The dynamic and high-stakes nature of education and training requires reliance on evidence-based practices and policies to make decisions about technology adoption and implementation. In the report, "Science of Learning and Readiness (SoLaR) Recommendation Report: Science of Learning Practices for Distributed Online Environments"…

We are all part of different communities of practice (Wenger, 1998) that impact who it is possible for us to be and become. Through the process of self-study described in this paper, we seek to understand our personal experiences within a particular teacher education program, but also offer insight into the social and political complexities of…

Data-driven planning or evidence-based decision making represents nothing new in its concept. For years, business leaders have claimed they have implemented planning informed by data that have been strategically and systematically gathered. Within higher education and student affairs, there may be less evidence of the actual practice of…

Effective, efficient, and sustainable ID/DD organizations: are they possible in today's world of dwindling resources and mounting demands for more and better services? Yes--with the practical tools and strategies in this lifeline for ID/DD leaders. Developed by two of the most trusted authorities in the disability field, this innovative business…

Learning analytics offers higher education valuable insights that can inform strategic decision-making regarding resource allocation for educational excellence. Research demonstrates that learning management systems (LMSs) can increase student sense of community, support learning communities and enhance student engagement and success, and LMSs…

Evaluation models imply or assume theories of organization, behavior, and decision-making. Seldom does an evaluation model specify these assumptions. As a result, program evaluators often choose mechanistic models and their resultant information is either inadequate or inappropriate for most of the client's purposes. The Ontological Evaluation…

Evaluated the process and consequences of recentralizing services by surveying staff (N=24) and clients (N=15) of a community mental health clinic. Analyzes the planning, decision-making, implication, and effects of the change and illustrates the complexity of the adiministrator's role in restructuring services. (Author/JAC)

The study focuses on the survey Feedback--Problem Solving--Collective Decision intervention, a structural/task-oriented approach to planned organizational change. The objective of this research program is to further refine an organizational development approach which provides schools with a structure consistent with the environment of educational…

Suggests that successful evaluation projects for training programs focus on management decisions. Provides a checklist of concerns that deal with the effectiveness, efficiency, and relevance of the program. Discusses the selection of the data level and decision-making criteria. (CSS)

The contemporary context and some recent trends affecting college program reviews or evaluations, current options in purposes and practices, and impacts on programs and institutions are discussed. It is recommended that the process be viewed as a contribution to the general knowledge base for campus constituencies rather than as "right answers"…

The purpose of this study was to learn about some of the substantive differences between Head Start and day care programs by identifying Head Start programs that had initiated day care services and then comparing similarities and differences before and after transition. The research strategy involved two phases: (1) identifying the national trend…

A Peace Corps evaluator describes ways of improving utilization of evaluation results. Focus is on structural/organizational changes to facilitate knowledge and researcher use. Methods for use within and outside agencies; agency decision makers as end users; and the importance of context, as opposed to philosophy or methodology, are discussed.…

The philosophy and assumptions of the Multi-Attribute Utility-Bayesian Decision Theoretic model (MAUT-Bayesian model) are presented. The evaluator uses the MAUT-Bayesian model along with the knowledge of the decision-maker's, and perhaps the evaluator's own values to decide what data should be collected. Appropriate data are presented to the…

Modern organization theory and research from business and industry predicts that schools which change toward the Likert participative group organizations will increase productivity. This paper reports interventions of a one-year organization development program carried out with 12 schools and the change results measured by the Profile of a School.…

Based in part on interviews conducted in 32 municipalities, this paper is intended to provide information to public managers, policy analysts, and others on methods for improving the management of retrenchment. A model summarizes how public organizations recognize and attempt to manage financial crises and prolonged financial stress. Some cutback…