Presented by members of a NCRCRD Small Grant-funded Think Tank Evaluating Impacts of Community Leadership Programs

Ken Pigg, University of Missouri

Scott Chazdon, University of Minnesota

Lena Etuk, Oregon State University

LEARNING FROM COMMUNITY LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT EDUCATION (CLDE): CHALLENGES FOR EDUCATORS

Thanks to participants of the NCRCRD Impacts of Community Leadership Development Think Tank

•Mary Emery, South Dakota State University•Scott Chazdon, University of Minnesota•Steven Deller, University of Wisconsin• Lena Etuk, Oregon State University•Stephen Gasteyer, Michigan State University•Ken Martin, Ohio State University•Deborah Meehan, Leadership Learning Community•Dan Otto, Iowa State University•Ken Pigg, University of Missouri•Claire Reinelt, Leadership Learning Community•Milan Wall, Heartland Center for Leadership Development

Objectives of Webinar

•Review what we have learned from recently completed research/evaluation of community leadership development programs

•Learning presented in form of five challenges to present practice

•Discussion of challenges raised

Community Effects of Community Leadership Development Education

•Research design

•Participant survey

•Civic engagement/social cohesion

•Community effects

•Organizational effects

•Time on task

Community Leadership Evaluation in Minnesota

Leadership competencies– Leadership competencies (retro pre-post)– Organizational affiliation data (pre-post)

Phase 1

Phase 2

Phase 3

Ford Institute Leadership Program

•Oregon-based rural community effort

•Theory of change

•Evaluation of:

• Individual outcomes•Network outcomes•Community outcomes

Challenge #1:Leadership Development for What?

Challenges:

Leader Development or Leadership Development

Leadership for what: Civic Engagement or Capacity Building or Resolving Specific issue or Community Development

Challenge #2: Who Participates?

Diversity of ideas – we often use skin color, gender, etc. as indicators

Recruitment challenges

Integration issues

Demographics don’t affect individual level outcomes

Challenge #3:How to Design the Process?

How to cultivate an “acceptable state of disequilibrium”

Projects – maximizing the effect

Active Learning/experiential learning/anticipatory learning

Relationship building

Challenge #4:What Should We Teach?

3 Principles for curriculum development: Direction, alignment, & commitment

Navigating the three levels of content: skills for facilitation, communication/ collaboration, systems thinking

Civic education

Challenge #5:How Do We Know If It’s Working?

Formative vs. Summative Approaches

Community Capitals Framework

Identifying best sources of data

Constructing moveable dials

Next Steps for Educators and Researchers

Critically examine existing CLDE program purpose/theory of change and learning strategies

Design new evaluation approaches to address challenges

Create research efforts to support program learning and accountability

Discussion

•Challenge #1: Leadership Development for What?•Challenge #2: Who Participates?•Challenge #3: How to Design the Process?•Challenge #4: What Should We Teach?•Challenge #5: How Do We Know If It’s Working?