Objective: The authors examined outcomes of a graduate course on evaluating social work practice that required students to use published research, quantitative measures, and single-system designs in a simulated practice evaluation project. Method: Practice evaluation projects from a typical class were analyzed for the number of research references…

Honours research projects in the School of Civil, Environmental and Mining Engineering at the University of Adelaide are run with small groups of students working with an academic supervisor in a chosen area for one year. The research project is mainly self-directed study, which makes it very difficult to fairly assess the contribution of…

The United Nations (UN) proclaimed the years 2005 to 2014 the World Decade on Education for Sustainable Development (ESD). As a follow up on the World Decade, the UN launched a Global Action Programme (GAP) that is designed to set the framework for international activities on ESD. The GAP focuses on five priority areas that are of high relevance…

This paper examines three ways in which attempts at program evaluation are most often thwarted. The first, fingerpointing, may be either positive or negative. It may be positive by pointing to the individual who is "doing a good job considering--", it may be threatening by expecting too much of any one individual (e.g. "Evaluation should be made…

A method for evaluating research using both quantitative and qualitative analysis is presented. It is proposed as useful for a variety of evaluation needs including large-scale projects, acquisition of expensive equipment, and nomination of scientists to important positions. It is seen as especially useful for evaluation in small entities. (MSE)

The model allows for the determination of the severity of the training problems, thus leading naturally to problem priority and in addition a basis for evaluation design. Results from the use of the model, in an operational setting, are presented. (Author)

System Development Corporation conducted an extensive project for compensatory educational intervention for older disadvantaged youth in secondary and postsecondary education. Two intervention strategies were developed, and this report discusses the design of a longitudinal study to evaluate the effects of models growing out of those…

This article reports an empirical investigation of client perceptions and attitudes toward a comprehensive rehabilitation center for the physically and mentally handicapped. Client attitudes toward the staff, the treatment program, and the institution were analyzed in terms of their relationship to individual background characteristics. (Author)

The materials covered in this report are excerpts from a Final Evaluation Report of a project sponsored by USOE entitled "Articulation of Occupational Orientation, Education, and Placement in Private and Public Elementary, Secondary, and Post-Secondary Schools. The writer was the third party evaluation team Director. Major objectives of the…

Attempted to develop comprehensive criteria to measure social adjustment of parolees who had participated in a work-training release program, using a small sample of women parolees. This program seemed rather successful in terms of return to prison, but data left a number of questions unanswered about measures of recidivism. (Author)

Program theory-driven evaluation science uses substantive knowledge, as opposed to method proclivities, to guide program evaluations. It aspires to update, clarify, simplify, and make more accessible the evolving theory of evaluation practice commonly referred to as theory-driven or theory-based evaluation. The evaluator in this chapter provides a…

This study was conducted to meet the accountability issue for one graduate training program. The program was investigated in three different areas of outcome: 1) general background information on the graduates, 2) their satisfaction with their training and current employment, and 3) supervisors' reports on satisfactoriness of the graduates'…

This study, commissioned by the New York Board of Regents, concerns the evaluation of doctoral programs. Part one discusses critical problems in the assessment of excellence. Part two reviews a catalog of criteria and assessment techniques. Emphasis is placed on reputational studies, objective indicators of excellence, efficiency as an index of…

The chemistry and chemical engineering department's experiences with an institution-wide research evaluation process is discussed, focusing on the departmental input into the process, the estimation of research activity and productivity, and the evaluation of the research's relevance to teaching, international research, and society. (MSE)

A study initiated in July 1973 had as its primary objective to identify and define guidelines for the appraisal of research in all fields represented at the Pennsylvania State University. Through interviews and selected working papers, a team of investigators inquired into centers of administrative decisionmaking at several levels and in all…