This response to Slavin's article (2008) explores the issues of transparency, representation, and warranting of claims in Slavin's descriptions of the work of others and his suggestions for program evaluation syntheses. Through contrastive analyses between Slavin's representations of the program evaluation synthesis efforts of five organizations…

This article presents an interview with Eric Barela, a K-12 school district internal evaluator who conducted the Title I Best Practices study for the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD), Research and Planning Division (formerly known as the Program Evaluation and Research Branch). In this interview, the author focuses not only on the…

This article presents an interview with Michael Patton whose professional evolution has contributed to the way evaluation in the United States is understood and practiced today. Patton is an evaluation and organizational development consultant who spent 18 years at the University of Minnesota (1973-1991), including 5 years as the director of the…

The various arts and sciences that comprise the field of program evaluation are discussed. It is argued that emphasis on rigor and expressive content has left other aspects of evaluation unexplored. Educational evaluators need to consider what programs mean and how they contribute to understanding. (SLD)

Argues for the use of reflective program evaluation in the South African context as a dynamic agent of improved practice. Provides an overview of program evaluation and explores the reasons that make quantitative evaluation of limited value. Discusses the attempts that have been made to overcome the inadequacies of this kind of evaluation.…

Definitions of and approaches to naturalistic evaluation are discussed. The qualitative aspects of the discipline are reviewed; and use of naturalistic evaluation in descriptions, illustrations, explications, hypothesis testing, and assessment of public spending are defined. A new paradigm for naturalistic evaluation is proposed. (TJH)

Continuing the interchange of ideas about evaluation methodology, the authors argue the advisability of using the entire array of methods to produce useful and persuasive findings. There is, ultimately, a truth to be sought, but no one approach has a monopoly on finding it. (SLD)

Qualitative evaluation and quantitative evaluation are discussed, examining how the perspective of each can and should create a critical debate that encourages inquiry instead of hostility. To achieve the major goal of linking evaluation information to the organization's culture, the evaluator needs to use multiple methods in a responsive,…

Suggests using the paradigm of qualitative research, consistent with the bio-psycho-social perspective, rather than the "rule out" decision-tree method of diagnosis for training in geriatrics. Argues that this paradigm would provide clinicians with the broadest picture of the presented problem. (Author/ABB)

The evolution of the field of program evaluation is discussed, assuming that current major trends will continue, especially the trend toward theory-driven evaluation. Participating in planning without compromising evaluators' integrity will be an important and challenging task for the future. (SLD)

Evaluation of campus activities is essential if the programs are to be justified, credited, or improved. Formal qualitative evaluations can provide a wealth of information beyond what could be obtained from traditional quantitive approaches. (Author/MLW)

Various issues in determining the effectiveness of educational services for gifted students are considered in this chapter. First, the limitations of standardized instruments are identified. These include narrowness of assessment (usually only across traditional curricular areas), invalidity in assessing program goals (which may not correspond to…

The future of program evaluation is bright if evaluators do not ignore their roots in quantitative research. The current interest in qualitative approaches and the call for a "fourth generation" in evaluation should not override training in quantitative research. Qualitative research should complement, rather than replace, traditional…

This commentary on a previous article that demonstrates three ways of analyzing qualitative interview data (content, cultural models, and narrative analyses), discusses the need for greater articulation of the complexities of interpretation and a greater emphasis on verification procedures in early intervention qualitative research. (CR)

This article comments on a previous article that uses interviews from 250 Latino parents of children with mental retardation to demonstrate three ways of analyzing qualitative interview data (content, cultural models, and narrative analyses). It discusses the implementation of interventions that fit the cultural models of parents as a component of…