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University of Connecticut Neag School of Education Department of Educational Psychology

Graduate Certificate Program in
Program Evaluation

Practicum

Practicum Description

Students admitted to the GCPPE must complete a practicum where he/she applies the knowledge of program evaluation theory to a project. The project involves conducting either a small scale program evaluation or research on program evaluation methodology. Both types of projects are described in detail below.

Students often come into the certificate program with a project in mind. However, it is also possible to contribute to a faculty member’s existing project in completing practicum requirements. You may contact either the GCPPE coordinator, Megan Welsh, or other faculty affiliated with the program to discuss potential projects.

Practicum Courses

The practicum is run as a seminar class, with students attending class on a weekly basis and presenting their progress to the class. Therefore, students should enroll in:

EPSY 5195 (3 credits). Workshop in Education: Practicum in Program Evaluation
Students work collaboratively with faculty to integrate their course experiences into actual evaluation practice. Current issues in the field may be discussed. Activities are tailored to the skills and needs necessary to complete work on students’ selected evaluation projects.

Other practica may substitute for EPSY 5195 provided that they develop program evaluation skills and that the certificate program coordinator approves the substitution in advance. Such practica might include

EPSY 5198 (3 credits). Curriculum Laboratory
Reorganization of courses, reorientation of the program of studies, articulation of administrative units, and development of new materials are considered in relation to the local situation. Students make individual studies of their specific problems, and group studies of related problems.

EPSY 6499 (3 credits). Doctoral Practicum
The implementation and application of theory in the student’s area of specialization.

Program Evaluation Project

For this kind of practicum, students work for a client who has a program evaluation need. Under the direction of an advisor, the student negotiates the scope of a project with the client. The project should:

  • Address a program’s need to learn about some aspect of its services. This could include: conducting a needs assessment to determine what new programs might be needed, collecting information about program implementation with the hope of refining current practice, or providing information about program effectiveness,
  • Outline a theory of change or logic model that specifies how the program is intended to affect people and include indicators of program implementation and/or program effects.
  • Identify specific evaluation questions and implement a data collection plan that addresses these questions.
  • Conclude with recommendations to the client based on evaluation findings.

Students generate the following work products for program evaluation projects:

  1. An evaluation plan, developed by the student and approved by the client. The plan should include the evaluation questions, theory of change, and a clear delineation of what data will be collected to address each evaluation question.
  2. A final report that includes a summary of key program components, reviews the information included in the evaluation plan (evaluation questions, theory of change, and data collected, summarizes results, draws conclusions, and makes program recommendations.

The report must be written, but may also involve a meeting with or oral presentation to the client and relevant stakeholders.

Methodology Project

Methodology projects require students to develop a new evaluation technique to address a particular evaluation question. For this project, the student writes a paper of sufficient quality that it could be submitted to a journal focused on evaluation methodology. The paper should include:

  1. A description of the evaluation problem and an explanation that illustrates why it can not be addressed with current methods.
  2. A review of how other evaluators have addressed similar problems
  3. A description of the new approach the student proposes written in extensive detail.
  4. An example or case study that illustrates how to apply the new approach and that proves that the new approach improves upon current practice.
  5. Limitations, conclusions, and suggestions for future research.