This course was developed for participants who want to increase or refresh their MEL knowledge or those seeking an introduction to the topic.
This course is designed to help participants improve WaSH programming through Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEL). It was developed for participants who want to increase or refresh their MEL knowledge or those seeking an introduction to the topic. Participants will review instructional materials, selected readings, and media to learn about the basic language and models of Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) in the Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WaSH) sector, and outline the basic methods and techniques for M&E.
This online course consists of three sessions:
– Session 1: Intro to MEL
-Session 2: Sampling Module
-Session 3: Qualitative Methods and Surveys
Completion of the course will take approximately two to three hours per week but this will vary by student. New content is introduced during weeks one through three of each session, and the final week can be used by participants to complete the quiz and critical thinking assignment.
Course Objectives
Participants who successfully complete this course will be able to:
Session 1- Basic M&E
-Recognize the basic concepts and challenges of MEL for WaSH (Module 1)
-Understand the different types of M&E systems and be able to identify the tools necessary to answer M&E related questions (Module 2)
– Recognize the strengths and limitations of basic quantitative study designs (Module 3)
Session 2 – Sampling
– Understand the basic challenges in selecting a sample and the advantages and disadvantages of different sampling methods (Module 4)
-Understand the concepts of precision, variance and confidence intervals as they relate to analyzing data (Module 5)
– Understand links between study designs, approaches to sampling, statistical analysis, power, and sample size (Module 6)
Session 3-Survey Tools
-Identify criteria for developing appropriate household survey questions and understand related concepts of research ethics, survey design, and survey administration (Module 7).
– Identify criteria for developing appropriate water system surveys, and monitoring tools; become familiar with standard tools and methods for water system surveys (Module 8)
-Understand the purpose of qualitative research methods and related strengths and limitations (Module 9)
