Implementation refers to the process by which an intervention is put into practice. Research studies across multiple disciplines, including education, have consistently demonstrated that interventions are rarely implemented as designed and, crucially, that variability in implementation is related to variability in the achievement of expected…

Background: Return on investment (ROI) is one of the most popular evaluation metrics. ROI analysis (when applied correctly) is a powerful tool of evaluating existing information systems and making informed decisions on the acquisitions. However, practical use of the ROI is complicated by a number of uncertainties and controversies. The article…

This article is an outgrowth of the evaluation and assessment process in a large interdisciplinary studies (IDS) program at West Virginia University. We argue for the importance of collecting and assessing quantitative and qualitative data concerning learning outcomes, student satisfaction, career choice and development, and graduate education…

When measuring outcomes in corporate training, the authors recommend that it is essential to introduce a comprehensive plan, especially when resources are limited and the company needs are vast. The authors hone in on five critical components for shaping a measurement plan to determine the success and ROI of training. The plan's components should…

Monitoring and evaluation has been identified as one of seven key strategies for advancing the UN Decade of Education for Sustainable Development (DESD). The UN International Implementation Scheme for the Decade has called for the development of relevant and suitable indicators at all levels. Choosing appropriate education for sustainable…

Presents an overview of the development of evaluation and comparative testing techniques. Topics discussed include case studies of evaluation in other cultures, objectives of evaluation, problems, uses, implications, success rates, and design principles. (Author/DB)

Evaluation design decisions for a child care provider training program are discussed as a function of three characteristics: decentralization, local autonomy and multiple delivery strategies. While decentralized process data were gathered, only centralized outcome data were collected. The design decisions made were appropriate for such diverse…

Little is known about the payoffs to apprenticeship training in the German speaking countries for the participants. OLS estimates suggest that the returns are similar to those of other types of schooling. However, there is a lot of heterogeneity in the types of apprenticeships offered, and institutional descriptions suggest that there might be an…

Investments in web-based training (WBT) have increased presumably to attain cost savings and performance improvement. However, it has been difficult to assess the cost of WBT. In order to conduct an accurate cost analysis of WBT, three primary issues remain as follows: 1) identifying the missing cost components of WBT, 2) assessing the costs of…

The ultimate goal of continuing education programs is to bring about improvement in health education. Evaluations of these programs rarely indicate significant change. Problems with evaluations and with continuing education programs are discussed. (JN)

There is a gap in the current research literature regarding evaluation of TAFE outcomes and it stems from a predominant human capital focus. The existing paradigm of human capital, which values the acquisition of knowledge and skills for their economic value, has been of primary interest and significance, particularly in terms of government policy…

Because research synthesis enables one to determine either the overall effectiveness of a particular treatment or the relative effectiveness of different types of treatments, it is becoming increasingly popular as a tool in program evaluation. Numerous methodological problems arise, however, when research synthesis is applied to studies conducted…

This volume, second in a series of five, focuses on methods to evaluate sex education programs. It is presented in five chapters. Chapter One critically reviews previously used methods of evaluating programs and makes suggestions for improving those evaluations. Problems of experimental designs which incorporate an experimental/control group and…

Issues that program planners should consider in developing performance standards for the Job Training Partnership Act (JTPA) older worker programs (OWPs) are reviewed. Using goal-setting theory and the results of a two-year evaluation of OWPs in Texas, the discussion covers approaches to developing standards for programs other states. (TJH)

Proposes that objective-referenced tests replace norm-referenced tests as a vehicle for program evaluation. Describes a methodology, based on latent trait theory, for joining norm-referenced and objective-referenced testing in a customized testing program. (TE)