Mechanisms

Mechanisms is the home of the Program Theory and Theory-Based Evaluation TIG (topical interest group) of AEA, the American Evaluation Association. AEA is an international professional association of evaluators devoted to the application and exploration of program evaluation, personnel evaluation, technology, and many other forms of evaluation.

This program theory TIG is an organized group of AEA members dedicated to using program theory to improve the design, implimentation, and evaluation of social and educational programs.

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The request for proposals for AEA 2009 is out!

We have been working to make this upcoming conference the best ever. Consequently, there is a great deal that impacts you as an attendee and as someone making a proposal.

1) We encourage all our members to submit proposals for AEA 2009. The deadline is Monday, March 20, 2009 at midnight Eastern Standard Time and instructions on how to submit a proposal can be found here.

2) This year we are making a greater effort to build connections and cohesion across our many sessions. To better facilitate this, we request (but do not require) that proposals address a common TIG theme that complements the Presidential Theme for the conference. For 2009, the Presidential Theme is Evaluation and Context, and the TIG theme that we request that you to address is:

Using Context, Evidence, and Program Theory to Build External Validity

Note:Proposals that explicitly address the TIG theme in part or in whole will be given priority in our blinded review process. We will, however, consider interesting topics that fall outside this theme.

3) In addition, we will be placing all sessions into one of three possible categories. Our intention in doing so is to allow conference attendees to quickly get a handle on the nature of the session, and make it easier for TIG representatives and AEA staff to group presentations within sessions. These three categories are:

Improving Practice: The purpose of these presentations is to help develop thoughtful practitioners. They will offer practical insights into the state of the art of program theory and theory-base evaluation, and provide sound approaches, methods, and advice that practitioners can adopt. Presentations should be explicitly intended for either entry level, advanced, or expert evaluators
Examples from the Field: The purpose of these presentations is to bridge theory and practice. Presentations will focus on concrete examples of some form of program theory or theory-based evaluation as it is/was conducted in a real world setting. In particular, presenters will describe specific theory-based techniques that they used, why they were chosen, the value they added (or perhaps subtracted), and strengths/weaknesses of the techniques when used in the field as compared to those promised by evaluation theorists.
The Cutting Edge: The purpose of these presentations will be to share emerging knowledge related to program theory and theory-based evaluation. In particular, we are interested in what is new and pushes the boundaries of our field. Presentations will provide a theoretical perspective that is anchored in the practical needs of evaluators and their clients.

We look forward to your proposals and seeing you at AEA in November!

If you have questions about our new approach or your submission, please feel free to contact John Gargani directly.

John Gargani
TIG Chair
2625 Alcatraz Ave # 508
Berkeley, CA 94705
john@gcoinc.com