NACDEP Pre-Conference Training

The Tropicana Resort and Casino
Las Vegas, Nevada
Tuesday, February 15, 2005

The Community Resource Development program leaders in the North Central region, along with the North Central Regional Center for Rural Development, are offering a pre-conference training opportunity at the NACDEP conference in Las Vegas, February 15-18, 2005.

The pre-conference training is scheduled for 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Tuesday, February 15, at the Tropicana Resort and Casino. Two sessions will be offered: one on program planning and evaluation for community development programs, and one on Appreciative Inquiry.

Program Planning and Evaluation for Community Development Programs
(maximum 30)

Robin Shepard
University of Wisconsin Extension
(608) 262-1748

Mary Simon Leuci
University of Missouri
(573) 884-9034

Trends in public education and outreach continue to place added pressure on Cooperative Extension to insure its programming is effective and efficient. This is often displayed via increased calls from stakeholders and program funders to show impacts. The need to understand what our programs do and how well they work becomes unavoidable when coupled with uncertain budgets in public funding for Cooperative Extension at the county and state levels.

This workshop will focus on best evaluation practices for program improvement. It will provide a “Logic Model” orientation to designing evaluation methods that are integrated into overall program design and delivery. More specifically it will address: (1) Why do we evaluate; (2) The Intersection of Program Planning and Evaluation; (3) The Logic Model in Program Evaluation; (3) Evaluating Processes, Programs and Projects an overview of methods; (4) Evaluation for Program Improvement; (5) Evaluation and Reporting using and communicating the results; and (6) The Evaluation Culture within Your Organization.

This workshop will be especially useful for those in program leadership and administrative roles. While it will provide an overview of specific evaluation tools, the workshop content will provide a conceptual framework for using a logic model approach to constructing evaluation for program improvement. Attendance will be limited to the first 30 people who register.

Appreciative Inquiry
(maximum 50)

Chet Bowling
Ohio State University Extension
(614) 292-6348

Mary Emery
North Central Regional Center for Rural Development
(515) 294-2878

Appreciative Inquiry is redefining the way communities, organizations and individuals experience change. Appreciative Inquiry opens the realm of possibility for organizations and communities through affirmation and inquiry. It mobilizes positive change by focusing on core strengths and then leveraging those strengths to reshape the future. In this workshop, you will learn how to facilitate the process of managing and leading change in dynamic communities and organizations using Appreciative Inquiry.

North Central Regional Center for Rural Development
Iowa State University
107 Curtiss Hall
Ames, IA 50011-1050
(515) 294-8321, (515) 294-3180 fax

For questions, comments or concerns about the NCRCRD website, contact .

Last updated January 18, 2005