Publications and Resources

Here are publications and resources that illustrate InSites' orientation and approach to evaluation, planning, and related professional development. They are grouped into materials produced in 2012, 2009-2010 and those prepared prior to 2009.

Over the years, InSites has produced numerous evaluation and planning reports and other documents for specific clients. Some of these are available upon request.

Resource Materials from 2012

Systems Thinking in Evaluation Workshop (7/17/12)

In this workshop ways to apply systems thinking to evaluation were explored. After addressing a basic understanding of systems, the focus was on different types of human system dynamics—random (unorganized), simple and complicated (organized), and complex adaptive (self-organizing) system dynamics. MORE...

Resources Materials from 2009 and 2010

Two sets of resources from 2009 and 2010 are available:

Tools and Resources for Conducting Evaluations in Complex Systems

The evaluation of complex systems interventions is a major focus of InSites’ work. As we develop tools and resources that we find useful, we are sharing them through this location with others engaged in similar work. MORE...

2010 American Evaluation Association Presentation Materials

Members of the InSites group made presentations and led professional development workshops at the American Evaluation Association annual meeting in San Antonio, TX November 10-13, 2010. Materials from their sessions are available. MORE...

2009 American Evaluation Association Workshop: Evaluating Complex System Interventions

Beverly Parsons from InSites and Meg Hargreaves of Mathematica Policy Research, Inc. conducted a one day workshop November 11, 2009 at the American Evaluation Association annual meeting in Orlando, FL. MORE...

2008 American Evaluation Association Presentations

Members of the InSites group made presentations and led professional development workshops at the American Evaluation Association annual meeting in Denver November 4-8, 2008. Materials from their sessions are available. MORE...

Resource Materials Prepared Prior to 2008

The resource materials prior to 2008 span a ten-year period. They show a range of resources that vary in the nature of their orientation to evaluation.

Books

Articles

The W. K. Kellogg Foundation

Beverly Parsons of InSites served as the primary author for a 2007 publication of the W. K. Kellogg Foundation entitled Designing initiative evaluation: A systems-oriented framework for evaluating social change efforts.

The Danforth Foundation

Under Dr. Parsons' leadership, InSites was part of the development team for several reports for the Danforth Foundation, a St. Louis-based philanthropic foundation.

The Policymakers' Program: The First Five Years, Vol. 1 - Strategies for Improving the Well-being of Children and Families (PDF download)

The Policymakers' Program: The First Five Years, Vol. 2 (Implementation Tools) - Strategies for Improving the Well-being of Children and Families (PDF download)

Positive Results for Children, Youth, and Families: A 10-Year Initiative in State/Local Collaboration that Brings Together Education and Human Services (PDF download)

The following were prepared by Beverly Parsons for the Danforth Foundation.

Analysis of State-Level System Change in Education and Human Services (PDF download)

Using a Systems Change Approach to Building Communities (PDF download)

Over its history, the Danforth Foundation has awarded more than 4,700 grants valued at more than $1.2 billion. It began in 1927 with a concentration on education on a national scale, sharpening its focus specifically on plant and life sciences, neighborhood redevelopment and downtown revitalization in St. Louis in 1997. The Foundation dissolved in 2011.