'A measurement tool to assess systematic reviews, version 2' (AMSTAR2) is a 16-item tool to critically appraise systematic reviews (SRs) of healthcare interventions. This study aimed to assess the methods and outcomes of AMSTAR2 appraisals in overviews of SRs of interventions for mental and behavioural disorders. The cross-sectional study was…

Evaluating teachers' professional development initiatives (PDI) is one of the main challenges for the teacher professionalisation field. Although different studies have focused on the effectiveness of PDI, the obtained effects and evaluative methods have been found to be widely divergent. By means of a narrative review, this study provides an…

Evidence strongly supports a positive, causal effect of physical activity on bone strength and suggests long-term benefits of childhood physical activity to the prevention of osteoporosis. The contribution of healthy bone development in youth is likely to be as important to fracture prevention as the amount of late adulthood bone loss. Families,…

Conceptual approaches employed in service utilization and multidimensional assessment research which have been used for planning and evaluating services to the aged are reviewed. Also examined are the conceptual properties of three widely used assessment instruments in order to assess their utility in providing a database for planning and…

Reports on the construction and application of an innovative technique, the School Apperception Story Procedure (SASP). In this task, children select three school-thematic pictures and tell how these show ideal and worst types of school. Evaluates the SASP with data collected from a study of perceptions of school among children with and without…

This article explores the utilization of qualitative methodologies in program evaluation, the rationale for using these approaches, and the potential qualitative applications within evaluation. It also describes the "scientific" and "artistic" qualitative methodologies, suggests practical qualitative application, and calls for…

Describes how consultants, working with school personnel, can use an action research approach to implement a program of value-driven needs assessment. Presentation is focused on a collaborative consultation model of program evaluation. A case example illustrates the collaborative development of instruments for assessing the effectiveness of a…

Streamlining involves the modification of cost-analysis methods to make them more appropriate for the limited time and resources, and immediate information needs, of local-level program evaluations. It can also enhance the reliability and validity of district-level studies. A review of existing texts of cost analysis and of studies of traditional…

In reacting to five recent books on program evaluation, eight evaluation perils are discussed: poor preparation of evaluations, programs with unrealistic goals, the mix-up of models, interpersonal conflicts, the morass of measurement, answering evaluation questions, the secondary evaluator as sniper, and hostility from program staff. (CM)

The use of performance evaluation and performance indicators in Finland is reviewed, and a study of Finnish researchers' perceptions and attitudes about them is discussed. Three conclusions emerged from the study: (1) departmental indicators should be developed; (2) publications are not a bad measure of performance; and (3) most scientists support…

This Support Document was produced by the authors based on their research for the report, "Assessing and Acknowledging Learning through Non-Accredited Community Adult Language, Literacy and Numeracy Programs," and is an added resource for further information. There were five phases of this project: Phase 1 comprised further interrogation…

A representative sample of studies drawn from the published program evaluation literature is examined. It is concluded that weak designs, low statistical power, ad hoc measurement, and neglect of treatment implementation and program theory characterize the state of the art in program evaluation. (Author/BS)

Discusses relative merits of various outdoor education research and evaluation methodologies and includes a list of available measurement instruments which are each keyed to one or more of the 126 entries in a seven-section bibliography. Approximately half of the entries have ERIC (Educational Resources Information Center) accession numbers. (AN)

Examines the growing body of demonstrations of performance of Black Studies programs and criticizes unattended measurement and conceptual confusions. Proposes quantitative and qualitative models for evaluation of programs. (Author/KH)

The unique conceptual framework and language of generalizability theory are presented. While this chapter is relevant to any area in which generalizability theory is applicable, it emphasizes evaluation research, and most examples come from that area. (Author/PN)