Can this evaluation be saved? More precisely, can this evaluation be saved in such a way that both evaluator and client feel satisfied that their points of view were respected and both agree that the evaluation itself provides valid information obtained in a principled manner? Because the scenario describes a preliminary discussion and no contract…

The authors discuss the use of multiple evaluation approaches in conducting program evaluations. Specifically, they illustrate four evaluation approaches (theory-driven, consumer-based, empowerment, and inclusive evaluation) and briefly discuss a fifth (use-focused evaluation) as a side effect of the use of the others. The authors also address the…

Describes the oral history project and the team that worked on this oral history of program evaluation. Presents an interview with William R. Shadish, a program evaluation theorist and practitioner. (SLD)

Reasons for unintended consequences of program action are explained. Although this topic has been dealt with extensively in the field of planning, that literature provides little guidance for how evaluation methodologies can be improved. Implications for evaluation are provided by drawing the distinction between consequences that are unforeseen…

Evaluation experiments have been essential in exploring home delivery of lectures for which users can experience campus lifestyle and distant learning through 3D virtual space. This paper discusses the necessity of virtual space for distant learners by examining the effects of virtual space. The authors have pursued the possibility of…

The purpose of this article is to describe a new approach for conducting multi-site evaluations of professional development (PD). The approach extends a popular model of PD evaluation through the creation of individual project profiles that take into account the unique contextual variables of individual projects while providing an evaluation…

The capacity of any professional development effort to achieve durable change in teacher practice is affected by a host of design factors and their precise alignment with multiple delivery strategies. However, how successful professional development (PD) programs achieve an effective mix of these factors and strategies is not well understood. The…

Assessing the success of a residency with an at-risk population requires an expanded set of standards. While ultimate goals may be the same, one needs a longer time to achieve them. In this article, the author, a teaching artist with long experience working in at-risk settings, argues for a deeper and broader understanding of assessment and…

This article discusses how to make process use an independent variable in evaluation practice: the purposeful means of building an organization's capacity to conduct and use evaluations in the long run. The goal of evaluation capacity building (ECB) is to strengthen and sustain effective program evaluation practices through a number of activities:…

All evaluators face the challenge of striving to adhere to the highest possible standards of ethical conduct. Translating the AEA's Guiding Principles and the Joint Committee's Program Evaluation Standards into everyday practice, however, can be a complex, uncertain, and frustrating endeavor. Moreover, acting in an ethical fashion can require…

Extension and evaluation share some similar challenges, including working with diverse stakeholders, parallel processes for focusing priorities, meeting common standards of excellence, and adapting to globalization, new technologies, and changing times. Evaluations of extension programs have helped clarify how change occurs, especially the…

A well-constructed, step-by-step protocol is a critical starting point for teaching undergraduates new techniques, an important record of a lab's standard procedures, and a useful mechanism for sharing techniques between labs. Many research labs use websites to archive and share their protocols for these purposes. Here we describe our experiences…

This paper presents the methods and the main results of the 6 studies which were conducted in order to test the validity of the comprehensive model of educational effectiveness. The synthesis of these studies reveals that some support to the model has been provided. It is also demonstrated that 2 characteristics of the comprehensive model…

Over the past 6 years, the Oral History Project Team has conducted interviews with individuals who have influenced the theory and practice of evaluation. In 2006, Robin Miller, with the help of Christian Coryn of The Evaluation Center at Western Michigan University (WMU), and Daniela Schroeter, also at the Center, sat down with widely regarded…

This booklet is intended to assist midlevel health care managers in assessing and improving their health care management skills. The first chapter uses the story of one health care manager's recognition of his own weaknesses and subsequent self-improvement to illustrate the qualities and skills that make a good manager. The second chapter, which…