TEI 306: Evaluating Training Programs and MEL (Monitoring, Evaluation, Learning) Initiatives

Instructor: Ann Doucette

Description: Training is one of the most common ways social programs build knowledge, strengthen awareness, shift attitudes, and encourage behavior change. At its best, training does more than deliver information: it builds practical competencies, closes knowledge and skill gaps, and helps participants apply what they learn in ways that lead to measurable improvement. MEL is a program management approach that uses evidence from monitoring and evaluation to strengthen programs through learning. However, the “learning” component of MEL often falls short when participants lack the support and skills training needed to connect individual program activities to long-term organizational goals. For this reason, MEL is included in this course.

This course explores how training creates change—and how evaluators can determine whether that change is meaningful. Participants will examine training through demonstrated capacities, including knowledge gained, shifts in attitudes, behavioral intent, and demonstration, and institutional or organizational benefits. The course asks practical evaluation questions: What makes training work? How do changes affect participants and their social networks? What evidence is needed to demonstrate impact at organizational and system levels? Evaluating training programs, especially behavioral applications of training/MEL content and the hypothesized organizational benefits that follow, remains a major challenge for evaluating training and MEL benefits.

Through interactive activities, case examples, and practical planning tools, course participants will learn how to plan, implement, conduct, and manage evaluations of training/capacity-building/MEL efforts. Topics include models that can assist in structuring our evaluation approach; pre-assessment strategies; identifying appropriate program expectations and outcomes; evaluation planning; development of indicators, metrics, and measures; data collection, instrumentation, administration, and data quality; and reporting progress and results at individual, institutional, and systems levels. The course also examines institutional outcomes of training-related efforts, including knowledge management and MEL initiatives, using a system-level perspective. Throughout the course, participants will explore challenges in evaluating training, capacity building, knowledge management, and MEL efforts, as well as strategies for mitigating those challenges. The role of generative AI and its inherent risks will also be considered in relation to training and MEL evaluation.

Recommended Audience: Familiarity with evaluation is helpful, but not required, for this course.

TEI Certificate: This course fulfills the following requirements:

• Evaluation Foundations course for the Certificate in Evaluation Practice (CEP)
• Evaluative Inquiry course for the Certificate in Advanced Evaluation Practices (CAEP)
• Design & Method elective for the Certificate in Analytic Evaluation Methods (CAEM)