Teaching Resources

Over the last ten years, J-PAL has offered its Executive Education: Evaluating Social Programs course in a number of different locations. This five-day program on evaluating social programs provides a thorough understanding of randomized evaluations and pragmatic step-by-step training for conducting one’s own evaluation. In addition to offering the course in person, J-PAL also offers a free, online version of the course as a MOOC over the edX platform. The teaching materials from these and other J-PAL courses are available in this section, organized by the following topics:

1.   What is Evaluation?
2.   Outcomes, Impacts, and Indicators
3.   Why Randomize?
4.   How to Randomize
5.   Sampling and Sample Size
6.   Threats and Analysis
7.   Cost-Effectiveness Analysis and Scaling-Up
8.   Generalizability

What is Evaluation?

Former J-PAL Associate Director of Training Marc Shotland gives a lecture on "What is Evaluation" at our June 2016 Executive Education course. Download slides.

Outcomes, Impacts, and Indicators

J-PAL affiliated professor Kelsey Jack (Tufts University) gives a lecture on "Outcomes, Impacts, and Indicators" at our June 2016 Executive Education course. Download slides.

Case studies on developing a program theory of change and coming up with appropriate outcomes and indicators in a logic model: (Some content forthcoming)

Community Monitoring Program in Uganda (Case Study)
Generasi (Case Study and Guide)
Getting Parents Involved in France (Case Study and Guide)
Reforming School Monitoring in Madagascar (Case Study and Guide)
Report Cards in Pakistan (Case Study)
Savings Groups (Case Study)
Village Financial Services in the Dominican Republic (Case Study)
Vocational Training in the Dominican Republic (Case Study)
Voter Awareness in Brazil (Case Study)
Voter Awareness in Mexico (Case Study)
Women as Policymakers in India (Case Study and Guide)

Why Randomize?

J-PAL affiliated professor Dan Levy (Harvard Kennedy School of Government) gives a lecture on "Why Randomize?" at our June 2016 Executive Education course. Download slides.

Case studies illustrating the benefits of randomizing treatment assignment, compared to other identification strategies: (Some content forthcoming)

Flip Charts in Kenya (Case Study)
Balsakhi/Volunteer Tutors in India (Case Study)
Get Out the Vote in the United States (Case Study and Guide)
Learn to Read Evaluations in India (Case Study and Guide)
Microfinance in South Africa (Case Study)
A demonstration in Excel of how randomization in large samples produces equivalent treatment and control groups.

How to Randomize

J-PAL affiliated professor Joe Doyle (MIT Sloan) gives a lecture on "How to Randomize" at our June 2016 Executive Education course. Download slides.

Case studies illustrating how the randomization design of an evaluation can be tailored based on the research question(s): (Some content forthcoming)

Extra Teacher Program in Kenya (Case Study and Guide)
Labor Displacement from Job Counseling Programs in France (Case Study and Guide)
Combating Corruption in Indonesia (Case Study and Guide)

Sampling and Sample Size

J-PAL Executive Director (on leave) Rachel Glennerster gives a lecture on "Sampling and Sample Size" at our June 2016 Executive Education course. Download slides.

An exercise and step-by-step guide that explains the trade-offs in designing a well powered randomized trial, using Optimal Design software.

Threats and Analysis

J-PAL affiliated professor Don Green (Columbia) gives a lecture on "Threats and Analysis" at our June 2016 Executive Education course. Download slides.

Case studies illustrating how to analyze and interpret the results from a randomized evaluation in the presence of various threats to analysis, such as attrition and crossovers:

Attrition from a Job Counseling Program in France (Case Study and Guide)
Deworming Program in Kenya (Case Study and Guide)
Technoserve in Rwanda (Case Study)
Training and Wage Subsidies in Jordan (Case Study)

Cost-Effectiveness Analysis and Scaling Up

J-PAL North America Executive Director Mary Ann Bates gives a lecture on "Cost-Effectiveness Analysis and Scaling Up" at our March 2013 Executive Education course. Download slides.

A case study and guide illustrating the basics of conducting a cost-effectiveness analysis of a program.

Generalizability

J-PAL Executive Director (on leave) Rachel Glennerster gives a lecture on "Generalizability" at our June 2016 Executive Education course. Download slides.

Please note that the practical research resources referenced here were curated for specific research and training needs and are made available for informational purposes only. Please email us for more information.

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