The Teacher Advancement Program (TAP) is a model for training, teacher advancement, and instructional strategies. Based on interviews and observations, the four TAP principles were implemented with fidelity during the 2010-11 school year, with one exception--teacher evaluations. Feedback was slow, and teachers had concerns about the reliability of…

This article describes the development of a systematic and practical methodology for assessing program effectiveness and monitoring student development in undergraduate decision sciences programs. The model we present is based on a student's progression through learning stages associated with four key competencies: technical, analytical,…

This report provides initial results of Illinois' Shifting Gears Initiative that operated between July 1, 2007 and June 30, 2009. This mixed method (qualitative and quantitative) evaluation sought to accomplish three goals: (1) to assess program and student outcomes for two models (adult education and developmental education) for two target groups…

Hall and Hord's (2005) concerns-based adoption model (CBAM) served as the framework to study a districtwide implementation of Rachel's Challenge in Rockwall, Texas. This article describes CBAM principles and strategies that were used to increase awareness of the change process during the first year of implementing the character education program.…

The National Early Childhood Technical Assistance Center was charged by the U.S. Department of Education's Office of Special Education Programs from October 2001 through September 2006 to develop, implement, and evaluate an approach to technical assistance (TA) that would result in sustainable systems change in state early intervention and…

Until recently, few K-12 teachers outside of social studies have integrated primary sources in classroom instruction. Integrating primary sources in educational practice does require an uncommon pedagogical understanding. Addressing this K-12 educator need is the Library of Congress. Recently, the Library implemented a national educator…

Michigan State University's Adolescent Project (MSUAP) was founded in the mid-1970s to create university-community collaboration through which innovative educational experiences would be offered, best practice intervention practices employed, and sound scientific methodology used to address the pressing social issue of juvenile delinquency. The…

This article presents the state of practice of evaluability assessment (EA) as represented in the published literature from 1986 to 2006. Twenty-three EA studies were located, showing that EA was conducted in a wide variety of programs, disciplines, and settings. Most studies employed document reviews, site visits, and interviews, common…

The advantages of the adversary evaluation model are argued. Adversary evaluation utilizes a judicial, argumentative approach and promotes the use of multiple types and sources of data. It grants an investigative license to dig out the data to a greater extent than more traditional approaches. Some of the payoffs of the adversary approach are: (1)…

Three primary stances on the wisdom of mixing evaluation models while mixing evaluation methods frame the challenges to defensible mixed-method evaluative inquiry. These challenges are addressed by shifting the mixed-method controversy from models toward other critical features of disparate traditions of inquiry. (Author/SLD)

A modification of Donald Kirkpatrick's model suggests use of a training-impact tree to identify variables that could establish links between training and organizational values. Steps include identifying organizational values and practices; identifying skills, knowledge, and attitudes; defining scope and purpose of evaluation; gathering data; and…

Targeting Outcomes of Programs is a model used to assess volunteer program inputs (resources, activities, participation), outcomes (reactions, changes in knowledge, skills, opinions, aspirations), and impact (practice changes and societal, economic, and environmental impacts). (SK)

Describes the development of program theory evaluation and the various versions of program theory evaluation currently in use. Discusses some of the differences between theory and evaluation practice. Program theory evaluation consists of an explicit theory or model of how a program causes outcomes and an evaluation that is at least partially…

Provides guidance about which links in program theory to study and which theories to use. In choosing the links to study, the first criterion is to choose the links that are most critical to the success of the program. The second criterion is the degree of uncertainty about the linkage. (SLD)

This study explored the effectiveness of communication training for clergy, working to create an outcomes assessment model for such endeavors. Clergy-participants (N=46) completed an extensive training process designed to increase the transformative quality of their sermon communication. Training outcomes were assessed with a prepost test design,…