Welcome to the Evaluation for physical activity practitioners’ course.
Understanding the importance of evaluation in designing and implementing sport, physical activity and recreation (SPAR) initiatives—and in determining their impact—is critical knowledge for policymakers and program planners wishing to bring smart adaptation to a world of ongoing societal and environmental change.
The Canadian Evaluation Society defines evaluation as “the systematic assessment of the design, implementation or results of an initiative for the purposes of learning or decision-making.”
Evaluation is indeed a crucial tool to assess the impact of SPAR policies and initiatives—and steer them toward greater effectiveness and efficiency.
We know that physical activity has far-ranging benefits and warrants greater integration in our lives. The recent Measuring Impact project shows that SPAR impacts all aspects of society. It affects the economy, it affects the health care system, if affects our social environment and communities, and it affects our physical environment. To maximize this multi-pronged impact, evaluation of SPAR endeavours is essential.
Given its long history of providing innovative data collection and analysis and knowledge mobilization on the importance of leading healthy, active lifestyles, the Canadian Fitness and Lifestyle Research Institute (CFLRI) is proud to bring you this course on evaluation.
CFLRI gratefully acknowledges the services of Clare Levin, a credentialed evaluator and partner at Research Power Inc., in designing the Evaluation training for physical activity practitioners’ course—and developing the content and materials for an online interactive session delivered during the early years of the pandemic. This content has been adapted for the self-guided learning modules you are about to discover.
We also sincerely thank the Government of Canada and the Sport, Physical Activity and Recreation Council for funding this initiative.
The course will cover five key areas of evaluation:
Session 1:
Introduction to Evaluation
Understanding steps in the evaluation process, engaging stakeholders, considerations in the evaluation design.
Session 2:
Logic Models and Theories of Change
Understanding and building logic models/theories of change.
Session 3:
Developing an Evaluation Plan
Identifying evaluation questions and performance indicators.
Session 4:
Data Collection and Analysis
Understanding data collection methods and how to map data collection strategies to indicators.
Session 5:
Reporting, Learning and Application
Communicating evaluation results and potential evaluation challenges and solutions.
Terms of Use
The User of the tool agrees to indemnify, defend, and hold harmless the CFLRI and the tool’s funding organizations, including its directors, officers, employees, agents, and affiliates from and against any and all claims, liabilities, damages, losses, costs, expenses, or fees that may incur as a result of use of the data or arising from the User’s violation of any terms of this Agreement. This indemnity includes any acts or omissions by the User which result in: (i) violation of any applicable law or regulations; (ii) infringement of the intellectual property rights of any third party; or (iii) unauthorized disclosure of personal or confidential information.
