The What Works Clearinghouse (WWC) evaluates research studies that look at the effectiveness of education programs, products, practices, and policies, which the WWC calls "interventions." Many studies of education interventions make claims about impacts on students' outcomes. Some studies have designs that enable readers to make causal…

The author provides a checklist of questions for directors of programs undergoing external evaluation, concerning the evaluation effort (purpose, focus, criteria, outcome) and the evaluators (selection, experience, approach, meta-evaluation). (SK)

Noting that program evaluators can profit by adopting the investigative journalist's goal of discovering hidden information, this guide explores the journalist's investigative process--without its element of suspicion--and discusses how components of this process can be applied to program evaluation. After listing the major characteristics of the…

This handbook was developed to provide managers working with the National Science Foundation (NSF) with a basic guide for the evaluation of NSF's educational programs. It is aimed at people who need to learn more about what evaluation can do and how to do an evaluation rather than those who already have a solid base of experience in the field.…

It is the purpose of this manual to present suggested steps and procedures for use by individual onsite evaluators or by the Utah State Office of Education or any other similar agency charged with responsibility for arranging or conducting onsite evaluations. Although many of the examples used in this manual are drawn from materials developed in…

The comprehensive model for evaluating nursing education programs is described in terms of what is evaluated; who conducts the evaluation; and why it is conducted. A structure for further action and decision making is also presented. (GDC)

As educators become increasingly subject to accountability pressures, maximizing the worth of evaluation is a prudent and realistic stance. This paper suggests useful and valid art program evaluation models: (1) Stufflebeam's (1971) CIPP (context, input, process, and product) model; (2) Stake's Countenance Model (responsive evaluation); (3)…

This paper addresses the question: What is proper conduct for an internal evaluator? Selected ethical issues are examined, and strategies for responding effectively are proposed. Issues examined are: (1) pressure to downplay negative and emphasize positive findings; (2) reinforcement for nonthreatening evaluation activities; (3) greater interest…

Described is a program for training M.A.-level evaluation researchers within an academic department. The topics covered are devising the curriculum, recruiting students, conducting internships, involving the community, and evaluating the program. (Author/RM)

Establishing evaluation objectives requires formal, frequent, and extensive interaction among program evaluators and administrators to obtain from administrators the information necessary to make the most effective choices in planning and carrying out evaluations. Three techniques are described that can be used to ensure that this interaction is…

The Visiting Team Guidelines for Evaluation of Pennsylvania School Districts was prepared as a companion document for the three Pennsylvania Educational Needs Assessment Self-Study Guides for elementary schools, middle/junior high schools, and secondary schools. The purpose of these guidelines is to assist personnel of the school district and…

This document contains the distance learning evaluator training program of the Distance Education and Training Council (DETC), which is intended for the following audiences: institutions considering or actually undergoing reaccreditation; new accrediting commission evaluators; and trained evaluators. The following are among the topics covered in…

All educational evaluations share common problems, perplexities, and political considerations. Logistic problems include incomplete definition of purpose, unclear timelines and personnel allocations, inadequate support services, and the lack of a program plan. Interpersonal dynamics and conflicts plus unwieldy committee structures are perplexities…

A well-planned and well-conducted evaluation can provide useful information to funding agencies, sponsoring institutions, instructors, and participants. Evaluating an instructional program, such as a workshop or institute, involves collecting, organizing, analyzing, and reporting data about several features of the program and its impact on the…

This paper suggests a strategy for the evaluation of programs designed for Native children enrolled in predominantly non-Native urban school districts. The strategy provides a means by which Native people can increase their involvement in, responsibility for, and control of the education of their children. The paper is divided into five sections.…