Learning Before Going to Scale: An Introduction to Conducting Pilot Studies
“If I had known then what I know now, I would’ve done it much differently.” How many of us have found ourselves looking back on the rollout of a [...]
5 Strategies to Effectively Monitor and Evaluate Program Implementation
Many of our studies involve monitoring and evaluating program implementation to learn more about how programs are delivered and the degree to which they are delivered as intended. Examining program [...]
Increase Online Survey Response Rates with These Seven Tips
At Magnolia Consulting, we often use online surveys as a data collection tool in our evaluation studies. Online surveys are an efficient and effective way to gather information from participants [...]
An Evaluator’s Guide to Performing Successful Site Visit Observations
For external evaluators, site visits (e.g. visiting schools) provide an opportunity to experience the activity, program, or product first-hand while also offering a chance to connect in-person with participants from [...]
Essential Tools for Recruiting Sites for Studies: Finding the Needle in a Haystack
At Magnolia Consulting, one of our specialities is designing and implementing curriculum efficacy or effectiveness studies, and we are often tasked with recruiting sites (i.e., schools or school districts) to [...]
Eight Steps to Conducting an Evidence Search
The Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) promotes the use of federal funds to purchase programs that have evidence of effectiveness in increasing student success. But how can state and local [...]
Conducting Qualitative Research on Sensitive Topics: Challenges and Solutions
Research on sensitive subjects such as illegal activities, drug use, and sexual topics can pose some challenges for evaluators. These topics may result in unintended consequences, such as difficult emotions [...]
Tips for Qualitative Data Analysis Using a QDA Software Program
Qualitative analysis can sometimes seem daunting, particularly when dealing with large amounts of data. We have found qualitative data analysis (QDA) software to be immensely helpful with collaboration, coding, organization, [...]