Title: Notes for the e-moderator
Course: Monitoring and Evaluation > Section: Notes for the e-moderator

This course is designed to be taught to learners from different disciplines that include but not limited to Information Technology, Communication Studies, Development Studies, and Business-related programs.

1.       Forming learnings groups for the Monitoring and Evaluation course

Since there are many ways of forming learning or class groups, as an e-moderator, using a mixture of methods to enable students to experience a wide variety of benefits from fellow group members is preferable. Group composition should therefore have a healthy balance of several demographics. You should form groups of preferably between 3 and 5 members. As an e-moderator, obtain the following information from the students’ available records and information provided from Week 0 activity.

-          Class performance in a previous module, especially the prerequisite for this course. You can use the basis of the last marked examination, ensuring your balance between the top and low scorers in each group.

-          Information on the gender of the students is also useful. Ensure a fair gender balance in the groups.

-          Demographics such as age especially in a class with adult and younger learners. Ensure you balance this too.

-          Information on students with physical disabilities is also useful to provide inclusivity. Have a balance based on such attributes too.

After forming the groups, ask members to appoint a group leader/moderator to coordinate their activities. This can be done in Week 1 or Week 0.

2. Course project work

As part of learning activities for the course, Units 5-11 of the course involve a practical component where learners initiate and implement an M&E activity on a real-life project that relates to their discipline of study. The learners will therefore be required to collaborate through their groups and identify a suitable project which should be discussed with the e-moderator beforehand. After studying each unit, the learners should work on their projects depending on what they have learnt. Towards the end of the module, the learners should report and present their M&E project for grading.

Project Description

Based on the student’s background of the study, each of the groups will be required to come up with a project that they will monitor and evaluate as part of the activities and assessment for this course. For instance, students in Information Technology related areas can identify a project on Installing a Cloud-based server. A student of Bachelor of Arts in Communication can monitor and evaluate a given Behaviour Change Campaign. The project to be monitored can be real or fictitious.

Although the students will be provided with details on the project at Week 0, the project will start in Unit 5. From that stage, the learners will be expected to develop their tasks as the course progresses. For instance, at the end or during Unit 5, they will be required to formulate the objectives and goals of their project. At the end or during Unit 6, they will be required to identify suitable indicators. This will go on until Unit 11 where they will report findings and present their work to the e-moderator. They will use this template to write the report. This will be the marking rubric for the project.

Rubric for the class project

Score |  | 0 - 5 | 6 - 10 | 11 - 15 | 16 - 20
Background of the project |  | The background is not clear. The group has not provided a comprehensive description of the project they embarked on | There is an attempt to describe the project, but some details are missing. | The group has made attempt to discuss why the study was done, but the information is sketchy and lacks proper flow. | The group has presented a piece of proper background information with references, TORs, and all the information relevant to the project.
Goals |  | The proposed goals are nonspecific, immeasurable, unrealistic, untimely, the scope is too wide | Some goals are realistic but irrelevant to the project understudy | Most goals are realistic, relevant, and time-bound. But some rather stated as the consequence of the main goals to the project understudy | The proposed goals are Specific (simple, sensible, significant). Measurable (meaningful, motivating). Achievable (agreed, attainable). Relevant (reasonable, realistic, and resourced, results-based). Time-bound (time-based, time-limited, time/cost limited, timely, time-sensitive).
Outcomes |  | The outcomes are incomplete. They have not indicated the desired results in a clear manner. | Some outcomes are correctly drafted, but others are incomplete and vague. | Most outcomes are SMART but vague. Some of them require some improvement | The outcomes are SMART, well-thought-out, and clear. They are also consistent with the goals of the project
Outputs |  | The outputs do not relate and align with the stated outcomes. | Some outputs do not relate and align with the stated outcomes. | Most outputs relate and align with the stated outcomes. | The outputs are consistent with the outcomes and relevant to the project at hand. They have been expressed in a clear manner.
Indicators |  | The indicators are not relevant to the project, and not measurable | Some indicators are not relevant to the project and are not measurable. | Most indicators are relevant to the project and are measurable. | All indicators are relevant to the project and are measurable
Targets |  | The targets set for the project are unrealistic and cannot be attained. The targets do not map to indicators. | Some of the set targets are clear and realistic while some remain unrealistic and cannot be attained. | The group has attempted to set realistic targets for their project. However, some details are missing in terms of how these will be attained at the end of the project. | The targets set are achievable, and the group demonstrates an understanding of what level of progress will be attained at the end of the project.
Data Collection Methods |  | Proposed data collection methods are not relevant to the desired outcomes of the project. | The group has provided some data collection methods which apply to the project. However, it is not clear whether they would attain the goals of the project. | Most data collection methods proposed are relevant and an attempt has been made to correlate these to the attainment of project goals. However, some details are still unclear. | The group shows evidence of mastery of data collection methods. Selected methods are specific to the project and will allow them to attain the targets set for the M&E project.
Analysing data and reporting results |  | Lessons unclear, unclean data, poor graphical representation, missing data interpretation, or invalid conclusions | Some lessons identified, graphical representation not clear, data relevance, or factors that might affect the data not clearly highlighted. Not interpretation of data is provided. | Key lessons have been identified, the graphical representation is provided, data relevance and potential factors affecting the data are described. Data interpretation and advice missing | Key lessons have been identified, the graphical representation is provided, data relevance and potential factors affecting the data are described. Interpretation of the data and advice thereof is given.
Reporting Project Progress and Findings |  | The project is completely out of scope, incomplete, and not easy to follow. | The project is somewhat out of scope and disorganized. | The scope of the project is almost covered and is well organized but slightly behind schedule. | The scope of the project is covered, and the project is well organized and within schedule.