Feasibility: Design

Module 5

Feasibility: Design

Feasibility deals with the actual process of practitioners measuring learning or development outcomes for children and adolescents in low-resource, crisis-affected, and fragile contexts and asks whether the process is doable given the logistical, operational, and systematic limitations that are in place. The feasibility of a measurement and evaluation plan must also address how simply and easily a practitioner can implement a plan and what level of guidance is needed for them to do so effectively. In this module on feasibility, practitioners will learn how to feasibly plan for and collect data from children and adolescents.

Additional Resources

Enumerator training

The World Bank

A detailed, step-by-step guide for how to train groups of assessors or enumerators to collect data.

Six rules of thumb for determining sample size and statistical power

J-PAL

“The ability of an evaluation to detect a meaningful impact of a program is determined by the evaluation’s sample size and statistical power. This is a tool for policymakers and practitioners that describes some of the factors that affect statistical power and sample size.”

Sample size calculator

Qualtrics

Online sample size calculator that can help you determine your ideal survey sample size.

PowerUp!: A Tool for Calculating Minimum Detectable Effect Sizes and Minimum Required Sample Sizes

Rebecca A. Maynar and Nianbo Dong

“This workbook is primarily designed to aide in the a priori power analysis calculation of minimum detectable effect size (MDES) and sample size required for a given research design and analysis. There are multiple worksheets included in this workbook, each specific to a certain design and analysis.”

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What is practical measurement?

Practical measurement is measurement of children and adolescents’ learning and development that is driven by and focused on the needs of practitioners working with limited time and resources in low-resource, conflict-affected, and fragile contexts. Practical measurement is not a specific tool but rather a conceptual framework that can be used to develop a simple, yet rigorous plan to measure holistic learning and development outcomes related to physical health, mental health, psychosocial wellbeing, academic learning (e.g., literacy, numeracy), social and emotional learning, or values, morals, and spirituality.

Why this course?

When searching for online resources on measuring children and adolescents’ learning and development, there are two common forms of resources: those aimed at monitoring outputs of programs (e.g., number of training sessions implemented or number of beneficiaries engaged) and those aimed at rigorous program or impact evaluations such as randomized controlled trials. However, while these resources are valuable, they do not address many practitioners’ immediate purpose to go beyond monitoring outputs and to measure actual changes in children and adolescents. Recognizing the need for something that is driven by and focused on the needs of practitioners working with limited time and resources in low-resource and fragile contexts, the Practical Measurement course focuses on equipping practitioners with the knowledge and resources to develop rigorous yet feasible measurement initiatives.

Who is this course designed for?

Maybe you are an education technical expert with years of experience working in low-resource or fragile settings on programs for children. Or perhaps you are a monitoring and evaluation officer in the early stages of your career. Wherever you find yourself in your career, the Practical Measurement course is designed to support practitioners like you in understanding how to develop an effective approach to measuring holistic learning and development outcomes, especially when faced with limited time and resources. For this reason, you will find limited research and statistical jargon throughout the course. Instead, you will find clear and concise descriptions, tips, tools, and resources to support you on your journey of measuring the learning and development outcomes of children or adolescents.

What will I learn?

This course is focused on four key parameters that are important to consider when attempting to measure how children learn and develop through programs in low-resource and fragile contexts: appropriateness, utility, feasibility, and rigor. The materials in this course are not comprehensive nor are they meant to prepare you to take on a large research initiative. Instead, you can anticipate gaining a deeper understanding of the why and how behind measuring children and adolescents’ holistic learning and development outcomes. You can also expect to leave this course with a foundational understanding of how to start down the road of choosing a measure, adapting it, administering it with children, and ensuring that the data is useful. Throughout the course, you will find a curated list of resources to help develop a strategy to measure learning and development whether you are interested in tracking (formative assessments), screening, situation analyses, monitoring, or evaluations.