Development Practice Skills Courses
Regis University Development Practice program offers praxis, a series of 1-credit, open enrollment professional development courses monitoring and evaluation, qualitative data collection and assessment, and data visualization. All praxis courses promote cross-cultural engagement and professional networking through a live global classroom. The courses are two weeks in length, with real-time classroom sessions (attended remotely or in-person) combined with independent work. Classes begin at 7 AM MST to accommodate the multiple time zones of our students. Courses may be taken individually, outside the praxis certificate track.
Register for a Class
Contact us if you are ready to register for classes or visit the Master of Development Practice Program for more information.
In collaboration with the Posner Center for International Development, Regis University’s Development Practice delivers a series of monitoring and evaluation short courses so social impact professionals can strengthen their evidence-based programmatic impact. All courses are taught by experts in their field and may be counted toward the praxis Certificate.
Classes to choose from
Monitoring and Evaluation I
This course will provide students with a working knowledge of the field of M&E and lay the foundation for continued learning and implementation.
Students will learn:
- Key concepts and associated terms of M&E
- Frameworks for establishing causal logic
- Approaches to defining and measuring project deliverables and impacts
- Development of an outcome mapping model
Class meets: May 9th, 12th and 16th, 2023 from 7am - 9am MST.
Monitoring and Evaluation II
Builds on lessons from Monitoring and Evaluation I, going more in depth on effective theories of change and criteria for developing the appropriate indicators to measure them. Students will learn the technical aspects of quality indicators and the processes involved in their development.
Students will learn:
- Indicator development
- Data collection methodologies
- Development of an M&E plan
- M&E tools for data visualization, data collection, and analysis
Class meets: May 30th, June 2nd and 6th, 2023 from 7am - 9am MST.
Qualitative Data Collection
Introduction to the principles and techniques of qualitative data collection with a particular focus on the researcher as the instrument. Students will be able to customize class projects to their own context by completing either interviews or focus groups.
Students will learn:
- Navigate the relational space during the interview or focus group process including managing personal bias, active listening, and how to ask questions that promote open dialogue
- Manage personal mental space during the interview or focus group process including techniques to decenter the self
- Develop a reflexive practice through reflexive journaling
- Conduct an interview or focus group
Class meets: June 16th and 23rd, 2023 from 7am - 10am MST.
Qualitative Data Assessment
This course is an introduction to the principles and process of qualitative data assessment. Participants will learn the art of iterative analysis that both addresses the research or evaluation goals and maintains the voice and perspective of participants.
Students will learn:
- Understand the iterative nature of qualitative data analysis
- Identify and develop different types of codes
- Convert raw qualitative data into useful insights
- Write an analytic memo
- Draft a findings statement related to the data coded
Class meets: July 7th and 14th, 2023 from 7am - 10am MST.
Data Visualization
This course will cover the basics of data visualization, including interpretation and best practices for designing graphs, maps, and other visualization approaches. Students will learn to evaluate the effectiveness of visualization designs, and think critically about each design decision.
Students will learn:
- Understand best practices for the design of data visualizations, including infographics, maps, charts, and graphs
- Critique and improve the clarity, precision, and information content of their own visualizations and those developed by others
- Use visualizations effectively to improve storytelling for diverse audiences in the development field
- Recognize the wide range of resources available for furthering their work on data visualization
- Produce a visualization that tells a data story, shows impact, and intended for a particular audience
Class meets: July 20th, 24th, 27th and 31st, 2023 from 7am - 9am MST.
Program Design
Nonprofits and nongovernmental organizations thrive through effective planning and execution of their mission-directed programs. The better the design, implementation, and evaluation, the better the attainment of the mission. The goal of this course is to explore strategic approaches in program design, implementation, and evaluation through research-based best practices.
Students will learn:
- Processes of needs assessment, data collection, and stakeholder participation and empowerment
- Systems’ approach and the logic model as strategies for program effectiveness
- Design a plan for program evaluation via class project
Class meets: October 9th and 12th, 2023 from 7am - 9am MST.