The Usefulness of Logic Model Paper Process for Family Life Education Program

Logic Model
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Logic Model
Introduction
A Logic Model is a plan that shows the relationship among sources, activities, outputs, outcomes, and impact of a program. It is an essential planning and evaluation tool used in health and human services programs in the public and private sectors. The logic explains a planned action and its expected results. The Model provides a strategic means to review and improve thinking critically. It gives a clear map road to a specific end and offers an opportunity to review the strength of connections between activities and outcomes. The logic Model entails program planning, implementation, and evaluation of the outcomes.
Main Stages of Logic Model
The Logic Model starts with the identification of what needs to be accomplished. The first stage entails collecting relevant information from various sources to formulate a theoretical model. A leader or a facilitator should critically analyze the options presented. They question the group and the opportunities presented based on deductive reasoning (MacPhee, 2009). Any additional information from focus groups or surveys adds to the model testing and validation.
Inputs are essential in the logic model. It entails the availability of resources to execute the presented plan. One should understand the available resources and an organization's capacity for logic model formulation and implementation (MacPhee, 2009). Adequate funds, materials, and workforce dramatically assist in determining who should be the core group involved in its development.
Engaging many perspectives is key to the development of a sound logic model. Once a person identifies who they want to involve, they should also know how best to engage them for successful implementation (Gervais, 2015). Various approaches that include workshops and facilitated sessions, discussions, and interviews have been used to determine logic model development. Additionally, products of activities carried out should be considered in the logic model.
Implementation and evaluation of outcomes is the last stage of the logic model. Output illustrates the successfulness of a plan and the utilization of resources. Outcomes are grouped into short-term outcomes, intermediate outcomes, and long-term outcomes. Short-term outcomes are immediate impacts usually occurs within a week to a month (Gervais, 2015). Intermediate outcomes are the intended effects seen over months to years, whereas long-term impacts are felt over decades.
Logic Model and its Usefulness in Developing Program theory for a Father Support Program
Literature describing men's experience of becoming a father and the challenges of fatherhood has tremendously grown. Research portrays that fathers often experience difficulties with health and social services interactions and dissatisfaction with those services (Gervais et al., 2015). Equipping practitioners working with families to develop program theory for a father support program using a logic model would be of great assistance.
The lack of a program theory makes it difficult for one to assess the effectiveness of a program due to uncertainty on the appropriateness of the proposed interventions in solving the target problem or achieving the desired goals (Gevais et al., 2015). The absence of a program theory may lead to evaluators focusing on the outcomes only and failing to recognize the potential impacts of the intervention. Additionally, the lack of the theory makes it hard to explain the results and feedback of a program and thus limiting the formulation recommendation potential to stakeholders.
How the Model can Help My Program Become Increasingly Reflexive About Its History, Current Practices, and Goals
There is a close link between program theory and logic models since many organizations want their interventions or programs evaluated. Program theory is a valuable tool for reaching an agreement on a program evaluation process, results in assessment, and identification of unexpected impacts in conjunction with explaining results and giving early effectiveness indicators (Gervais, 2015). Most authors use a logic model to structure or identify a program theory; thus, the components of a logic model encompass the significant program groups theory. Additionally, creating a logic model has been extensi...