In this summary article, six recommendations for the design, implementation, and interpretation of educational evaluations are presented and discussed. These recommendations are based on common "threads" that run through most, if not all, of the papers included in this special issue. The recommendations concern (1) the need for awareness…

This article discusses the importance of mixed-methods research, in particular the value of qualitatively driven mixed-methods research for quantitatively driven domains like educational accountability. The article demonstrates the merits of qualitative thinking by describing a mixed-methods study that focuses on a middle school's system of…

"The First-Year Seminar: Designing, Implementing, and Assessing Courses to Support Student Learning and Success," a five-volume series, is designed to assist educators who are interested in launching a first-year seminar or revamping an existing program. Each volume examines a different aspect of first-year seminar design or…

Discusses a collaborative approach to evaluating professional training methods. Describes 4 objectives and 10 steps for "evaluating evaluation" that include identifying the training and evaluation goal, forming an evaluation team, designing the evaluation, developing the methods, collecting data, interpreting findings, and reporting results. (AEF)

This paper examines (1) the problems of program design and implementation in relation to evaluation design, the confusion between research and evaluation design, and the overemphasis on quantitative data; (2) clarifies misconceptions about these problems and the evaluation process; and (3) suggests ways of avoiding these problems in the future.…

Needs assessments require staff with the necessary expertise to design the study, collect the data, analyze the data, and present results. They require money, time, and persistence, because the people one wishes to assess often are difficult to access. This article argues for the centrality of a well-done needs assessment when developing services…

The theory-based evaluation approach documents the assumptions implicit in program design and points to the data required to test these assumptions. Collecting and analyzing such data through quantitative and qualitative techniques enhances understanding of the validity of the assumptions and the relevance of key program processes. This article…

The choice of methods is part of the overall evaluation design process. The process consists of the following steps: (1) analyzing the problem context; (2) asking a few general questions; (3) selecting the methods (strategies) to use; and (4) selecting the specific techniques (tactics) to use. To operate successfully the evaluator needs to know…

This handbook, designed as a guide for new evaluators in the Pittsburgh Public Schools, provides an orientation to the "Discrepancy Evaluation Model" and a detailed outline of the administrative procedures necessary to conduct day-to-day activities in the first two stages of program evaluation. Guidelines for use during the first stage of…

A seven-part sequence for evaluation of a teacher center includes: (1) determining the purpose of evaluation; (2) identifying decision makers; (3) identifying areas of concern to decision makers; (4) determining what information is necessary to make decisions; (5) determining the means of collecting information; (6) organizing and using the…

The Multiphased Need Assessment for Program Decisions (MAP) was designed to inform decision makers of a large urban school district concerning the need for early childhood programs in the community. The goals were to indicate the types of programs desired by the community; to bring together public school preschool experts; and to coordinate…

This publication is designed to facilitate program assessment involving women's studies courses by setting feminist principles of assessment in the context of the larger assessment movement. It features innovative assessment designs, a variety of methodological approaches, and practical advice about how to conduct a productive assessment project…

This interim report describes the development of program implementation and cost studies for Year II of the process evaluation of Project Developmental Continuity (PDC), a Head Start demonstration program aimed at providing educational and developmental continuity between children's Head Start and primary school experiences. Specific areas focused…

After reviewing the literature, the authors defined a two dimensional framework comprising formative evaluation activity as one dimension and source of information as the other. Four types of formative evaluation activity were identified and defined. Three primary sources of information-internal, external, and contextual-were identified for…

This guide draws from numerous evaluation models to provide a frame of reference in the development and execution of an evaluation plan for pilot programs. Emphasis is on the development of an evaluation design; construction of instruments or the analysis and interpretation of results is not discussed. A selected bibliography for further in-depth…