TRANSLATING KNOWLEDGE FROM AN EVALUATION STUDY

Instructors often comment that they learn much more about their subject matter when they begin to teach it. When they try to explain the topic to someone else, they begin to connect concepts in new ways. They anticipate questions that students might ask and consider different viewpoints. Thus, there is not only external value in guiding or instructing others; there is internal value for you as well. This idea of instruction-as-growth can be directly applied to the disseminating of research. The results of an evaluation do not serve a purpose without being shared, either within the organization or more broadly across the social work discipline. Such sharing facilitates critical thinking and potential application to practice.

For this Discussion, you assume the role of a social worker who is instructing their colleagues on the results of a particular evaluation study, and giving their recommendation about whether the organization should consider adopting the program or practice.

TO PREPARE

• Select an evaluation study from this week’s resources. Consider how you would present the information to a group of colleagues.

• Download the PowerPoint Presentation template from the Learning Resources and use it for this Discussion.

BY DAY 3

Post three slides in which you present the results of the evaluation to a group of social work colleagues. Within your slides:

• Summarize the important points of the study, including background information, research methods used to evaluate the program or practice, and the main findings.

• State whether you would support adopting the program or practice in your agency or community setting, based on the evidence. 

Prepare your slides in a way that would hold your colleagues’ interest. Do not include narration.

References 

• Dudley, J. R. (2020). Social work evaluation: Enhancing what we do (3rd ed.). Oxford University Press.

o Chapter 11, “Preparing and Disseminating a Report of Findings” (pp. 276–291)

• Walden University Writing Center. (n.d.). PowerPoint presentationLinks to an external site.. https://academicguides.waldenu.edu/writingcenter/templates/general#s-lg-box-20293636

Evaluation Studies

• Gurdak, K., Bond, L., Padgett, D., & Petering, R. (2022). Transitioning to independent living: Experiences of homeless young adults in rapid rehousingLinks to an external site.. Evaluation and Program Planning, 92, 102076. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.evalprogplan.2022.102076

• Haselden, M., Bloomfield-Clagett, B., Robinson, S., Brister, T., Jankowski, S. E., Rahim, R., Cabassa, L. J., & Dixon, L. (2020). Qualitative study of NAMI Homefront Family Support ProgramLinks to an external site.. Community Mental Health Journal, 56,1391–1405. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10597-020-00582-y

• Stylianou, A. M., Counselman-Carpenter, E., & Redcay, A. (2019). Developing a financial literacy program with survivors of intimate partner violence: The voices of survivorsLinks to an external site.. Social Work, 64(4), 311–320. https://doi.org/10.1093/sw/swz034

Resources for Remaining Current as a Researcher and Practitioner

• Information for PracticeLinks to an external site.. (n.d.). https://ifp.nyu.edu/

• The New Social WorkerLinks to an external site.. (n.d.). https://www.socialworker.com/ 

• The Social Work PodcastLinks to an external site.. (n.d.). https://socialworkpodcast.blogspot.com/ 

• Walden University Library. (n.d.). Journal alerts & search alerts: IntroductionLinks to an external site.. https://academicguides.waldenu.edu/library/alerts