Learned

    • Logic models are hypothetical, best case scenarios. And, well, reality can bite.
    • Logic models often get more play during the planning and proposal-writing phase of a project than during implementation. During the daily work of a project, logic models are taking it easy, gathering dust in files and on servers.

    But what if we could plug a logic model into the real world? What if we could see how the plan is playing out in reality and make adjustments along the way?

    Cool Trick

    With data visualization software like Tableau, you can create a “living logic model. The current that animates it is real-time data. A living logic model compares theory to reality by showing progress to date. It also allows you to track the progress of subgroups and individuals. So it helps you to plan, to ask the right questions, and to make mid-course corrections.

    A living logic model is more understandable and tangible than a traditional one. The user can scroll over any component in the model to learn more about it. Such descriptions can include photos and web links for interested users. A living logic model shows progress to date. Color saturation indicates the status of each component. And the user can click on any component to see what subgroups might be driving progress, stagnation, or regression.

    Play around with this living logic model that I created for a tutoring program to get an idea of its potential. Scroll over components to get more information. Click on components to get data on individual students. Enjoy and please let me know if you have any questions.

    - Amelia Kohm, Founder and Consultant, Data Viz for Nonprofits


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