Department of Human Ecology

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

Teaching Topics (Extension Teaching): Needs assessment methods and processes, evaluation methods, process and methods, evaluation methods, survey development and design, outcomes measurement, impact assessment, mixed methods data analysis.

Research Interests: Needs assessments methods and processes, evaluation methods, survey development, international agricultural and development project evaluation.

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.

Teaching

Extension Trainings Offered

• Needs Assessment Processes and Methods: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hnMLQZCDL5w&list=PLEx-VC81zA3WOUEUp1vl5luYbH5SlG0Lc&index
• Methods for Measuring Program Outcomes: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WBtLOpieVFk&list=PLEx-VC81zA3WOUEUp1vl5luYbH5SlG0Lc
• Understanding the Terms Outputs, Outcomes and Impact in Extension Evaluation: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iWN3T8Yf620
• Best Practices for Developing Surveys & Basics of Sampling Methods: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=By-DBxV_A8o&list=PLEx-VC81zA3WOUEUp1vl5luYbH5SlG0Lc&index
• Methods to Analyze Surveys: Part 1 - Continuous Quantitative Data: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aJwK6PTqewg&list=PLEx-VC81zA3WOUEUp1vl5luYbH5SlG0Lc&index
• Methods to Analyze Surveys: Part 2 - Discrete Quantitative Data: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KIde1zvNVuU&list=PLEx-VC81zA3WOUEUp1vl5luYbH5SlG0Lc&index
• Methods to Analyze Surveys: Part 3 - Qualitative Data:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tdLeQsuvx6I&list=PLEx-VC81zA3WOUEUp1vl5luYbH5SlG0Lc&index 
• Writing Strong Impact Statements: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gMomPrNpqXU&list=PLEx-VC81zA3WOUEUp1vl5luYbH5SlG0Lc&index

Extension Trainings Organized

• Qualitative Data Analysis Using MaxQDA and NVivo Software: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4IqOLt9hH7k&feature=youtu.be
• Thinking Process from Needs Assessment to Program Completion: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9eAU0V6nXG0

Guest Lectures

• Role of evaluation specialists in the Cooperative Extension System in the United States: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pKl0Dmdhvcw

Selected Publications

• Chiarella, C., Lamoureaux, Y., Pires, A. F., Surls, R., Bennaton, R., Van Soelen Kim, J., Grady, S., Ramos, T. M., Koundinya, V., & DiCaprio, E. (2023). A preliminary assessment of food policy obstacles in California’s produce recovery networks. Agriculture and Human Values.

• Lu, J., Lemos, M. C., Koundinya, V., & Prokopy, L. S. (2022). Scaling up co-produced climate-driven decision support tools for agriculture. Nat Sustain.
• Kanter, J. A., Clark, N.; Lundy, M. E.; Koundinya, V.; Leinfelder-Miles, M.; Long, R.; Light, S. E.; Brim-DeForest, W.; Linquist, B. A.; Putnam, D. H.; Hutmacher, R. B.; & Pittelkow, C. M. (2021). Top management challenges and concerns for agronomic crop production in California: Identifying critical issues for extension through a needs assessment. Agronomy Journal.
• Rios, M., Hains, B., Koundinya, V., Abrams, C., & Stanard, V. (2021). Foundational knowledge and skills in community development: A comparison of educator perspectives. Journal of Planning Education and Research.
• Hains, K. D., Rios, M., Hains, B. J., Koundinya, V., Abrams, C., & Stanard, V (2021). An exploration of community development higher education in the United States: A programmatic study. Community Development Journal.
• Lu, J., Singh, A, Koundinya, V., Ranjan, P., Haigh, T., Getson, J., Klink, J., & Prokopy, L. (2021). Explaining the use of online agricultural decision support tools with weather or climate information in the Midwestern United States. Journal of Environmental Management.
• Koundinya, V., Klink, J., Skluzacek, J., Barrett, C., & Chiarella, C. (2020). Group mapping in a 4-H camp mixed-methods evaluation. Journal of Youth Development.
• Koundinya, V., Chiarella, C., Kocher, S., & Kearns, F. (2020). Disasters Happen: Identifying Disaster Management Needs of Cooperative Extension System Personnel. Journal of Extension.
• Koundinya, V. Evans, W., & Chiarella, C. (2020). Needs assessment processes, methods and examples. Peer-reviewed annotated bibliography. University of Nevada, Reno.
• 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)

• Srivastava, D., & Koundinya, V (2020). Role of community engagement in promoting healthy eating and physical activity environment in a preschool setting. Ignite session presented virtually at the annual conference of the National Extension Association of Family & Consumer Sciences.
• Srivastava, D., & Koundinya, V (2020). Role of community engagement in promoting healthy eating and physical activity environment in a preschool setting. Poster presented virtually at the annual conference of National Extension Association of Family & Consumer Sciences.
• Koundinya, V., Rao, A., Srivastava, D., & Chiarella, C. (2020). Strategies for addressing the unique challenges faced in conducting focus groups in extension. Published in the conference proceedings of the annual conference of the Association for International Agricultural and Extension Education. (The conference got cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic).
• 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.