Division
Philosophy
At
the Division of Applied Research and Evaluation, our priority is to do work
that is relevant, useful, usable, and evidence-based. We work closely with our partners to
understand their evaluation needs and to develop appropriate questions,
methodology, and deliverables so that our partners have the information and
tools they need to move in their desired direction, whether that direction is
identifying and addressing quality improvement needs, better understanding the
populations they serve and the best means for serving them, or providing
funders with appropriate-level outcome reports.
We feel our work is strongest when we listen to families, staff,
teachers, and others who most closely experience the programs or interventions
of focus.
Who
We Are
We
are an interdisciplinary team, made up of professionals with expertise in
developmental, educational, social, and community psychology; program
evaluation; business management; and teaching and instruction. We collaborate with partners across
practitioner, policy, and research arenas.
We feel passionately about supporting quality programs and effective
interventions that address the needs of children and families.
What
We Do
We
collaborate with community partners to make data make sense, make research
relevant, and make evaluation useful in serving children and families. In our program evaluation work, we strive to
produce informative work and avoid conducting evaluations that serve merely as
an instrument of accountability and reporting.
We focus on process and quality of implementation, and we empha
appropriate outcomes so that programs can best understand the true impact of
their work. When possible, we combine
quantitative and qualitative data analysis to understand complex systems,
service delivery, and service recipients.
We listen, observe, and ask questions.
What
We’ve Learned
We’ve
learned that research informs practice and practice informs research. We’ve learned the importance of understanding
the pieces of a program logic model and articulating a theory of change. We’ve learned that the most compelling
outcomes are often found in the stories told by the families and staff most
directly involved in program services.
We’ve learned that, at the end of the day, people want to do their jobs
well, connect with others, and provide high quality and effective programs.
Current
Projects
Our
division works in a wide-variety of areas concerning children, youth, and
families. Our current portfolio
includes:
·
Developing, disseminating, and
evaluating video and print materials designed for parents and professionals to
improve communication around the importance of developmental screenings and
early intervention.
·
Evaluating a multi-district initiative
to increase student perceptions of personalization in high schools in order to
support academic achievement and plans for the future.
·
Understanding how parents, teachers, and
family-based providers of preschool-age children use technology to teach early
literacy skills.
·
Assessing the impact of a video-based
pregnancy prevention intervention for teenage girls in health and family
planning clinics in western Pennsylvania, Ohio, and West Virginia.
·
Conducting a needs assessment for United
Way of Allegheny County to guide their 2013-2016 Children and Youth action
plan.
·
Evaluating the academic impact of
afterschool participation in several programs in the Hill District of
Pittsburgh.
For more information, contact
Milena Nigam,
Director
Division of Applied Research and Evaluation