This article describes three challenges encountered during a developmental evaluation and explains how these were addressed from the evaluators' perspective. The evaluation was conducted to support the implementation of a three-year educational technology leadership project funded by the Alberta provincial government. The developmental evaluation…

Since 2003, the Essential Skills Series training program developed by the Canadian Evaluation Society has been offered to more than 15 groups in the province of Quebec. The evaluations of these workshops were based on the participants' reactions collected by a Participant Feedback Questionnaire. This article describes the process used to assess…

An evaluability assessment (EA) of the 55 Alive program, a national older driver refresher course aimed at improving driving skills, was conducted. This EA adds to the evaluation literature as previous outcome evaluations neglected to explore whether this program was prepared for such assessments. A mixed-method protocol was executed across three…

In the domain of school-based tobacco control, there is a large gap between the research being performed and the type of research needed to inform school-based prevention activities. The tobacco module of the school health action planning and evaluation system is a data collection and feedback system designed to support school-based tobacco…

While we may all agree in principle that both implementers and evaluators should be culturally sensitive and ethical as well as instrumentally effective in their work practices, we often ignore the extent to which these practice goals may conflict with one another in achieving bureaucratic competence, particularly in a multicultural society.…

Given today's climate of economic uncertainty and fiscal restraint, organizations providing child and youth mental health services are required to do so with limited resources. Within this context, service providers face added pressure to deliver evidence-based programs and demonstrate program effectiveness. The Ontario Centre of Excellence for…

Describes the tasks undertaken in the cycle of evaluation of housing programs by the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation prior to 1997 and analyzes the major evaluation projects in terms of the similarity of constituent tasks. Introduces combinatorial methods and new research applications. (SLD)

With a focus on the use of technology when evaluating programs for Aboriginal people, this article explores the possibility of using visual and oral computer technology to enhance the incorporation of Aboriginal worldviews in program evaluation. The author situates Aboriginal worldviews, including methods of communication and transmission of…

Uses the psychological lens of motivation to make the case that mandated evaluation requirements can serve as the impetus for accountability to become synonymous with organizational improvement. Illustrates the discussion with examples from the Manitoba (Canada) School Improvement Program. (SLD)

Explored the state of evaluation practice, including monitoring, in planning departments in 14 municipalities of regional scale and style in Ontario, Canada. Compared applications of evaluation in planning practice with generic evaluation practice and identified critical determinants of success through qualitative research methods. (SLD)

The Canadian Evaluation Society explored the benefits that can be attributed to program evaluation, the outputs necessary to achieve those benefits, and the knowledge and skills needed to produce outputs. Findings, which articulate benefits, outputs, and skills, can be used by evaluation organizations to support advocacy and professional…

Examined the Kirkpatrick evaluation framework (D. Kirkpatrick, 1959) through a case study of a national leadership development program, the Canadian Agriculture Lifetime Leadership Program. Draws conclusions about using the Kirkpatrick framework to evaluate noncredit educational programs, and shows how the framework enabled productive formative…

Reviewed summative evaluations of public training programs in Canada, focusing on methodology and the future prospects for evaluation in Canada. Findings show that the evaluation of training programs is a complex exercise that requires a careful research strategy, including carefully designed data collection. Future evaluations may need to focus…

Examined evaluation challenges facing the National Child Benefit (NCB) program in Canada. Reviewed the Social Union Framework agreement focusing on the development of the NCB. Findings show the complexity of programs like the NCB. Detecting changes in the program and assisting interpretation of these changes will require detailed administrative…

Introduces the special section on the Student Paper Contest and the Case Competition sponsored by the Canadian Evaluation Society to foster the development of evaluators. The articles are written by former participants and include reflections on the value of the competition for evaluator development. (SLD)