A sample of educational evaluators was asked to design an outcomes-focused evaluation of a school program that aims to improve the academic achievement and self-esteem of students. Evaluators provided detailed descriptions of their evaluation design and methodology in their responses. These descriptions were coded and analyzed to determine the…

As current procedures for teacher assessment are often based on non-standardized, qualitative information derived from multiple sources, the overall validity of the assessment depends heavily on the judgement processes of the assessors. Because it is of great importance for assessors to be aware of their own judgement processes and of the possible…

The aim of the present study is to examine the relation between stakeholders as internal evaluators and their systemic positions in light of construal level theory. The study examines the two samples of county representatives, teachers and principals who answered the questionnaire regarding evaluation of the Norwegian assessment program. In…

This study reports on the development and usefulness of an assessment procedure for teachers' coaching competence. We examined the usefulness of the developed procedure with respect to making reliable judgments. Video portfolios were constructed by researchers, which consisted of deliberately planned video recordings of teachers' coaching…

Using a cross-case analysis of three distinct participatory program evaluations, this paper contributes to current discourse on how evaluators create opportunities for learning. Although each team of evaluators intended to promote planned process use, post-evaluation discussions amongst them identified evidence where use emerged throughout the…

This study discusses three evaluations completed in a large suburban school district, each of which involved stakeholders purposefully throughout the inquiry process. The reflective case narrative addresses three questions: (1) To what extent or in which parts of the evaluations were stakeholders involved? (2) What actions did the evaluator(s)…

This article presents a method for computer-aided tutor evaluation: Bayesian Networks are used for organizing the collected data about tutors and for enabling accurate estimations and predictions about future tutor behavior. The model provides indications about each tutor's strengths and weaknesses, which enables the evaluator to exploit strengths…

In this essay, we describe our experiences working with a rebellious primary stakeholder, Sylvia, as evaluators of a district-wide safe schools program. Given the breadth of the program and its multiple target constituencies, we were confronted with the challenges of managing a large number of stakeholders, or those individuals and groups that…

This chapter describes evaluator behaviors revealed by the case analysis of a participatory and developmental evaluation. The analysis revealed that the evaluator paid specific attention to individual stakeholder cues. These cues were related to three elements of the evaluation: negotiating the design, monitoring individual stakeholder needs, and…

Like any other person, Albert Einstein was an informal evaluator, engaged in placing value on various aspects of his life, work, and the world. Based on Einstein's own statements, this paper speculates about what Einstein would have been like as a connoisseur evaluator, a conceptual evaluator, or a responsive evaluator. (Author/BW)

Describes differences in evaluation practice in the United States and South Korea, noting the cultural variations in practice and their implications. Provides several examples of how differences in culture between the two countries affect evaluation practice, framing these examples in terms of what a U.S. evaluator would need to know to work…

Educators, practitioners, and policy makers have long debated the impact of the results of evaluation studies on educational practice. If evaluation is to influence practice, the communication gap between researchers and decision makers must be reduced or eliminated. In order to close this gap, evaluators must become educators, working with a…

The Vocational Education Evaluation in Virginia (VEEVA) evaluation procedures were studied. Data from questionnaires completed by evaluation coordinators were organized and are presented in the article. Recommendations and implications provide insights into the improvement of evaluation systems. (DWH)

Two politically oriented factors are cited as major impediments to effective conveyance of evaluation findings to decision makers. The first factor, relevance, includes the elements of timing and matching of perceptions. The second, constituency support, includes recognition of reference groups and political benefits. (Author/LC)

Problems associated with current expertise in evaluation are discussed. Since evaluators are not always able to reliably achieve all levels of an evaluation project, these tasks are categorized into five levels of complexity. The author suggests a more accurate label for evaluators, "descriptive inquiry specialists," and includes guidelines for…