Monitoring and Evaluation, Accountability and Learning (MEAL) Course

Introduction

For all the successful programs one should have a good knowledge of monitoring, evaluation, accountability, and learning (MEAL) which is the part of everyday program management and sometimes can be critical too. It would be difficult to track progress, make adjustments, discover unplanned effects of programs, or judge the impact without MEAL, that have been made on the lives of those whom we are working.

The overall MEAL system helps individuals and teams to be accountable to stakeholders through information sharing and developing complaints or feedback mechanism which can help to guide program implementation. The MEAL training introduces participants to its concepts and practices. It will stimulate ideas on how to design and implement monitoring and evaluation processes that strengthen accountability and learning, and so promote project, program and strategy effectiveness.

Learning Objectives

Develop an understanding of the basic principles underlying MEAL

Design and implement MEAL strategies, systems, and frameworks

Develop and support the use of MEAL tools and practices in program development

Supporting the development of MEAL workpieces such as program baselines, mid-term reviews and end lines

Equip participants with an understanding of the major tools and best practices involved in MEAL

Provide participants effective rules of thumb and a framework to approach methodological issues in MEAL

Collect data, ensure data quality management and analyses the data

Understand project reporting by using MEAL

Course duration

10 Days

Who should attend

Variety of program staff,

Management team members and thematic staff

Project Management Officials

Government officials

Program managers

Policymakers and program implementers

Development practitioners and activists and NGO and CSO members,

Course Outline

Module 1: Introduction Monitoring & Evaluation

M&E and the project/program cycle

Importance of M&E

Purposes and uses of M&E

Identifying gaps in M&E

Barriers to effective M&E

Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability, and Learning (MEAL) overview

Introduction to MEAL

MEAL Components

Purposes and functions of MEAL

MEAL approach

How MEAL changes M&E

Challenges to MEAL

Module 2: Frameworks and MEAL Cycle

Frameworks and approaches informing MEAL

The language used in MEAL

The MEAL cycle

Exploring key elements of a MEAL plan

Defining indicators

Designing, implementation, and management of a MEAL framework

Module 3: MEAL Planning and Budgeting

MEAL planning

Planning and budgeting of MEAL

Planning and Budgeting relationship.

Tools for planned monitoring and evaluation activities

How do I get started?- Practical’s and application

  Identifying project/program goals.

  Identifying project/program indicators and targets.

Selecting data collection methods and data sources for prioritized indicators in your MEAL plan

Decide upon your data analysis, quality assurance/validation, and management strategy.

Identify your strategy for reporting and disseminating data.

MEAL Budgeting

Activities based MEAL budgeting

Components of the Budget

Exercise: MEAL Plan and corresponding budget

Module 4: Accountability and Learning

Meaning of accountability mean in practice

Aspects of accountability.

Importance of Accountability

Information sharing

Participation

Handling Complaints

Learning and its role

Exercise: Incorporating Accountability and Learning in Projects

Module 5: Baseline and evaluation design and management

The purpose and use of baselines and evaluations

Purpose and use of needs assessments, situation analysis,

Baselines, evaluations and real-time reviews

Importance of baseline for monitoring and evaluation

Steps in planning and undertaking baselines and evaluations

Module 6: Survey Planning and Implementation Types of surveys

The survey design and process

Methods of survey sampling and determining the Sample size

Data collection techniques and tools

Designing survey questionnaires

Pretesting research tools for Validity and Reliability

Conducting the survey

After the survey

Exercise: Planning for a survey

Module 7: MEAL Data Collection: Mobile Based Data Collection (ODK)

Introduction to mobile phone data collection

Advantages and challenges of Mobile Applications

Components of Open Data Kit (ODK)

Install ODK Collect into mobile devices

Designing and creating Forms

ODK Aggregate Server

Exercise: Mobile Based Data Collection using ODK

Module 8: Data Quality Management, Tabulation and graphical presentation of data (SPSS/Stata/R)

Data Quality Management

Types of variables (Numerical, discrete variables, dummy variables,

Entering categorical and continuous data

Defining and labeling variables

Validation and Sorting variables

Transforming, recording and computing variables

   Tabulation and graphical presentation of data

Descriptive Statistics

Frequency Tables

Tables for categorical data

Graphs and charts

Exercise: Data Management, Graphing, and Tabulations

Module 9: Data analysis and interpretation and use (SPSS/Stata/R)

Hypothesis testing

Comparing Means.

Regression and Correlation analysis

Interpreting the data

Introduction to analyzing qualitative data and qualitative data analysis software

Exercise: Data Analysis and interpretation

Module 10: Project reporting through MEAL

Use of MEAL data in Reporting

Communication activities to partners and stakeholders

Lessons learned

Decisions making

Recap

Training Approach

This course will be delivered by our skilled trainers who have vast knowledge and experience as expert professionals in the fields. The course is taught in English and through a mix of theory, practical activities, group discussion and case studies. Course manuals and additional training materials will be provided to the participants upon completion of the training.

Tailor-Made Course

This course can also be tailor-made to meet organization requirement. For further inquiries, please contact us on: Email: training@upskilldevelopment.com Tel: +254 721 331 808

Training Venue 

The training will be held at our Upskill Training Centre. We also offer training for a group (at a discount of 10% to 50%) at requested location all over the world. The course fee covers the course tuition, training materials, two break refreshments, and buffet lunch.

Visa application, travel expenses, airport transfers, dinners, accommodation, insurance, and other personal expenses are catered by the participant

Certification

Participants will be issued with Upskill certificate upon completion of this course.