Eval Cafe: Exploring Equitable, Transformative Evaluation
2021-10-27 13:00 - 14:00 UTC
Register here: https://www.meetup.com/Evaluation-Cafe-Ontario/events/280748966/
As evaluators seek to integrate more equitable (and dare we dream, more transformative) approaches to evaluation, we often find that the systems that employ us to evaluate are not yet positioned to enable approaches that give more voice and decision-making power to clients or beneficiaries. Despite this, we are seeing increasing examples and opportunities for community-based participatory evaluation. In this Meetup, we’ll see an example from the international development sector that “put the community in the driving seat” of conducting a baseline of their goals and see the impact this led to. We’ll discuss what it would take for the principles of this work to be replicated in other contexts based on consolidated learning from Salanga’s work in Community-Led Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability and Learning (CoLMEAL).
For more information, check out www.salanga.org and what they are doing in Community-Led MEAL at https://salanga.org/measure-impact/colmel/
This session will be facilitated by Elaine Stavnitzky. She has experience leading and implementing a wide range of complex strategic, programmatic and quality assurance processes to support leadership, staff, communities and children in international development and humanitarian aid programs since 2002. To date her expertise has covered on-going learning and improvement in 30 countries across 15 sectors, including gender equality and youth. The nexus of her passion, skills, and value is in empowering communities to understand and monitor the change they seek to actualize. She is ever ready to apply her energy and enthusiasm to support organizations in strengthening systems that ensure people have right-sized information to trigger change making decisions. She loves experiencing with others the “a-ha” moment that tips the balance for transformation at the individual, community and/or systems level.
Find out more about Elaine on her LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/elaine-stavnitzky/

The Art and Science of Producing Effective Infographics
2021-11-10 13:00 - 15:00 | Online
The interactive and multi-modal workshop focuses on infographics – artistic or graphic presentation of data to communicate insights.

Register online here!

About this event

Data visualization as a hot topic in the evaluation world, especially in knowledge transfer activities. The interactive and multi-modal workshop will focus on a specific type of data visualization, namely infographics – artistic or graphic presentation of data to communicate insights. We will briefly orient infographics in the realm of data visualization, illustrating the different types of infographics. Then our focus will shift to the science of why we use infographics in communicating to our various audiences (clients and funders). We then venture into design theory, calling on the works of data visualization experts Bernard Marr, Stephanie Evergreen, Garr Reynolds and Edward Tufte. The bulk of the time will be aimed at specific design elements of graphics, colour, and font, which provide the visual cues to our most important element: the data. We will then put these elements together with examples, and then look at resources and tools for infographic production. The session will conclude with a short question period.

Learning objectives:
By the end of the Workshop, the participant will be able to:

Compare the different types of infographics and situate them in the greater web of data visualization
Understand the basic tenets of design theory and how the brain process and information
Identify and appraise the design elements of effective infographics
Locate and use various resources and tools for effective infographic production
In addition, this workshop aims to strengthen capacities in line with the following Competencies for Canadian Evaluation Practice:

2.8 Identify data sources
2.13 Assesses trustworthiness of data
2.16 Reports evaluation findings and results
3.5 Serves the information needs of intended users
4.6 Reports on progress and results
5.1 Uses written communication skills and technologies

About the Facilitator:
A. Sidiq (Sid) Ali, is an expert in education programs, focusing on assessment program development, management and evaluation. He has over 20 years’ experience as an evaluator. Sid combines his skills in psychometrics and evaluation to foster his professional interests in program evaluation capacity-building in the private sector, program development in licensure and certification contexts, as well as in effective data analytics and visualization. Since founding his consulting practice (www.rae-consult.com), he has worked with profession regulators and governing bodies in accounting and financial management, healthcare, law and international sanctions, as well as with the learning and development units of two of the big five Canadian banks. He began his better data visualization journey in 2008, focusing on effective presentation strategies for PowerPoint. He now blogs and speaks about data visualization, and has been an invited guest blogger on Stephanie Evergreen’s effective data visualization blog. He has produced infographics for official CES communications, has conducted a CES national webinar on infographics and has facilitated workshops on infographics for CES-ON and CES-MB. Sid is a Credentialed Evaluator, earned his M.Ed. and Ph.D. from the University of Toronto in Educational Measurement and Evaluation, and was a two-term Director for CES-ON.

Webinar: Non-profit Impact Measurement: Using Tech for Powerful Results
2021-11-17 12:00 - 13:00
Register here: https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/webinar-non-profit-impact-measurement-using-tech-for-powerful-results-tickets-190690439237
Socialsuite is inviting CES members to a unique 1 hour session on Nonprofit Impact Measurement: Using Technology for Powerful Results, featuring our very own impact experts, and introducing our partner evaluation specialists.
Are you working within the nonprofit sector? Don’t miss this very special opportunity to discuss your impact measurement strategy with experts within the field, and hear how our partners are using technology to advance their nonprofit clients’ monitoring and evaluation strategies.
This specialized panel will be discussing their approaches to measurement and evaluation, in addition to giving you an overview of Socialsuite’s impact technology.
Key outcomes:

Introduction to impact measurement
The principles of evaluation to measure impact
How technology can enhance your impact measurement strategy
Nonprofit case studies to help empower your journey

Introducing:
HOST: Christian Mosley
Christian Mosley is the Head of Business Development at Socialsuite, supporting nonprofit organizations by accessing their needs and helping them get started on a path to success. With extensive experience working at the intersection of technology and the nonprofit sector, Christian is passionate about empowering organizations to measure and show how close, or how far, we are to the world we want to live in.
Speaker: Zach Sonnett
Zach is Socialsuite’s North American Business Development Manager and Impact Specialist based in San Francisco. Passionate about combining his extensive technology background with his knowledge of the nonprofit sector, he is an expert in helping organizations to measure, monitor and report on how their activities affect our communities.
Speaker: Gillian Kerr, Ph.D., C.Psych.,President Emeritus – Logical Outcomes
Dr. Gillian Kerr is a Canadian psychologist who consults with organizations, mostly nonprofits and the public sector, to improve their effectiveness. Most of her projects relate to policy analysis, evaluation, process improvement, performance measurement and the use of knowledge and information. Gillian has assisted dozens of organizations in the public, private and non-profit sectors to develop evaluation frameworks, logic models and/or performance monitoring systems. She is developing an open source evaluation framework builder based on thousands of validated survey questions that exports to configuration files for Socialsuite and other survey platforms.

February 2022 e-Essential Skills Series
2022-02-07 09:00 - 2022-04-24 17:00 | Online
Register here: https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/february-2022-e-essential-skills-series-tickets-200922985057
About This Event
The Canadian Evaluation Society’s on-line ten-week course offers participants with a basic understanding of the main models and practices of evaluation. No prior knowledge of evaluation or social science research methods is required to participate. Participants will gain:

Basic knowledge and skills,
Appreciation for essential elements of evaluation,
Capacity to apply acquired knowledge and skills, and
Development as an evaluation professional.

The Essential Skills Series is ten self-paced learning modules that cover everything from basics like the objectives of evaluations, all the way through to practical skills such as budgeting and workplan development. The discussion forum encourages knowledge transfer/sharing among participants and instructor, instructor reviewed assignments to guide learners and real-time Zoom learning at the start and conclusion of the course.
Learning Objectives:

Describe the role of evaluation in the program lifecycle;
Explain common evaluation terms, functions, and approaches;
List the steps in planning and conducting an evaluation;
Describe how common social science data collection methods are used in evaluations;
Describe the value and use of project management concepts in evaluations;
Outline ways to support the use of evaluation findings and produce actionable evaluation reports; and
Recognize evaluation standards and ethical principles and identify their role in the professionalization of evaluation in Canada.

Learners will be expected to:

Complete one module per week independent of the facilitator;
Participate regularly in discussion forums with participants and the instructor;
Complete seven assignments to submit to facilitator for review/feedback

About the Facilitator
Dr. Keiko Kuji-Shikatani, C.E., is an internal evaluator with the Ministry of Education, infusing evaluative thinking in collaborative teams to build sector capacity for the use of evidence to inform decisions. She shares her DE expertise widely leading interministerial collaborations, evaluation capacity building for governments both in Canada and internationally, through universities, civil societies and EvalPartners.

Facilitation Skills for Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) Practitioners
2022-03-21 12:00 - 2022-03-25 14:00 | Online
Hone your communication and facilitation skills as an evaluation practitioner!

About the Course:
At some point in their careers, Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) practitioners will be placed in a position where they have to communicate M&E work to a group of people. This may be to project staff, policy makers and other stakeholders. Sometimes, the meeting will be comprised of people who are not fully versed with the technical M&E jargons, or to people who may not be receptive to the less-than-positive findings from an evaluation report. Likewise, the group may consist of people with diverse backgrounds and competing interests, yet their consensus is needed.
This is where skills are needed to navigate the group (and power) dynamics to effectively facilitate a meeting that is engaging, elicits participation and produces tangible results.
This course covers:

The facilitation process
Facilitation roles and responsibilities
Various facilitation techniques, including when and how to use them for best effect
Active Listening
Group Dynamics
Characteristics of Good Facilitation
Energisers and Ice breakers
Addressing difficult people situations

The course is highly interactive with role-play and simulations. The live Zoom sessions are scheduled for Monday, March 21, Wednesday, March 23 and Friday, 25 March 2022 beginning at 12 noon EST. Run time is 2 hours. The Tuesday and Thursday of that week will be used for homework/assignments and self-paced study on an online learning platform, which will be provided before the course begins.
Key Canadian Evaluation Society Competencies:
4. Management Practice competencies focus on applying sound project management skills throughout the evaluation project.

4.1 Provides leadership to the evaluation project.
4.5 Uses group management and facilitation skills.

5. Interpersonal Practice competencies focus on the social and personal skills required to communicate and interact effectively with all stakeholders.

5.1. Uses communication strategies appropriate to the cultural, linguistic, social, and political context.
5.2 Demonstrates effective and appropriate written and visual communication skills.
5.3 Demonstrates effective, appropriate, and respectful verbal and non-verbal communication skills.
5.4 Uses a variety of processes that result in mutually negotiated agreements, shared understandings and consensus building.
5.5 Builds partnerships within the evaluation context.

About the Facilitator:
Ann-Murray Brown is Jamaican and is an independent consultant based in The Hague, The Netherlands. She has provided professional services to several international NGOs such as the UNDP, the World Food Programme (WFP) and the European Commission on programmes related to Migration, Governance, Child Protection, Poverty Reduction and Gender.
As a facilitator she delivers workshops in Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) to strengthen organisational capacity and designs evaluation manuals.
She is the holder of multiple advanced degrees in Sociology and International Development and is a member of professional bodies such as the American Evaluation Association (AEA), the European Evaluation Society (EES), the Dutch Evaluation Society (Vide) and the Caribbean Evaluators International. She also maintains a blog on Monitoring and Evaluation (https://www.annmurraybrown.com/blog ).

The Art and Science of Producing Effective Infographics
2022-04-13 13:00 - 15:00 | Online
Data visualization as a hot topic in the evaluation world, especially in knowledge transfer activities. The interactive and multi-modal workshop will focus on a specific type of data visualization, namely infographics – artistic or graphic presentation of data to communicate insights. We will briefly orient infographics in the realm of data visualization, illustrating the different types of infographics. Then our focus will shift to the science of why we use infographics in communicating to our various audiences (clients and funders). We then venture into design theory, calling on the works of data visualization experts Bernard Marr, Stephanie Evergreen, Garr Reynolds and Edward Tufte. The bulk of the time will be aimed at specific design elements of graphics, colour, and font, which provide the visual cues to our most important element: the data. We will then put these elements together with examples, and then look at resources and tools for infographic production. The session will conclude with a short question period.

Register here: https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/the-art-and-science-of-producing-effective-infographics-tickets-269782987177
Learning objectives:
By the end of the Workshop, the participant will be able to:

Compare the different types of infographics and situate them in the greater web of data visualization
Understand the basic tenets of design theory and how the brain process and information
Identify and appraise the design elements of effective infographics
Locate and use various resources and tools for effective infographic production
In addition, this workshop aims to strengthen capacities in line with the following Competencies for Canadian Evaluation Practice:

2.8 Identify data sources
2.13 Assesses trustworthiness of data
2.16 Reports evaluation findings and results
3.5 Serves the information needs of intended users
4.6 Reports on progress and results
5.1 Uses written communication skills and technologies

About the Faciliator:
A. Sidiq (Sid) Ali, is an expert in education programs, focusing on assessment program development, management and evaluation. He has over 20 years’ experience as an evaluator. Sid combines his skills in psychometrics and evaluation to foster his professional interests in program evaluation capacity-building in the private sector, program development in licensure and certification contexts, as well as in effective data analytics and visualization. Since founding his consulting practice (www.rae-consult.com), he has worked with profession regulators and governing bodies in accounting and financial management, healthcare, law and international sanctions, as well as with the learning and development units of two of the big five Canadian banks. He began his better data visualization journey in 2008, focusing on effective presentation strategies for PowerPoint. He now blogs and speaks about data visualization, and has been an invited guest blogger on Stephanie Evergreen’s effective data visualization blog. He has produced infographics for official CES communications, has conducted a CES national webinar on infographics and has facilitated workshops on infographics for CES-ON and CES-MB. Sid is a Credentialed Evaluator, earned his M.Ed. and Ph.D. from the University of Toronto in Educational Measurement and Evaluation, and was a two-term Director for CES-ON.

Registration deadline
April 12, 2022

2022 CES-ON AGM & Learning Event
2022-06-22 11:00 - 14:00 | Online
CES – Ontario is pleased to announce that the chapter’s 26th Annual General Meeting will be held online on June 22, 2022 from 11:00 AM to 2:00 PM.
Register here!
Why Attend the AGM?
The AGM is a great opportunity to:
– Learn more about recent chapter activities;
– Elect new board members and approve any bylaw changes;
– Participate in the annual Learning Event.
Event Agenda:

11:00 AM – 12:30 PM: AGM presentation, including progress on our strategic goals, our recent incorporation as a non-profit, and upcoming chapter events

12:30 PM – 12:40 PM: 10-minute bio break

12:40 PM – 2:00PM: Learning Event: Culturally responsive approaches to evaluation: Making sense of theory and practice with Dr. Jill Chouinard

We will distribute the Annual General Meeting package, including a full agenda, Annual Report, and audited financial statements, to all CES members and event attendees prior to the event.
About the Learning Event:
Join us for a discussion with Dr. Jill Chouinard on culturally responsive evaluation. The presentation will include a reflection on the roots of evaluation and how evaluation practices and theory have evolved over time. Please bring your questions and thoughts to this thought-provoking event!
About the Speaker:
Dr. Jill Anne Chouinard is an Associate Professor in the School of Public Administration. Her interdisciplinary scholarship is shaped by anthropology, cultural studies, feminism, critical theory, social geography and post modernism, all of which informs her interest in culture, and in issues of in/equity and social justice, whether here at home or more globally. Her main research areas are in culturally responsive approaches to research and evaluation, participatory research and evaluation, and evaluation and public policy. Much of her evaluation work has been conducted in culturally and socially diverse community settings, where she has extensive experience leading evaluations at the community level in the areas of education, social services, public health, and organizational learning and change. She positions evaluation as a catalyst for learning, collaboration, equity, social justice and community change.

Eval Cafe: Evaluators Picnic
2022-07-07 18:00 - 20:00
From the Eval Cafe description:
We are looking forward to finally seeing people in-person again!
We hope you can join us at the first ever Evaluator’s picnic on July 7th starting at 6pm. Also, save the date of July 14th in case July 7th gets rained out.
Come bring your favorite food for just yourself or for sharing (optional) to Wells Hill Park (145 Hilton Ave. Toronto; just across from St. Clair West subway station’s main exit). If you want to buy food along the way there’s a Lawblaws right there, and you may want to get some Dutch Dreams ice cream nearby as well.
There will be ice-breaker activities and games like bocce ball, table tennis, frisbee, and other games you want to bring.
The park has picnic tables, but you can also bring picnic blankets/chairs if you prefer those options.
Wells Hill Park is family friendly, so if you would like to bring your kids along, you can.
As this will be an outdoor event, masks will be optional, but we ask that you respect physical distancing with anyone choosing to wear a mask.
We’ll start wrapping up around 7:30/8pm, but people are free to hang out or go to a nearby place afterwards.
Exciting to see many of you again.
If you can’t make it, don’t worry. We will book more online events in the future.

September e-Essential Skills Series
2022-09-12 08:00 - 2022-11-19 17:00
The Canadian Evaluation Society’s on-line ten-week course offers participants with a basic understanding of the main models and practices of evaluation. No prior knowledge of evaluation or social science research methods is required to participate. Participants will gain:

Basic knowledge and skills,
Appreciation for essential elements of evaluation,
Capacity to apply acquired knowledge and skills, and
Development as an evaluation professional.

The Essential Skills Series is ten self-paced learning modules that cover everything from basics like the objectives of evaluations, all the way through to practical skills such as budgeting and workplan development. The discussion forum encourages knowledge transfer/sharing among participants and instructor, instructor reviewed assignments to guide learners and real-time Zoom learning at the start and conclusion of the course.
Register here: https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/september-2022-e-essential-skills-series-tickets-272205663467
Learning Objectives:

Describe the role of evaluation in the program lifecycle;
Explain common evaluation terms, functions, and approaches;
List the steps in planning and conducting an evaluation;
Describe how common social science data collection methods are used in evaluations;
Describe the value and use of project management concepts in evaluations;
Outline ways to support the use of evaluation findings and produce actionable evaluation reports; and
Recognize evaluation standards and ethical principles and identify their role in the professionalization of evaluation in Canada.

Learners will be expected to:

Complete one module per week independent of the facilitator;
Participate regularly in discussion forums with participants and the instructor;
Complete seven assignments to submit to facilitator for review/feedback

About the Facilitator
Paul Favaro Ph.D., CE is the Chief of Research, Program Evaluation, and Accountability for the Peel District School Board in Mississauga, Ontario. He teaches management sciences at York University in Toronto.
Dr. Favaro has authored or co-authored articles, chapters, and technical reports, and has conducted professional training workshops in the areas of program evaluation, performance measurement, and research methodology. He is on the editorial board of The Canadian Journal of Program Evaluation. Throughout his career, he has worked as a research consultant to a wide variety of government ministries, educational organizations, charitable foundations, and community-based programs. He has held several executive positions on the board of the Canadian Evaluation Society (CES). In 2010, he was awarded a fellowship in the CES. He is a Credentialed Evaluator by the Canadian Evaluation Society.

CES-ON Webinar: Braiding and Restorying Indigenous Research Methodologies: Engaging with Responsive Research
2022-09-16 11:30 - 12:30 | Online
Dr. Jeff Corntassel shares his experience using the First Nations Perspective to decolonize research.
Register here!

About the Webinar: Braiding and Restorying Indigenous Research Methodologies: Engaging with Responsive Research
With extensive experience in practicing community-centered research methods, Dr. Jeff Corntassel and Dr. Jacqueline Quinless developed an approach called “Responsive Research” in 2017. This talk will examine the ways that relational accountabilities, responsibilities, and strength-based approaches are key strands of a responsive research model. Utilizing a braiding methodology, Corntassel will look at examples of how Indigenous knowledge systems are woven alongside western methods in ways that are distinct from a “two-eyed seeing” approach. From a Responsive Research perspective, research processes developed by and for Indigenous peoples that affirm and strengthen their self-determining authority are just as important as research outcomes.
This webinar is a presention of the CES-ON Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Anti-Oppression (DEIAO) Committee.
About the Presenter:
Dr. Jeff Corntassel is a writer, teacher and father from the Cherokee Nation. He is currently Associate Professor in the Indigenous Studies Department at the University of Victoria and Acting Director of the Centre for Indigenous Research and Community-Led Engagement (CIRCLE). His research and teaching interests focus on “Everyday Acts of Resurgence” and the intersection between sustainable self-determination, Indigenous resurgence, climate change and community well-being. He situates his work at the grassroots with many Indigenous led community-based programs and initiatives ranging from local food movement initiatives, land-based renewal projects, understanding Indigenous fatherhood, to gendered colonial violence and protection of homelands. His recently published book is an edited volume in collaboration with Kanaka Maoli professors at the University of Hawai’i, Manoa, with a collection of works from twenty-two Indigenous an non-Indigenous contributors and is entitled Everyday Acts of Resurgence: People, Places, Practices (2018, Daykeeper Press). He is currently completing work for his forthcoming book on Sustainability, Climate Action and Gender-Based Resurgence.

Culturally Responsive Evaluation Training
2022-10-04 11:00 - 2022-10-25 17:00 | Online
Register online here!
Course Description:

The Canadian Evaluation Society – Ontario Chapter has partnered with Reciprocal Consulting, Inc to offer a two-part online workshop for evaluators to support Culturally Responsive Evaluations through a Reconciliation lens. These sessions will focus on the need for culturally responsive evaluation, while challenging and disrupting status quo evaluations, and will re-orient evaluators to practice evaluation in a culturally responsive way. Through interactive examples, this training will support transformative learning for working alongside Indigenous communities. The engaging live session allows for participants to have a catered experience where facilitators adapt the content based on the interests and knowledge levels of the learners. Furthermore, these online sessions will foster an open and facilitated space for discussion. Learners will have the opportunity to connect with others as they explore the different ways, they can strengthen their practice.
Workshop structure:

Day one: October 4, 2022, 11 AM – 5 PM
Day two: October 25, 2022, 11 AM – 5 PM
There will be assignments and readings to complete between Day One and Day Two. Further details will be shared with participants.

Credentialed Evaluator Competencies:

1.4 Considers the well-being of human and natural systems in evaluation practice.
1.7 Uses self-awareness and reflective thinking to continually improve practice.
3.3 Respects all stakeholders and strives to build and maintain trusting relationships
3.4 Promotes and facilitates usefulness of the evaluation process and results.
3.6 Engages in reciprocal processes in which evaluation knowledge and expertise are shared between the evaluator and stakeholders to enhance evaluation capacity for all.
3.7 Uses evaluation processes and practices that support reconciliation and build stronger relationships among Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples.

About the Facilitators:
Sofia Vitalis was born and raised on the unceded stolen lands of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Skwxwú7mesh Úxwumixw (Squamish), and mi ce:p kʷətxʷiləm (Tsleil-waututh) Nations. Sofia is a mestiza Colombian Latina, with strong roots in her culture and family. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Sociology from Simon Fraser University, where her passion was deepened for critical reflection of systems and heart-centred value that affect all aspects of her work and life. In her role, as Lead for Education and Mentorship she can spread her passionate for transforming’s systems. Sofia also thrives on fostering relationships and deepen understandings of anti-racism and decolonization through the organizational and community education work she is privileged to do at Reciprocal Consulting Inc.
Billie Joe Rogers is an Anishinaabe member of Aamjiwnaang First Nation in Southwestern Ontario and holds a PhD in Law and Forensic Psychology from Simon Fraser University. Billie Joe has worked with Reciprocal Consulting, Inc since 2010 and has contributed to over 300 program evaluations, research projects, and facilitation contracts. Billie Joe has 12 years of experience conducting evaluations and research at the local, provincial and national levels, with a focus on programs and content relevant to Indigenous communities. Furthermore, Billie Joe has considerable experience providing mentorship and teaching in the area of culturally responsive evaluation and research, providing training to evaluation society conference attendees and provincial and territorial evaluation chapters, as well as to non-profits and educational institutions.

The Art and Science of Producing Effective Infographics
2022-10-13 13:00 - 15:00 | Online
The interactive and multi-modal workshop focuses on infographics – artistic or graphic presentation of data to communicate insights.

About this event

Data visualization as a hot topic in the evaluation world, especially in knowledge transfer activities. The interactive and multi-modal workshop will focus on a specific type of data visualization, namely infographics – artistic or graphic presentation of data to communicate insights. We will briefly orient infographics in the realm of data visualization, illustrating the different types of infographics. Then our focus will shift to the science of why we use infographics in communicating to our various audiences (clients and funders). We then venture into design theory, calling on the works of data visualization experts Bernard Marr, Stephanie Evergreen, Garr Reynolds and Edward Tufte. The bulk of the time will be aimed at specific design elements of graphics, colour, and font, which provide the visual cues to our most important element: the data. We will then put these elements together with examples, and then look at resources and tools for infographic production. The session will conclude with a short question period.

Learning objectives:
By the end of the Workshop, the participant will be able to:

Compare the different types of infographics and situate them in the greater web of data visualization
Understand the basic tenets of design theory and how the brain process and information
Identify and appraise the design elements of effective infographics
Locate and use various resources and tools for effective infographic production

In addition, this workshop aims to strengthen capacities in line with the following Competencies for Canadian Evaluation Practice:

2.8 Identify data sources
2.13 Assesses trustworthiness of data
2.16 Reports evaluation findings and results
3.5 Serves the information needs of intended users
4.6 Reports on progress and results
5.1 Uses written communication skills and technologies

About the Faciliator:
A. Sidiq (Sid) Ali, is an expert in education programs, focusing on assessment program development, management and evaluation. He has over 20 years’ experience as an evaluator. Sid combines his skills in psychometrics and evaluation to foster his professional interests in program evaluation capacity-building in the private sector, program development in licensure and certification contexts, as well as in effective data analytics and visualization. Since founding his consulting practice (www.rae-consult.com), he has worked with profession regulators and governing bodies in accounting and financial management, healthcare, law and international sanctions, as well as with the learning and development units of two of the big five Canadian banks. He began his better data visualization journey in 2008, focusing on effective presentation strategies for PowerPoint. He now blogs and speaks about data visualization, and has been an invited guest blogger on Stephanie Evergreen’s effective data visualization blog. He has produced infographics for official CES communications, has conducted a CES national webinar on infographics and has facilitated workshops on infographics for CES-ON and CES-MB. Sid is a Credentialed Evaluator, earned his M.Ed. and Ph.D. from the University of Toronto in Educational Measurement and Evaluation, and was a two-term Director for CES-ON.

Eval Cafe: Evaluation Mentoring to Support EDI
2022-10-20 12:00 - 13:00
From the Meetup description:
The Canadian Evaluation Society (CES) values mentorship as an important facet to evaluation learning, and currently offers an informal self-directed mentoring initiative that enables members of the CES to voluntarily register as a mentor, mentee, or both (https://mentoring.evaluationcanada.org/). As CES is launching a new Association Management System, there is an opportunity to enhance the features and usability of the mentoring platform to better meet the needs of our members. With an increased focused on diversity & inclusion in the evaluation field and within CES, this new mentoring platform can be developed in a way to bring a more diverse group of new practitioners into the practice from an EDI lens. This Evaluation Café session will discuss the importance of mentoring in the lens of inclusion, and the potential benefits for consultants and new practitioners from equity-deserving groups, as well as look at how the CES mentoring platform can further support EDI moving forward.

This session will be facilitated by:
Cassandra Parsons is a senior evaluation consultant with Ference & Company, an independent research and evaluation firm based on Vancouver, BC. She is an emerging evaluator who has been in the field for almost three years with an interest and focus on health and social programs. Cassandra is currently the student & emerging evaluator representative for the CES Board, and leads the ongoing Mentorship Platform Initiative.
Natalie Kishchuk, CE, FCES, has worked as an independent evaluation consultant for close to 30 years, with mandates in health and social services, community development, and research, for various types of organizations and levels of government. An active volunteer in CES since the 1990’s, she was its Vice-President in 2017-19. Now mostly retired, she is a member of the Fellows’ executive and its representative on the CES National Board.

October e-Essential Skills Series
2022-10-31 08:00 - 2023-01-08 17:00
The Canadian Evaluation Society’s on-line ten-week course offers participants with a basic understanding of the main models and practices of evaluation. No prior knowledge of evaluation or social science research methods is required to participate. Participants will gain:

Basic knowledge and skills,
Appreciation for essential elements of evaluation,
Capacity to apply acquired knowledge and skills, and
Development as an evaluation professional.

The Essential Skills Series is ten self-paced learning modules that cover everything from basics like the objectives of evaluations, all the way through to practical skills such as budgeting and workplan development. The discussion forum encourages knowledge transfer/sharing among participants and instructor, instructor reviewed assignments to guide learners and real-time Zoom learning at the start and conclusion of the course.
Register here: https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/october-2022-e-essential-skills-series-tickets-272238391357
Learning Objectives:

Describe the role of evaluation in the program lifecycle;
Explain common evaluation terms, functions, and approaches;
List the steps in planning and conducting an evaluation;
Describe how common social science data collection methods are used in evaluations;
Describe the value and use of project management concepts in evaluations;
Outline ways to support the use of evaluation findings and produce actionable evaluation reports; and
Recognize evaluation standards and ethical principles and identify their role in the professionalization of evaluation in Canada.

Learners will be expected to:

Complete one module per week independent of the facilitator;
Participate regularly in discussion forums with participants and the instructor;
Complete seven assignments to submit to facilitator for review/feedback

About the Facilitator
Tina Sahay has worked in the area of Program Evaluation and Performance Measurement for more than 24 years, supporting governments at the national, provincial and municipal levels in Canada as well as the not-for-profit sector. Tina operates a consulting firm in Toronto and works on client projects in all areas of her specialty of community and public health. She works extensively with vulnerable populations including newcomers, youth and those at-risk for mental health and substance use disorders. Tina also provides training to professionals on various aspects of program evaluation. She is an instructor for the Canadian Evaluation Society and has designed and conducted training programs for Toronto Public Health, Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation, MOHLTC, Hastings Prince Edward Public Health and York University.
Tina holds a Masters degree in Health Science from the University of Toronto and is a certified Quality Improvement Specialist. Tina is also a credentialed evaluator with the Canadian Evaluation Society.

January 2023 e-Essential Skills Series
2023-02-13 08:00 - 2023-04-23 17:00
**Register here!**
The Canadian Evaluation Society’s on-line ten-week course offers participants with a basic understanding of the main models and practices of evaluation. No prior knowledge of evaluation or social science research methods is required to participate. Participants will gain:

Basic knowledge and skills,
Appreciation for essential elements of evaluation,
Capacity to apply acquired knowledge and skills, and
Development as an evaluation professional.

The Essential Skills Series is ten self-paced learning modules that cover everything from basics like the objectives of evaluations, all the way through to practical skills such as budgeting and workplan development. The discussion forum encourages knowledge transfer/sharing among participants and instructor, instructor reviewed assignments to guide learners and real-time Zoom learning at the start and conclusion of the course.
Learning Objectives:

Describe the role of evaluation in the program lifecycle;
Explain common evaluation terms, functions, and approaches;
List the steps in planning and conducting an evaluation;
Describe how common social science data collection methods are used in evaluations;
Describe the value and use of project management concepts in evaluations;
Outline ways to support the use of evaluation findings and produce actionable evaluation reports; and
Recognize evaluation standards and ethical principles and identify their role in the professionalization of evaluation in Canada.

Learners will be expected to:

Complete one module per week independent of the facilitator;
Participate regularly in discussion forums with participants and the instructor;
Complete seven assignments to submit to facilitator for review/feedback

About the Facilitator
Tina Sahay has worked in the area of Program Evaluation and Performance Measurement for more than 24 years, supporting governments at the national, provincial and municipal levels in Canada as well as the not-for-profit sector. Tina operates a consulting firm in Toronto and works on client projects in all areas of her specialty of community and public health. She works extensively with vulnerable populations including newcomers, youth and those at-risk for mental health and substance use disorders. Tina also provides training to professionals on various aspects of program evaluation. She is an instructor for the Canadian Evaluation Society and has designed and conducted training programs for Toronto Public Health, Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation, MOHLTC, Hastings Prince Edward Public Health and York University.
Tina holds a Masters degree in Health Science from the University of Toronto and is a certified Quality Improvement Specialist. Tina is also a credentialed evaluator with the Canadian Evaluation Society.

March 2023 e-Essential Skills Series
2023-03-13 08:00 - 2023-05-21 17:00
**Register here**
The Canadian Evaluation Society’s on-line ten-week course offers participants with a basic understanding of the main models and practices of evaluation. No prior knowledge of evaluation or social science research methods is required to participate. Participants will gain:

Basic knowledge and skills,
Appreciation for essential elements of evaluation,
Capacity to apply acquired knowledge and skills, and
Development as an evaluation professional.

The Essential Skills Series is ten self-paced learning modules that cover everything from basics like the objectives of evaluations, all the way through to practical skills such as budgeting and workplan development. The discussion forum encourages knowledge transfer/sharing among participants and instructor, instructor reviewed assignments to guide learners and real-time Zoom learning at the start and conclusion of the course.
Learning Objectives:

Describe the role of evaluation in the program lifecycle;
Explain common evaluation terms, functions, and approaches;
List the steps in planning and conducting an evaluation;
Describe how common social science data collection methods are used in evaluations;
Describe the value and use of project management concepts in evaluations;
Outline ways to support the use of evaluation findings and produce actionable evaluation reports; and
Recognize evaluation standards and ethical principles and identify their role in the professionalization of evaluation in Canada.

Learners will be expected to:

Complete one module per week independent of the facilitator;
Participate regularly in discussion forums with participants and the instructor;
Complete seven assignments to submit to facilitator for review/feedback

About the Facilitator
Dr. Keiko Kuji-Shikatani, C.E., is an internal evaluator with the Ministry of Education, infusing evaluative thinking in collaborative teams to build sector capacity for the use of evidence to inform decisions. She shares her DE expertise widely leading interministerial collaborations, evaluation capacity building for governments both in Canada and internationally, through universities, civil societies and EvalPartners.

Registration deadline
March 7, 2023

Feminist Principles in Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability, and Learning
2023-04-12 13:00 - 16:00
**Register here!**

This workshop will guide participants through Oxfam Canada’s Seven Foundations to Feminist Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability and Learning (MEAL). Oxfam’s feminist approach challenges practitioners to think differently about evidence, push the boundaries on data collection, and question who gives meaning and power to knowledge. Through these, challenges, participants will engage in an iterative process of applying and reflecting the principles of the approach.
This workshop will introduce the seven foundations as well as discuss what MEAL can look like at different points along a ‘gender spectrum’ (i.e.: gender aware, gender responsive and gender transformative). Participants will engage with examples from current and past Oxfam Canada projects to consider the complexity inherent in undertaking feminist MEAL as well as practice planning for potential next steps in these projects.
Participants can review project examples ahead of time at Oxfam Canada’s Measuring Change with a Feminist Lens website.
This workshop aims to strengthen capacities in line with the following Competencies for Canadian Evaluation Practice:

1.1: Knows evaluation theories, models, methods and tools and stays informed about new thinking and best practices.
1.7: Uses self-awareness and reflective thinking to continually improve practice.
2.8: Collects, analyzes and interprets data using appropriate methods.
3.2: Identifies stakeholders’ needs and their capacity to participate, while recognizing, respecting, and responding to aspects of diversity.
3.6: Engages in reciprocal processes in which evaluation knowledge and expertise are shared between the evaluator and stakeholders to enhance evaluation capacity for all.
5.5: Builds partnerships within the evaluation context.

About the Facilitator
Anna Du Vent is the Women’s Rights Knowledge Specialist, Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability and Learning (MEAL) at Oxfam Canada (OCA), leading OCA’s work in applying feminist approaches throughout its MEAL systems. Anna also led the MEAL work for OCA’s flagship six-country ending violence against women and girls project. Anna specializes in qualitative methodologies focused on program learning processes, including identifying, documenting and sharing best practices. She has led teams on projects related to youth development, economic empowerment, and legal reform in Uganda, Malawi, Jamaica, the Marshall Islands, Bangladesh, India, Indonesia, Nepal, Pakistan and the Philippines.

The Art and Science of Producing Effective Infographics
2023-04-27 13:00 - 15:00
**Register here!**
Data visualization as a hot topic in the evaluation world, especially in knowledge transfer activities. The interactive and multi-modal workshop will focus on a specific type of data visualization, namely infographics – artistic or graphic presentation of data to communicate insights. We will briefly orient infographics in the realm of data visualization, illustrating the different types of infographics. Then our focus will shift to the science of why we use infographics in communicating to our various audiences (clients and funders). We then venture into design theory, calling on the works of data visualization experts Bernard Marr, Stephanie Evergreen, Garr Reynolds and Edward Tufte. The bulk of the time will be aimed at specific design elements of graphics, colour, and font, which provide the visual cues to our most important element: the data. We will then put these elements together with examples, and then look at resources and tools for infographic production. The session will conclude with a short question period.
Learning objectives:
By the end of the Workshop, the participant will be able to:

Compare the different types of infographics and situate them in the greater web of data visualization
Understand the basic tenets of design theory and how the brain process and information
Identify and appraise the design elements of effective infographics
Locate and use various resources and tools for effective infographic production

In addition, this workshop aims to strengthen capacities in line with the following Competencies for Canadian Evaluation Practice:
2.8 Identify data sources
2.13 Assesses trustworthiness of data
2.16 Reports evaluation findings and results
3.5 Serves the information needs of intended users
4.6 Reports on progress and results
5.1 Uses written communication skills and technologies
About the Faciliator:
A. Sidiq (Sid) Ali, is an expert in education programs, focusing on assessment program development, management and evaluation. He has over 20 years’ experience as an evaluator. Sid combines his skills in psychometrics and evaluation to foster his professional interests in program evaluation capacity-building in the private sector, program development in licensure and certification contexts, as well as in effective data analytics and visualization. Since founding his consulting practice (www.rae-consult.com), he has worked with profession regulators and governing bodies in accounting and financial management, healthcare, law and international sanctions, as well as with the learning and development units of two of the big five Canadian banks. He began his better data visualization journey in 2008, focusing on effective presentation strategies for PowerPoint. He now blogs and speaks about data visualization, and has been an invited guest blogger on Stephanie Evergreen’s effective data visualization blog. He has produced infographics for official CES communications, has conducted a CES national webinar on infographics and has facilitated workshops on infographics for CES-ON and CES-MB. Sid is a Credentialed Evaluator, earned his M.Ed. and Ph.D. from the University of Toronto in Educational Measurement and Evaluation, and was a two-term Director for CES-ON.

CES-ON AGM and Learning Event
2023-06-15 12:00 - 14:00
CES – Ontario is pleased to announce that the chapter’s Annual General Meeting will be held online on June 15, 2022 from 12:00 PM to 2:00 PM.
Why Attend the AGM?
The AGM is a great opportunity to:
– Learn more about recent chapter activities;
– Elect new board members and approve any bylaw changes;
– Participate in the annual Learning Event.

Event Agenda:

12:00 PM – 1:00 PM: AGM presentation, including progress on our strategic goals and upcoming chapter events

1:00 PM – 2:00PM: Learning Event: Evaluation in Fragile, Conflict and Violence Contexts with Samandar Mahmodi

We will distribute the Annual General Meeting package, including a full agenda, Annual Report, and audited financial statements, to all CES members and event attendees prior to the event.
About the Learning Event:
Achievement of the UN Agenda 2030 and the Sustainable Development Goals is impacted by the uncertainties caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, conflicts, climate change, and social and environmental injustices. Influential evaluation is considered a key component to evidence-informed policy and decision-making; therefore, it is of utmost importance in the contexts of fragility, conflict, violence (FCV) and humanitarian crises. The presentation will focus on an overview of working in fragile and crisis settings, focusing on the role monitoring and evaluation plays, and share strategies on how to design, conduct, manage, and use evaluation in FCV contexts.
About the Speaker:
Samandar Mahmodi a program evaluation professional with 15+ years of experience in designing, managing & conducting program evaluations in the international development and non-profit sectors. He worked in senior positions and provided consulting for international development sector clients in Afghanistan, on projects funded by the USAID, Work Bank, and United Nation agencies and non-profits.
Mr. Mahmodi is an active member and contributor to the global evaluation community, he has founded the Afghan Evaluation Society, co-founded EvalYouth Asia and EvalYouth Afghanistan, and served as board member and vice president to the Asia Pacific Evaluation Association (APEA). He is a member of the CES, AEA, EES, and has worked as the Executive Coordinator for EvalPartners during 2020-2023, where he managed to closely work and collaborate with VOPEs, the IOCE and other evaluation networks.
Currently, Mr. Mahmodi works as Monitoring Expert with Integrity Global, who is the Monitoring Agent for the World Bank managed Afghanistan Reconstruction Trust Fund (ARTF), implemented through the UN agencies in Afghanistan.

Evaluation Cafe Toronto Meet and Greet
2023-07-06 17:30 - 19:30 | The Duke of York, 39 Prince Arthur Avenue, Toronto, Ontario
Evaluation Cafe Toronto is bringing together evaluators in the area to meet up! We’ll be meeting on Thursday July 6th at Duke of York after work for drinks. Hope you can join to get to know other evaluators, build connections, and have fun.
Hope to see you there!
For information about the venue please visit: https://dukepubs.ca/duke-of-york/

September 2023 e-Essential Skills Series
2023-09-01 09:00 - 2023-11-10 19:00
The Canadian Evaluation Society’s on-line ten-week course offers participants with a basic understanding of the main models and practices of evaluation. No prior knowledge of evaluation or social science research methods is required to participate. Participants will gain:

Basic knowledge and skills,
Appreciation for essential elements of evaluation,
Capacity to apply acquired knowledge and skills, and
Development as an evaluation professional.

The Essential Skills Series is ten self-paced learning modules that cover everything from basics like the objectives of evaluations, all the way through to practical skills such as budgeting and workplan development. The discussion forum encourages knowledge transfer/sharing among participants and instructor, instructor reviewed assignments to guide learners and real-time Zoom learning at the start and conclusion of the course.
Learning Objectives:

Describe the role of evaluation in the program lifecycle;
Explain common evaluation terms, functions, and approaches;
List the steps in planning and conducting an evaluation;
Describe how common social science data collection methods are used in evaluations;
Describe the value and use of project management concepts in evaluations;
Outline ways to support the use of evaluation findings and produce actionable evaluation reports; and
Recognize evaluation standards and ethical principles and identify their role in the professionalization of evaluation in Canada.

Learners will be expected to:

Complete one module per week independent of the facilitator;
Participate regularly in discussion forums with participants and the instructor;
Complete seven assignments to submit to facilitator for review/feedback

About the Facilitator
Dr. Keiko Kuji-Shikatani, C.E., is an internal evaluator with the Ministry of Education, infusing evaluative thinking in collaborative teams to build sector capacity for the use of evidence to inform decisions. She shares her DE expertise widely leading interministerial collaborations, evaluation capacity building for governments both in Canada and internationally, through universities, civil societies and EvalPartners.

Evaluation Cafe Toronto September Meet Up!
2023-09-19 17:30 - 19:30 | Fox and Fiddle, 27 Wellesley Street East, Toronto, Canada
Happy Friday!
We’ll be hosting another event to meet up on Tuesday, September 19th from 5:30-7:30pm at The Fox and the Fiddle, which is just across the street from Wellesley subway station.
The theme of this meet up is: Unearth New Insights! We encourage the Eval community to join fellow evaluators to spark conversations, hear fresh perspectives, and uncover innovative approaches to evaluation. Light refreshments will be provided.

CES Ontario Virtual Conference: Building Better Evaluation: Increasing Diversity and Promoting Inclusion
2023-10-26 09:30 - 17:00 | Online
***Register now!***

Announcing the CES-ON 2023 Virtual Conference: Building Better Evaluation – Increasing and Promoting Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
Do you want to:

Better understand how to integrate and promote diversity, equity and inclusion within evaluation practices?
Influence Ontario’s evaluation eco-systems?
Develop lasting connections to evaluators, networks, and organizations?
Connect with and learn from Ontario evaluation leaders?
Earn professional development hours to maintain Credentialed Evaluator status?

Then, save the date for CES-Ontario’s 2023 virtual one-day conference on October 26, 2023.
The conference’s theme is Building Better Evaluation – Increasing and Promoting Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. Sessions will inform and connect participants to efforts to build better evaluation within and beyond Ontario. The conference will include:

A presentation and discussion on evaluation ethics to start and frame the event.
A panel on the state of evaluation today, exploring trends, concerns, and opportunities for change across a diversity, equity, inclusion, and anti-oppression framework from the perspectives of many different stakeholders with Ontario.
Opportunities to learn about and connect with Evaluation Communities of Practice across different sectors.
Interactive workshops on methods and approaches to evaluation hosted by leading practitioners from across Ontario.
Peer to peer learning to facilitate reflection, collaboration, and engagement with evaluators.
Social events to rejuvenate you both personally and professionally.

A key objective of this event is to facilitate networking, peer to peer learning and to generate meaningful conversations and collaboration across communities of practice in several evaluation domains. We are working hard to ensure every part of the conference will be engaging and stimulating. Sessions will be highly interactive, with lots of small group reflection, discussion, and application.
CES members will be able register for the entire conference for just $150, and non-members will be able to register for $175.
CES Ontario supports CES National’s commitment to the Truth and Reconciliation process and is pleased to offer complimentary registration to Indigenous evaluators. Please connect with our conference team to register.

Facilitation Skills for Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) Practitioners
2023-11-20 13:00 - 2023-11-24 15:00 | Online
At some point in their careers, Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) practitioners will be placed in a position where they have to communicate their work to a group of people. This may be to project staff, policy makers and other stakeholders. Sometimes, the meeting will be comprised of people who are not fully versed with the technical M&E jargon, or to people who may not be receptive to some less-than-positive findings from an evaluation report. Likewise, the group may consist of people with diverse backgrounds and competing interests, yet their consensus is needed.
This is where skills are needed to navigate the group (and power) dynamics to effectively facilitate a meeting that is engaging, elicits participation and produces tangible results.
This course covers:

The facilitation process
Facilitation roles and responsibilities
Various facilitation techniques, including when and how to use them for best effect
Active Listening
Group Dynamics
Characteristics of Good Facilitation
Energisers and Ice breakers
Addressing difficult people situations

The course is highly interactive with role-play and simulations. The live Zoom sessions are scheduled for Monday, November 20; Wednesday, November 22 and Friday, November 24 2023 beginning at 1 PM EST. Run time is 2 hours. The Tuesday and Thursday of that week will be used for homework/assignments and self-paced study on an online learning platform, which will be provided before the course begins.
Key Canadian Evaluation Society Competencies:
4. Management Practice competencies focus on applying sound project management skills throughout the evaluation project.

4.1 Provides leadership to the evaluation project.
4.5 Uses group management and facilitation skills.

5. Interpersonal Practice competencies focus on the social and personal skills required to communicate and interact effectively with all stakeholders.

5.1. Uses communication strategies appropriate to the cultural, linguistic, social, and political context.
5.2 Demonstrates effective and appropriate written and visual communication skills.
5.3 Demonstrates effective, appropriate, and respectful verbal and non-verbal communication skills.
5.4 Uses a variety of processes that result in mutually negotiated agreements, shared understandings and consensus building.
5.5 Builds partnerships within the evaluation context.

About the Facilitator:
Ann-Murray Brown is Jamaican and is an independent consultant based in The Hague, The Netherlands. She has provided professional services to several international NGOs such as the UNDP, the World Food Programme (WFP) and the European Commission on programmes related to Migration, Governance, Child Protection, Poverty Reduction and Gender.
As a facilitator she delivers workshops in Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) to strengthen organisational capacity and designs evaluation manuals.
She is the holder of multiple advanced degrees in Sociology and International Development and is a member of professional bodies such as the American Evaluation Association (AEA), the European Evaluation Society (EES), the Dutch Evaluation Society (Vide) and the Caribbean Evaluators International. She also maintains a blog on Monitoring and Evaluation (https://www.annmurraybrown.com/blog ).

Eval Café: Film to Enhance Impact
2023-11-29 12:00 - 13:00 | Online
Gary Hayes will share a story of health impact in Indigenous communities in Alberta through digital storytelling and his doctoral research that examined how strategic impact campaigns can be respectfully co-created to affect change. There will be time to discuss how we can use film to enhance the impact of our evaluations/reports.
Gary Hayes is an impact practitioner, filmmaker, and adventure enthusiast. Drawing on his documentary television production experiences, he partners with clients to co-create digital stories with accompanying impact campaigns. Through respectful engagement, Hayes develops and co-designs initiatives that produce digital stories that have measurable impact goals. Hayes works with passionate social ambassadors, communities, organizations, and government to strategically distribute and engage with audiences to co-create impact.
Presented by EvalCafé Toronto with the support of CES Ontario. Members and non-members are welcome to attend. Visit the LinkedIn Event Page for more information

January 2024 e-Essential Skills Series
2024-01-15 08:00 - 2024-03-24 17:00
**Register today!**
The Canadian Evaluation Society’s on-line ten-week course offers participants with a basic understanding of the main models and practices of evaluation. No prior knowledge of evaluation or social science research methods is required to participate. Participants will gain:

Basic knowledge and skills,
Appreciation for essential elements of evaluation,
Capacity to apply acquired knowledge and skills, and
Development as an evaluation professional.

The Essential Skills Series is ten self-paced learning modules that cover everything from basics like the objectives of evaluations, all the way through to practical skills such as budgeting and workplan development. The discussion forum encourages knowledge transfer/sharing among participants and instructor, instructor reviewed assignments to guide learners and real-time Zoom learning at the start and conclusion of the course.
Learning Objectives:

Describe the role of evaluation in the program lifecycle;
Explain common evaluation terms, functions, and approaches;
List the steps in planning and conducting an evaluation;
Describe how common social science data collection methods are used in evaluations;
Describe the value and use of project management concepts in evaluations;
Outline ways to support the use of evaluation findings and produce actionable evaluation reports; and
Recognize evaluation standards and ethical principles and identify their role in the professionalization of evaluation in Canada.

Learners will be expected to:

Complete one module per week independent of the facilitator;
Participate regularly in discussion forums with participants and the instructor;
Complete seven assignments to submit to facilitator for review/feedback

About the Facilitator
Tina Sahay has worked in the area of Program Evaluation and Performance Measurement for more than 24 years, supporting governments at the national, provincial and municipal levels in Canada as well as the not-for-profit sector. Tina operates a consulting firm in Toronto and works on client projects in all areas of her specialty of community and public health. She works extensively with vulnerable populations including newcomers, youth and those at-risk for mental health and substance use disorders. Tina also provides training to professionals on various aspects of program evaluation. She is an instructor for the Canadian Evaluation Society and has designed and conducted training programs for Toronto Public Health, Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation, MOHLTC, Hastings Prince Edward Public Health and York University.
Tina holds a Masters degree in Health Science from the University of Toronto and is a certified Quality Improvement Specialist. Tina is also a credentialed evaluator with the Canadian Evaluation Society.

Evaluation Café Meet-Up
2024-02-07 17:30 - 19:30 | Fox and Fiddle, 27 Wellesley Street East, Toronto, Canada
CES Ontario + Evaluation Cafe Toronto will be hosting another event to meet up on Wednesday February 7th from 5:30-7:30pm at The Fox and the Fiddle, which is just across the street from Wellesley subway station.
Light refreshments will be provided. This event is for program evaluators, monitoring and evaluation specialists, practitioners, and students! I hope you can join!
Find more information here: https://www.linkedin.com/events/evaluationcafemeet-up7156398232938442753/

Logic Models and Performance Measurement
2024-03-20 09:30 - 12:30 | Online
In this intermediate level course, participants will advance their logicmodel and performance measurement skills. In the logic model portion of the course, participants will develop a complex logic model, role play explaining it to evaluation clients, and respond to questions/critiques. In the performance measurement portion of the course, participants will develop indicators, critique an existing set of indicators, debate the pros and cons of various performance measurement approaches, and determine the best approaches based on a set of scenarios.
Register online here: https://site.pheedloop.com/event/ceslogicperformance2024/home
Key Learnings:
This workshop aims to strengthen capacities in line with the following Competencies for Canadian Evaluation Practice:

Technical practice

Clarifies the program theory
Identifies data requirements, sources, sampling and data collection tool

Interpersonal practice

Uses communication strategies appropriate to the cultural, linguistic, social and political context
Demonstrates effective, appropriate and respectful verbal and non-verbal communication skills

About the Facilitator:
Sandy Moir, MBA, CE, FCMC, CMP – a Partner at Goss Gilroy Managment Consultants Inc (CGI), Sandy has almost 30 years of experience in evaluation and performance measurement. Sandy conducts work in all sectors, from employment to small business, from science to culture. Sandy has an MBA and is a Fellow Certified Management Consultant (CMC-Canada), a Certified Change Management Professional (Prosci) and Credentialed Evaluator (CES). Sandy is committed to lifelong learning and excels at group facilitation. She is also a seasoned presenter and routinely presents at CES conferences, PPX symposia and CMC-Canada events. She has designed and delivered training on evaluation and performance measurement, evaluation and change management, evaluation and complex transformations, and the development of online learning tools for result-based management to various government and not-for-profit organizations over her career. Sandy has also delivered the CES ESS training several times over the years

Evaluation Café Meet-Up
2024-04-29 17:30 - 19:30 | Imperial Pub, 54 Dundas Street East, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
About
The next Evaluation Café meetup is coming soon in Toronto!
🌟 Our next Evaluation Café meetup is brewing up something special! Join us for an evening where numbers meet narratives, and charts mingle with chats. 📊💬
🗓 When: Monday, April 29th, 5:30 PM – 7:30 PM
📍 Where: The Imperial Pub (54 Dundas St E)
🍻 Sponsored by: Canadian Evaluation Society – Ontario Chapter (CES-ON) (Yes, they’re the cool folks making this happen!)
🤔 Wondering what to expect? This is a casual gathering of evaluation enthusiasts, from seasoned pros to curious newcomers, all sharing insights over pints and pub grub. Whether you’re looking to network, nibble, or just nerd out over data, there’s a seat at the table with your name on it!
👉 Bring your best evaluation questions, your funniest data disaster stories, and your appetite – both for knowledge and for pub fare.
🥂 RSVP now and let us know you’re coming!🍻
#EvaluationCafe #CESOntario #TorontoEvents #Networking #EvaluationCommunity

The Art and Science of Producing Effective Infographics
2024-05-30 13:00 - 15:00 | Online
About This Workshop:
Data visualization as a hot topic in the evaluation world, especially in knowledge transfer activities. The interactive and multi-modal workshop will focus on a specific type of data visualization, namely infographics – artistic or graphic presentation of data to communicate insights. We will briefly orient infographics in the realm of data visualization, illustrating the different types of infographics. Then our focus will shift to the science of why we use infographics in communicating to our various audiences (clients and funders). We then venture into design theory, calling on the works of data visualization experts Bernard Marr, Stephanie Evergreen, Garr Reynolds and Edward Tufte. The bulk of the time will be aimed at specific design elements of graphics, colour, and font, which provide the visual cues to our most important element: the data. We will then put these elements together with examples, and then look at resources and tools for infographic production. The session will conclude with a short question period.
Learning objectives:
By the end of the Workshop, the participant will be able to:

Compare the different types of infographics and situate them in the greater web of data visualization
Understand the basic tenets of design theory and how the brain process and information
Identify and appraise the design elements of effective infographics
Locate and use various resources and tools for effective infographic production

Competencies for Canadian Evaluation Practice:
Technical Practice

2.8 Identify data sources
2.13 Assesses trustworthiness of data
2.16 Reports evaluation findings and results

Situational Practice

3.5 Serves the information needs of intended users

Management Practice

4.6 Reports on progress and results

Interpersonal Practice

5.1 Uses written communication skills and technologies

Event location:
Online through Zoom

Cost:
$189 for CES Members
$219 for General Admission.
Price does not include HST.

Key Learnings:
This workshop aims to strengthen capacities in line with the following Competencies for Canadian Evaluation Practice:

Technical practice

Clarifies the program theory
Identifies data requirements, sources, sampling and data collection tool

Interpersonal practice

Uses communication strategies appropriate to the cultural, linguistic, social and political context
Demonstrates effective, appropriate and respectful verbal and non-verbal communication skills

About the Facilitator:
A. Sidiq (Sid) Ali, is an expert in education programs, focusing on assessment program development, management and evaluation. He has over 20 years’ experience as an evaluator. Sid combines his skills in psychometrics and evaluation to foster his professional interests in program evaluation capacity-building in the private sector, program development in licensure and certification contexts, as well as in effective data analytics and visualization. Since founding his consulting practice (www.rae-consult.com), he has worked with profession regulators and governing bodies in accounting and financial management, healthcare, law and international sanctions, as well as with the learning and development units of two of the big five Canadian banks. He began his better data visualization journey in 2008, focusing on effective presentation strategies for PowerPoint. He now blogs and speaks about data visualization, and has been an invited guest blogger on Stephanie Evergreen’s effective data visualization blog. He has produced infographics for official CES communications, has conducted a CES national webinar on infographics and has facilitated workshops on infographics for CES-ON and CES-MB. Sid is a Credentialed Evaluator, earned his M.Ed. and Ph.D. from the University of Toronto in Educational Measurement and Evaluation, and was a two-term Director for CES-ON.
