EIDM Tool Overview Page

The Introduction provides an overview of the EIPM course and establishes a conducive learning environment. Specifically, it enables learners and trainers to know each other. It also enables learners to appreciate the objectives of the training course, it’s rationale, and the course components. It further enables learners to get familiar with the training agenda and training materials, and the logistics, and set ground rules for the training. It also enables learners to share their expectations of the training course, and know the results of the pre-training test conducted prior to the start of the course.

Module 1 of the EIPM training course seeks to enable learners to gain an in-depth understanding of the public policy-making process. Specifically, the module builds knowledge and appreciation of the complexity of decision-making in public policy and programming, underscoring the fact that evidence has to compete with many factors to inform policy or program decisions. The module facilitates in-depth discussion of the wide range of actors and factors that influence public policy decisions and the facilitators and barriers to evidence use in these decisions. The module concludes with building learners skills in defining clear policy questions that require evidence.

Module 2 develops knowledge and skills in finding evidence for responding to policy questions or issues. Specifically, the module builds knowledge on the credible sources of evidence for decision-making in the health sector. It also builds skills in conducting effective and systematic searches for evidence and assessing evidence sources, as well as establishing and maintaining meaningful links with researchers.

Module 3 builds knowledge of how to assess the quality and rigor of research evidence and other information before deciding to use it. It provides a basic review of various research designs and methodologies and the kinds of evidence they produce, and a critical appraisal of the strength of research articles and bodies of evidence. It also provides guidance on how to assess the quality of non-scientific information.

Module 4 develops knowledge and skills in determining the usability of evidence for a specific context, and synthesizing a wide range of evidence for decision-making. Specifically, the module enables the discussion of specific factors to consider when making a decision to use particular evidence that may have been generated from a different context. The module then focuses on building skills in effective and systematic synthesis of a wide rage of evidence for decision-making. Of importance is that the module builds skills in developing policy briefs, which are important evidence products for informing policy decisions.

Module 5 builds understanding of the indicators of evidence use. It also builds skills in developing and implementing an effective communication strategy, which is important to enable the use of the policy briefs developed in Module 4.