The purpose of this piece is to provide the research and rationales behind Practice Profiles. To achieve outcomes and develop effective implementation supports, innovations need to be "teachable, learnable, doable, and assessable." Practice Profile methodology facilitates the development of innovations and their necessary infrastructure.…

There are lots of definitions of quality, and also of quality in education. Garvin (1984) discerns five approaches: the transcendental approach, the product-oriented approach, the customer-oriented approach, the manufacturing-oriented approach and the value-for-money approach. Harvey and Green (1993) give five interrelated concepts of quality as:…

A vast majority of the studies exploring the associations between student and school related factors and standardized test scores were conducted in developed countries. On the other hand, research suggests that the generalization of the findings of those studies to developing countries often leads to incorrect conclusions. The purpose of this…

We present a theory of decision by sampling (DbS) in which, in contrast with traditional models, there are no underlying psychoeconomic scales. Instead, we assume that an attribute's subjective value is constructed from a series of binary, ordinal comparisons to a sample of attribute values drawn from memory and is its rank within the sample. We…

Describes empowerment evaluation and reviews its adequacy as an evaluation model. Shows that empowerment evaluation, as currently conceptualized, is very broad in scope and vague in detail. It is underdeveloped in many areas, including its orientation to knowledge-building (epistemology) values, programmatic content and use, and method. Contains…

Develops a dynamic model of motivation in learning organizations, at the center of which is the identity of individuals and mental, physical, and social dimensions. Suggests that the model overcomes shortcomings of those that neglect employee values, society, organizational culture, and personality. (SK)

Evaluation models have been taken as methodologies for actually conducting evaluations, instead of as persuasions or frameworks within which more specific constructs and methods must be placed. Although evaluation models do not provide methodologies, they do provide a guide for thinking about how an evaluation could be conducted. (Author/LC)

This discussion of different approaches to clarifying problems in the instructional development process defines what a problem is and the types of problems typically faced by instructional developers; presents a rationale for suggesting the use of evaluation models for finding development problems; and suggests ways in which the use of a…

Proposes Value-Behavior Congruency Model of Family Life Satisfaction, model which assesses family from its own value base. Sees model as way to define and conceptualize family life satisfaction. Explains that model is anchored both theoretically and empirically, and discusses implications of the model for clinical assessment and intervention.…

Used structural equations modeling to test the competing values framework (CVF) formulated by R. E. Quinn and colleagues and to refine a scale identifying the extent to which managers use the framework to evaluate organizational effectiveness. Results with 300 hospital managers and supervisors support the CVF, and the refined scale yields…

The ERS Standards, together with those of the Joint Committee, symbolize a commitment to the professionalization of evaluation. The two sets of standards differ on five points: (1) perceived linearity of evaluation activities; (2) preferred and permitted approaches; (3) purposes of evaluation; (4) obligations to clients and stakeholders; and (5)…

The main purpose of this essay is to clarify some considerations involved in evaluation and to illustrate these with recent evaluations of aspects of the mass media. (Author)

Through consideration of a conceptual framework, this paper proposes that a comprehensive evaluation can be made that accounts for a project's ability to accomplish social change. The concepts are: (1) ideological development--permits the evaluator to predict the probability of the ultimate change a project can accomplish based on the change…

Deals with the relationship between philosophy and counseling theory as outlined in a metatheoretical model. The model's implications for comparing theories and value orientations are also reviewed. This dialog serves an educational purpose and ensures an arena where counselors continually evaluate the status quo in a cultural context. (JAC)

Describes a method employing conjoint analysis that generates utility/cost ratios for various elements of the compensation package. Its superiority to simple preference surveys is examined. Results of a study of the use of this method in fringe benefit planning in a large financial institution are reported. (Author/JAC)