Issues involved in empowering evaluation conducted with grass-roots organizations are discussed. One major issue centers on conflicting evaluation standards evaluators and stakeholders may have, and another is whether there is harmony between the empowerment model's goals of evaluation ownership and group advocacy. (SLD)

Presents a way to evaluate the impact of local human services delivery systems and illustrates this logic model through the experiences of an urban United Way organization. This experience suggests that the logic model may have applications in planning when the aim is long-term social objectives through short-term interventions. (SLD)

Outcomes evaluation of community partnerships to prevent substance abuse poses many methodological challenges. The nine articles of this special section illustrate the variety of approaches evaluators have taken to studies that are often complicated because of small sample size. (SLD)

An internal learning system (ILS), created for a development organization operating savings/credit programs with poor women, is used for data collection, monitoring, and evaluation. The ILS is participatory, pictorial, decentralized, and flexible; it documents socioeconomic impact and supports action planning. (SK)

Examines the three levels of course and program assessment present at the U.S. Air Force Academy, including assessment at the course, departmental, and institutional levels. Points out common elements useful to all assessment efforts. (EV)

Examined the Kirkpatrick evaluation framework (D. Kirkpatrick, 1959) through a case study of a national leadership development program, the Canadian Agriculture Lifetime Leadership Program. Draws conclusions about using the Kirkpatrick framework to evaluate noncredit educational programs, and shows how the framework enabled productive formative…

This volume reflects the impact of postmodern critical thinking on models of human service practice. It demonstrates the values of practice informed by critical theory but does not present adequate empirical support for its effectiveness and Stringer's model is not illustrated through a case study. (SLD)

Researchers at Johns Hopkins University and the University of Memphis are conducting an evaluation of the Memphis Restructuring Initiative's eight restructuring designs. This paper describes the methodology for the full longitudinal study, including design selection, staff training, planning, implementation issues, and outcomes. The research team…

Results of a survey of 564 Canadian and American evaluators and evaluation project descriptions provided by a subsample of 348 evaluators indicate that evaluators support a utilization-focused, stakeholder service orientation and think that maximizing evaluation use is a primary responsibility of evaluators. (SLD)

Poses additional complexities for the evaluation of government programs by the formation of partnerships with the private sector. Challenges include differing partner objectives, information deficiencies, variances in partner contributions and outcome effects, and difficulties in estimating benefits and costs. Discusses strategies to aid…

Reviewed summative evaluations of public training programs in Canada, focusing on methodology and the future prospects for evaluation in Canada. Findings show that the evaluation of training programs is a complex exercise that requires a careful research strategy, including carefully designed data collection. Future evaluations may need to focus…

Examined evaluation challenges facing the National Child Benefit (NCB) program in Canada. Reviewed the Social Union Framework agreement focusing on the development of the NCB. Findings show the complexity of programs like the NCB. Detecting changes in the program and assisting interpretation of these changes will require detailed administrative…

Strengthened the theory of change approach to evaluating a complex social initiative by integrating it with a quasi-experimental comparison group design. Used the approach in an evaluation of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation's Urban Health Initiative. Initial findings support the usefulness of the initiative. (SLD)

Reviews information that will assist in the development of evaluation efforts for school-based health centers (SBHCs). A review of evaluation theory, ideas for evaluation of SBHCs, challenges to implementing research in schools, and future directions for evaluation efforts are presented. (Contains 52 references and 3 tables.) (GCP)

Discusses trends in early child development (ECD) programs. Considers future trends in evaluation research in terms of seven prototype designs expected to be widely used in the 1990s. Examines recent developmental theory and its implications for evaluating ECD programs. Lists principles that ECD programs need to follow if they are to convince…