Assessing Engagement in a Community of Practice

Last updated on 2025-09-26 | Edit this page

Overview

Questions

  • How might you assess community engagement?
  • How is this different from assessing other outreach or event practices?
  • Which stakeholders need to know about the program’s performance?

Objectives

  • Review common assessment methods
  • Select methods for evaluating engagement strategies
  • Choose methods for evaluating the overall program

Sample Program: Symposium or Conference

Callout

Case Study: Symposium

A community of practice hosted a participant-driven symposium with sessions on open access publishing, open data, open science, and open education. The event featured invited speakers, in-person attendance, and online streaming.

How engagement was assessed: attendance counts, surveys, and observations.

What worked well:
- Virtual and hybrid options increased access
- In-person attendees were engaged
- Programming was well received
- Team collaboration during planning

Areas to improve:
- Clearer communication, especially for proposals
- Stronger promotion
- Many registrations but lower in-person turnout
- More cross-department collaboration
- Targeted promotion to centers and institutes

Sample Program: Training

Callout

Case Study: Training Program

A community of practice hosted a training program to prepare researchers for new policy requirements. The sessions provided hands-on support with data management, data sharing, and related research materials.

How engagement was assessed: pre- and post-tests, surveys, and participant testimonials.

What participants reported:
- Increased confidence in open access publishing and data management
- Moderate gains in knowledge of grant compliance resources
- Strong confidence in finding public access and data sharing resources at their home institution (FSU)
- Some confidence in finding resources at external institutions
- Most respondents said the training probably prepared them for upcoming public access requirements

Assessment Methods

Explore these articles for strategies and ideas:

Discussion

Exercise: Create 1–3 Assessments

Individually or in small groups, design one to three ways to assess engagement in your program.

  • List the assessment method(s) you selected
  • Note which program or strategies you would evaluate
  • Identify which stakeholders should receive the results

Afterward, share your ideas with the group or on a shared board.

Discussion

Think–Pair–Share

  • Does your program address the needs you identified?
  • Can the hosting team effectively facilitate discussions or training?
  • How can you help community members build confidence with open science topics?
Key Points
  • Use different methods to measure engagement.
  • Assess goals before, during, and after programs.
  • Apply feedback to strengthen the community of practice.