Community Development Graduate Group

Faculty Affiliate:  Community Development Graduate Group, International Agricultural Development Graduate Group, and Center for Regional Change 

Research Interests: Program evaluation, needs assessments, outcomes measurement, impact assessment, international agricultural and development project evaluation.

Teaching Topics (Extension Teaching): Needs Assessment Processes and Methods, Methods for Measuring Program Outcomes, Survey Development and Design, Basics of Mixed Methods Data Analysis.

Biography:  I conduct research to inform the evaluation practice of ANR colleagues and relevant stakeholders, and work with them to build their evaluation capacity. Prior to joining UC Davis, I served as an Evaluation Specialist at the Environmental Resources Center of University of Wisconsin (UW)-Extension, where I worked with extension educators and project partners to plan, develop and implement evaluation of agricultural, conservation and environmental programs. Before joining UW-Extension, I worked as a Postdoc at the University of Connecticut and Iowa State University, supporting the evaluation of agricultural, extension and economic development programs. I have a bachelor’s degree in Agriculture from A.N.G.R. Agricultural University in India, and a master’s and doctoral degrees in Agricultural and Extension Education from A.N.G.R. Agricultural University and Iowa State University, respectively.

Selected Publications

• Bakken, L. L. & Koundinya, V. (2018). Analyzing and Interpreting Quantitative Data. In Bakken, L. L., Evaluation practice for collaborative growth: A guide to program evaluation with stakeholders and communities. New York, NY: Oxford University Press.
• Haigh, T., Koundinya, V., Hart, C., Klink, J., Lemos, M., Mase, A., Prokopy, L., Singh, A., Todey, D., & Wildham, M (2018). Provision of Climate Services for Agriculture: Public and Private Pathways to Farm Decision-making. Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society.
• Koundinya, V., Baird, A., Klink, J., Lois, W., Frankenberger, J., Bonnell, J., & Power, R. (2018).  Core competencies for successful watershed management work. Journal of Extension, 55(1), 1RIB1.
• Koundinya, V. (2017). How to present individual change with Before (Pre) - and After (Post)- survey data? Quick Tips 38. Program Development and Evaluation Website, University of Wisconsin-Extension.
• Koundinya, V., Klink, J., & Widhalm, M (2017). Usertesting.com: A tool for usability testing of online resources. Journal of Extension, 55(3), 3TOT2.
• Klink, J., Koundinya, V., Kies, K., Robinson, C., Rao, A., Berezowitz, C., Widhalm, M., & Prokopy, L. (2017). Enhancing interdisciplinary climate change work through comprehensive evaluation. Climate Risk Management, 15, 109-125. doi: 10.1016/j.crm.2016.11.003.
• Koundinya, V., Klink, J., Deming, P., Meyers, A., & Erb, K (2016). How do format and timing of follow-up surveys affect evaluation success? Journal of Extension, 54(1), 1RIB1.
• Ghimire, N., Koundinya, V., & Holz-Clause, M. (2014). Government run vs. University managed agricultural extension: A review of Nepal, India, and the United States. Asian Journal of Agricultural Extension, Economics & Sociology, 3(5), 461-472.
• Koundinya, V., & Martin, R. (2013). In-Service needs for educational processes skill training of U.S. food safety extension educators. International Journal of Scientific Research in Education, 6(2), 117-127.
• Dollisso, A., & Koundinya, V. (2011). An integrated framework for assessing oral presentations using peer, self, and instructor assessment strategies. NACTA Journal, 55(4), 39-44.
• Koundinya, V., & Martin, R. A. (2010). Food safety inservice educational needs of agriculture teachers. Journal of Agricultural Education, 51(4), 82-91.

Outreach (Selected Abstract and Poster Presentations)

• Koundinya, V., Lobo, R., Gonzales, R., & Xu, W. (2019). Designing agricultural extension programs based on growers’ needs assessment data. Presented at the Annual Conference of the Association for International Agricultural and Extension Education, Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago.
• Koundinya, V., Chen, W. T., & Kearney, E. (2018). Evaluation of a youth environmental education program using mixed methods design. Presented at National Association of Extension Program and Staff Development Professionals (NAEPSDP) Conference, Alexandria, VA.
• Ghimire, N., Koundinya, V., Jayaratne, K. S. U., Benge, M., Kelly, M. R., O’Neill, M. P., & Varner, D. (2018). A critical analysis of the evaluation capacity building in the cooperative extension system: needs, issues, and practical solutions. Presented at National Association of Extension Program and Staff Development Professionals (NAEPSDP) Conference, Alexandria, VA.
• Koundinya, V., Chen, F., Erb, K., & Kepka, J. (2018). Comprehensive evaluation of a wetlands conservation training program using mixed-methods design. Presented at the 32nd Annual Conference of the American Evaluation Association, Cleveland, OH.
• Koundinya, V., & Rao, A. (2018). Addressing the unique challenges of conducting focus groups in Extension. To be presented at the 32nd Annual Conference of the American Evaluation Association, Cleveland, OH.
• Koundinya, V., Chen, F., Livingston, P., Erb, K., & Kepka, J. (2018). How does the use of a smartphone-based technology in teaching influence learning outcomes? North American Colleges and Teachers of Agriculture (NACTA) Conference, Iowa State University, Ames, IA.
• Koundinya, V., Rao, A., & Kepka, J. (2017). Using rubrics to make evaluative judgements about the outcomes and impact of Extension programs. The National Association of Extension Program and Staff Development Professionals (NAEPSDP) Conference, Las Vegas, NV.
• Koundinya, V., Rao, A., Klink, J., Pratsch, S., Exo, J., & Cook, C. (2017). Metaevaluation of a natural resources education program’s evaluation design. The American Evaluation Association Conference, Washington, DC.
• Koundinya, V., Compton, P., & Rao, A., (2017). Participatory evaluation of a volunteer stream monitoring program. The National ESP Conference, Wilmington, NC.
• Koundinya, V., Erb, K., Kepka. J., & Adams, A. (2017). Improving a wetlands conservation training program using program evaluation. The Association for International Agricultural and Extension Education Conference, Minneapolis, MN.
• Koundinya, V., Berezowitz, C., & Klink, J. (2016). An innovative qualitative evaluation method to assess student learning.  The American Evaluation Association Conference, Atlanta, GA.
• Koundinya, V., Robinson, C., Rao, A., & Klink, J. (2016). Utilizing online technology tools (UserTesting.com, Google Analytics, ArcGIS Online and Smartsheet) to support evaluation. The American Evaluation Association Conference, Atlanta, GA.
• Koundinya, V., Klink. J., & Adams, B. (2015). Three ways to evaluate online courses using student data. The American Evaluation Association Conference, Chicago, IL.
• Koundinya, V., Klink. J., & McKinney, E. (2015). How to increase the chance that your stakeholders will care about evaluation data. The American Evaluation Association Conference, Chicago, IL.