Community Research and Program Evaluation Instructor
UC San Diego Extension’s Center for Research and Evaluation seeks applicants to be instructors in the area of Community Research and Program Evaluation.  The specialized certificate in Community Research and Program Evaluation at the University of California, San Diego Extension offers an overview of data sources and methods and fundamentals for evaluating programs and services in school, health, government, nonprofit agencies, social service agencies, state departments, consulting firms, and businesses. The program allows working professionals from a variety of disciplines to develop baseline training in program evaluation, data collection, and community research. Our course environment encourages inquiry-based learning as a central feature of the training approach. Students, will link scholarship to practice through case studies, problem-solving exercises, as well as a capstone project. The Community Research and Program Evaluation Certificate will provide students with an expanded toolkit to assess various research methodologies, ask essential questions for program evaluation, access community data, and perform descriptive analysis to make a difference within their organization.

Current courses include:

Principles of Program Evaluation: Theory, Research, and Practice
Provides an overview of the principles of evaluating programs. This course covers the theory of qualitative and quantitative research methods, the principles of monitoring and evaluating programs over time, communication strategies, data visualization, and the limitations of data. Additionally, this course will dive into the types of data that exist and are possible for program evaluations.

Community Data Sources
This course teaches students how to access and analyze existing datasets at a community level. Data sources will include information on demographic, education statistics, workforce, environment, crime, and other community data. Students will learn how to clean data, filter for relevant information, and principles of tracking data over time.

Mixed Methods Research
The course provides basic applied quantitative and qualitative research techniques used for evaluating programs. Students will learn how to design surveys, conduct focus groups, develop case studies, create psychographics, and interviewing techniques. This course will also address the ethics of research.

Capstone
Students will work with an organization to develop and execute an evaluation under the supervision of one or more faculty members.

Additionally, we welcome topics suggested by the applicant that may not already be available to students through our current certificate offerings.


Specific Duties
Instructors should have extensive knowledge and skills in the methodology and application of research and evaluation in multiple industries. Specific duties include in-class, or online, instruction to participants who want to enhance their jobs, or who want to enter the field. Instructors should be able to teach detailed information in a creative and engaging manner to a large number of participants who are adult learners, while providing a perspective on how that knowledge is applied in the industry.
Additional specific duties include:

• Provide excellent instruction demonstrating well-honed adult training techniques;
• Carefully and continually enhance course curriculum in consultation with the Department Director, Program Representative and Advisory Committee, and associated course evaluations;
• Follow all procedures, including the completion of all instructor and student pre- and post-course paperwork;

 
Minimum Qualifications

• Masters or Ph.D. degree in a research field or at least 5 years professional experience.
• Highly effective oral and written communication skills, to convey conceptual and complex ideas and information.
• Highly effective interpersonal skills to engage and inspire students, and to work with others at all educational and professional levels.
• Ability to effectively convey thoughts and concepts.
• Up-to-date knowledge of and demonstrated proficiency in subject area.
• Skilled in developing and revising course content.
• Proficient in learning and using online teaching tools.