From her review of the final evaluation reports of 81 career education projects, the author notes seven common pitfalls in career education program evaluation. For a related article by this author, see pp75-83 of this issue. (SJL)

Briefly reviews general grouping of methods of program evaluation, discusses considerations in selecting a method, and comments on the roles and responsibilities of the public and voluntary sectors in the process of planning, evaluating, and implementing programs. (SS)

A longitudinal program evaluation approach used in the Vermont system of care for children and adolescents is described. The method focuses on movement between residential placements and compares system functioning to service system values using a person-level longitudinal database. This methodology can be useful in a number of fields. (SLD)

Explores several methods through which to evaluate statewide electronic networks, and discusses key issues and preliminary findings that affect the successful evaluation of statewide networked services. (Author/AEF)

School records; teacher, parent, and child ratings; and children's drawings about family, school, and the program were evaluated for low-income, at-risk children in a school-age child care program and compared to a control group that made no drawings. The drawings provided qualitative data that enriched program evaluation. (SK)

Many participant-satisfaction evaluation forms used in staff development programs are ritualistic contrivances that are poorly designed and administered. This article describes five rules for generating evaluation forms based on clarity, a decision focus, brevity, anonymity, and respondents' opportunity to make additional suggestions. Careful…

Shares the program-evaluation strategy of Pepperdine University's restructured Educational Leadership Academy for entry-level school administrators and other school leaders. Describes the objectives, theoretical basis, and methodology of data collection used for the evaluation. Describes the democratic/collaborative process used in developing the…

Examined ethical conflicts arising in an Australian evaluation of care options for indigenous children and young people deemed to be at risk of neglect or abuse. Discusses ways the conflicts were addressed and identifies implications for evaluation practice. (SLD)

Human performance technology is a collection of techniques for evaluating and designing human performance systems. It isn't a philosophy, a moral imperative, or a way of life. When technologists promote as more than what it is, they jeopardize their credibility and distort their own roles as performance engineers. (Author)

Explains the EEVL (Edinburgh Engineering Virtual Library) which has developed a free gateway to Internet resources in engineering as part of the United Kingdom's Electronic Libraries Programme. Highlights include project development, promotion of the service, evaluation, and plans for future developments. (Author/LRW)

A meta-analytic review of 15 outcome studies of group treatment for sexually abused children and adolescents was conducted to establish a quantitative measure of group treatment effectiveness for this population. Results found that overall, the current group treatments utilized for sexually abused children and adolescents are effective. (Author/CR)

This introductory column on assistive technology (AT) explains key concepts including what assistive technology is, the relationship between AT services and outcomes associated with AT use, the meaning of "outcome," differing outcomes for various stakeholders, and repeated measures of performance with and without AT. It also identifies Web sites…

Examines the state of cost-benefit and cost-effectiveness analysis in education, first examining the progress that has been made in these fields in the health and medical sectors. Explores one outstanding example of cost-benefit analysis and critiques four other educational evaluations. Synthesizes strengths of cost-effectiveness analysis in…

This study examined the social validation of using microswitches versus interaction/stimulation conditions with persons with multiple disabilities. Teacher-assistant trainees and rehabilitation staff (n=72) were shown videotapes comparing the two methods and then scored both approaches. The microswitch condition was viewed as generally more…

The paper examines the application of ecobehavioral analysis to the study of transitions between special preschool and regular kindergarten settings. Two measures for evaluating ecobehavioral interactions are described: Ecobehavioral System for the Complex Assessment of Preschool Environments (ESCAPE) and Assessment Code/Checklist for Evaluating…