Our understanding of programs is enhanced when trained, skilled, and observant evaluators go "into the field"--the real world where programs are conducted--paying attention to what's going on, systematically documenting what they see, and reporting what they learn. The article opens by presenting and illustrating twelve reasons for…

The author describes the steps typically completed in the process of applying for institutional accreditation. These steps are (1) application, (2) self-evaluation report, (3) team visit, (4) team summary report, (5) commission action, and (6) appeals panel. (CH)

The Service Delivery Assessment (SDA) model is a human services evaluation tool which offers a viable alternative to more traditional approaches and is appropriate for small local evaluations as well as large national studies. There are five phases to an SDA study: assignment, pre-assessment, design, analysis, and communication of the findings.…

The first of two articles about the accreditation of library and information science schools discusses current expectations and the emphasis on outcomes assessment. The second article provides advice on preparing for and managing a site visit by the American Library Association (ALA) Committee on Accreditation (COA) team. (seven references) (NRP)

Demonstration programs and social experiments are often subject to sophisticated, controlled evaluations. An important factor that is not subject to control, and sometimes even goes unobserved, is overall program site quality. Site quality can be observed in process evaluations, but these tend to be expensive. This paper describes an alternative…

Describes the first phase of an effective schools project in six urban elementary schools. Provides monthly reports on the first year of this multiyear effort that has focused on familiarizing school personnel with the literature on school improvement and encouraging them to put it into practice. (RDN)

The Satellite Technology Demonstration (STD) represented a cooperative and complex effort involving federal, regional, state and local interests and demonstrated the feasibility of media distribution by communication satellite of social services for rural audiences. As part of a comprehensive evaluation plan, the summative data base was augmented…

In an attempt to promote optimal planning and improvement of local vocational programs as well as to be accountable for the distribution of vocational funds, the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction, Bureau of Vocational Education, has, since 1976, sponsored the development of a statewide secondary vocational education program evaluation…