The Tulane MCHLT has a six-course series: Introduction to Program Monitoring and Evaluation in Maternal and Child Health. Four of the six courses are currently online and available to all who are interested in better understanding how to monitor and evaluate programs, particularly those related to maternal and child health.
Session One – Monitoring & Evaluation: What? When? Who?
This session provides an introduction to the monitoring and evaluation of Maternal and Child Health programs. The first part describes the different types of program evaluation and the context in which these types of evaluation are used. The second part discusses the role of stakeholders to ensure effective evaluation and proposes some strategies to ensure successful collaboration. Students will identify stakeholders for the Child Wellness Program.
Session Two – Program Description and Logic Model
This session discusses the importance of needs assessments in informing program evaluation and guiding the formulation of realistic evaluation goals and objectives. The session will also introduce the logic model as a way to articulate the components of a maternal and child health program. Students will develop a logic model for the Child Wellness Program.
Session Three – Process Evaluation
This session discusses the importance of process evaluation in understanding the context of program implementation. This session will introduce the Family Nurse Partnership program to illustrate process evaluation findings. Students will formulate process evaluation questions and indicators for the Child Wellness Program.
Session Four – Outcome Evaluation
This session discusses the importance of outcome evaluation in establishing a causal link between an intervention and observed results. The first part of this session will focus on identifying proper outcome measures; the second part will focus on the different types of evaluation designs. Students will formulate outcome evaluation questions and identify an evaluation design for the Child Wellness Program.
Each of these courses is expected to take approximately 1 to 2 hours to complete. The last two courses will be up on the South Central Public Health Partnership learning management system by the end of the year.
