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AEA eStudy Webinar: Causal Loop Diagrams for Conceptualization, Explanation, and Presentation

  • 25 Feb 2013
  • 3:00 PM
  • 04 Mar 2013
  • 4:30 PM
  • Online
eStudy 026: Causal Loop Diagrams for Conceptualization, Explanation, and Presentation - Jeff Wasbes
Dates:
Mondays February 25 & March 4, 3:00 PM to 4:30 PM Eastern Time
Length: 3 total contact hours
Description: Evaluators use systems thinking and systems-based tools to conceptualize the connections between social processes (or a chain of events) and the structure of a social system. Evaluators can then reason about how the structure of the system causes the observed behavior by illustrating potentially powerful feedback loops that may give rise to unintended outcomes. This keen understanding often leads to richer questions about problems and deeper insight into the mechanics of programs and policies. Causal loop diagrams (CLDs) are useful tools for conceptualizing, illustrating, and communicating about the structure of a complex system and about the interactions between the components that comprise the system. Clarifying difficult conceptual issues about program and policy design can help evaluators anticipate (but not predict) desirable and undesirable unintended outcomes.

This eStudy will occur in two 90-minute sessions and will include preparation materials sent before, between, and after the sessions. Prior to the first session, participants will read introductory material that describes basic CLD notation, how to interpret it, and some basic problems with CLDs.

During session 1 participants will gain further insight into conceptualizing a complex problem and using LCD notation to illustrate and communicate about the problem.

Between sessions, participants will develop a causal loop diagram about a problem before sharing their work products during the second session.

Session 2 will extend the CLD notation and introduce the concepts of accumulation, stock and flow, and using CLDs to begin to develop quantitative systems models.

Presenter: Jeff Wasbes has spent the past seven years as a systems analyst and evaluator in K-12 education, applying systems principles and tools developed in the systems tradition (including causal loop diagramming) to clarify complex structures and communicate their links to observed processes and events. His current work with the SUNY Charter Schools Institute focuses on school evaluation and accountability. He has presented on this topic at EEN’s 2010 conference, AEA’s 2011 and 2012 annual conferences, and in a Coffee Break webinar.
Register: https://www.eval.org/webinar_reg/Registrationtop.asp
Last day to register is Monday February 18


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