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Program Evaluation Intern University of Michigan School of Education Center for Education Design, Evaluation, and Research (CEDER) Job Summary CEDER is a University of Michigan School of Education center devoted to generating and contracting projects that produce high-quality designs, evaluations, and research on teaching, learning, leadership, and policy at multiple levels of education. All projects are aimed at serving society by producing new knowledge about education and by translating research into equitable and just learning opportunities in schools, universities, and community-based education organizations. Interns support the CEDER evaluation team in working with clients to conduct evaluations of educational programs aimed at driving improvement and communicating program value. Interns can expect to gain exposure to and experience in the following seven domains of evaluation practice: 1) Professional Skills 2) Evaluation Design & Planning 3) Locating & Designing Instruments 4) Collecting Data 5) Analyzing Data 6) Reporting 7) Engaging in Ethical Research The CEDER team is deeply committed to supporting our Interns’ professional growth. Throughout the internship, interns will have the opportunity to set and revisit goals with the Evaluation Coordinator, and to check in regularly with their direct supervisor. Each intern will report directly to a member of the Evaluation Specialist team. Responsibilities & Skill Development Below is a list of common responsibilities and opportunities for skill development offered to interns. This list is not exhaustive and will depend both on the project/s that an individual intern is assigned to, and on their level of experience. Interns are encouraged to review this list when setting goals for professional growth. 1) Professional skills: • Apply flexibility and adaptability in response to shifting project demands and client priorities. • Employ empathy and interpersonal skills to build and maintain relationships with clients and CEDER colleagues. • Manage a varied and demanding workload that involves interaction with a wide variety of stakeholders. • Take charge of your professional learning by seeking out professional development opportunities such as relevant readings or workshops. • Participate in meetings with clients, including presenting work to clients. • Set and achieve professional goals in partnership with your supervisor. • Use project management software (Wrike) to record task completion. • Use a cloud-based drive (M-Box) to manage files. 2) Evaluation Design & Administration: • Conduct a literature review to understand the research landscape for a given topic. • Collaborate with a member of the evaluation team to develop a logic model. • Collaborate with a member of the evaluation team to design a quantitative, qualitative, mixed methods, or multiple methods analytical model. 3) Locate and Design Instruments: • Locate validated survey instruments for use in evaluation projects. • Develop or revise a survey. • Develop a protocol or topic guide for an interview. 4) Collect Data • Use a structured observation protocol. • Administer a survey using software (e.g. Qualtrics, Google Forms) or printed forms. • Facilitate an interview or focus group. • Take notes in a focus group. 5) Analyze Data • Use software (e.g. R, Stata, Excel, Dedoose) to conduct quantitative and qualitative analysis. • Clean, reshape and format data for analysis. • Create and maintain a database. • Edit interview transcriptions. • Apply an analytical framework to qualitative analysis (e.g. induction, grounded theory, cross case analysis). • Create a codebook either manually or using software. 6) Reporting • Write up evaluation findings, including thematic analysis of qualitative data. • Create charts and visualizations based on quantitative and qualitative data. • Contribute to and provide feedback on a deliverable (e.g. a 1-page data visualization or final report). • Assist with a data interpretation meeting (e.g. by creating slides, or supporting facilitation of a meeting). • Compile a bibliography manually or using a citation management software. 7) Engage in ethical research • Complete Program for Education and Evaluation in Responsible Research and Scholarship (PEERRS) training online. • Contribute towards an IRB application. |
