Tooltips for Partner Monitoring, Evaluation, Research, and Learning (MERL) and Training & Support (T&S) Staff
Your role requires technical expertise in measurement and a strategic view of program effectiveness. This database is your go-to source for designing and implementing rigorous MERL systems.
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To Design and Implement High-Quality Measurement: The "How to monitor student outcomes" section is your technical toolkit.
- Go deep into the EGRA and EGMA toolkits for foundational skills assessment and the INEE Measurement Library for validated tools in crisis contexts.
- Use the "Test construction guidelines" for building new assessments and the "Data triangulation for measuring Social-Emotional Learning" resource for innovative approaches to measuring complex, non-academic outcomes.
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To Develop Sound Program Logic and Frameworks: The "How to connect MERL with other functions" and "How to prioritize student outcomes" categories will strengthen your program design and evaluation plans.
- Master the "Theory of Change Basics" and methodological briefs to ensure all programs have a clear, logical framework that articulates the pathway from activities to impact. This is crucial for meaningful evaluation.
- Leverage the "Local Engagement in Social and Emotional Learning and Soft Skills Measurement Compendium" to ensure that the outcomes you prioritize and the tools you use are contextually relevant and locally validated.
- Leverage the "Teaching as Collective Leadership Observation & Debrief Tool" for structured self-reflection and peer collaboration to see the direct link between support and student results.
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To Analyze and Report Data for Impact: The "What to do with your monitoring data" category will enhance the quality and utility of your analysis.
- Adhere to the "Reporting guidelines for standardized effect size reporting" to ensure your impact evaluations are communicated using clear and comparable metrics.
- Use resources like "How Much is Learning Measurement Worth?" to conduct cost-benefit analyses and advise on the most efficient and effective assessment strategies for your programs.
Tooltips for Partner Staff
For staff members not in direct teaching or MERL roles, these resources offer a valuable opportunity to understand the core mission of your organization and how your work contributes to it.
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To Understand the "Why" Behind Your Work: Start with the "How to prioritize student outcomes" category to grasp the organization's goals.
- Reading the "Student Outcomes Strategy" or the summary of the "Turnaround for Children Toolkit" can provide a clear and inspiring overview of the ultimate vision for the students you teach.
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To Learn the Basics of Educational Improvement: Gain a high-level understanding of how progress is measured and achieved.
- The visualization of the "Teaching and Learning Programmatic Cycle" is an excellent resource to see how different functions—from curriculum design to data analysis to your own role—fit together to support student success.
- Browse the brief descriptions of resources in the "How to monitor student outcomes" category to become familiar with terms like "formative assessment" and "SEL," which will help you better understand conversations and reports within your organization.
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To See the Impact in Action: Look for resources that tell a story of how data is used.
- The Case study included in "Using data for monitoring and evaluation" can provide concrete examples of how collecting and analyzing information leads to real improvements for students, making the importance of MERL tangible.