The large government market in evaluation that has developed in recent years does not follow the idealized image of open markets because of the contracting process, which means that a few firms conduct most evaluations. To produce honest, unbiased evaluations, evaluation ethics must take government market factors into consideration. (SLD)

A cost-effectiveness evaluation of an Arthritis Self-Management Program assessed direct and indirect costs through self-reporting of health services use. Diminished productivity and effectiveness were measured through a visual analog scale and the health status dimensions of the Canadian Medical Outcomes Study short form. (JOW)

Examines quality assurance systems in higher education in general and of ISO 9000, a set of international quality standards, in particular. Reports on a survey of 23 institutions worldwide concerning implementation of quality systems and application of the ISO 9000 standards. Concludes that while institutions have found the quality assurance…

Reviews the state of the art in performance measures and assessment processes in program evaluation before the passage of the Government Performance and Results Act (GPRA), and discusses difficulties in fitting these practices into the GPRA format. Presents a simple logic model for evaluating research programs. (SLD)

This book defines school-based evaluation, situates it within the larger field of evaluation, and gives enough information about the organizational challenges school-based evaluation presents to allow highly-motivated educators to conduct evaluations. Principles, methods, and procedures are described, but technical details are generally not…

In Australia's National Professional Development Program for teachers, key processes are evaluation, quality, benchmarking, and cost-benefit analysis. Educators in South Australia (SA) are attempting to differentiate between quality assurance in project management and in program evaluation. (SK)

Evaluated a multimedia learning environment developed and evaluated in the context of a research project on the learning dependent progression of mental models in economics. More than 400 students have used the environment in various settings. Reports on five replication studies of the learning environment. (SLD)

A nursing course redesigned to include narrative pedagogy was evaluated using pretest (n=11) and posttest (n=9) student data and interviews. Students described why the course was different and how narrative pedagogy influenced perceptions of the learning climate. By providing evidence of the efficacy of alternative pedagogies, results develop the…

An approach to creating a practice climate to prepare occupational therapy students for clinical placements included nine strategies: select random respondees, demand full sentences, press for clarity, expect active listening, time assignments, spring surprises, impose ambiguity, invite disagreement, and give feedback openly. (Contains 26…

Discusses how to integrate into the curriculum the interests of children of all ethnic backgrounds. Includes a rubric for multicultural contributions to science. (KHR)

Focuses on the process of evaluation capacity building (ECB) in a school district from the perspective of an internal evaluator hired to develop the evaluation function of the district. Shows how the work was originally conceived and why it changed. Emphasizes the core function of the district's Assessment Department, managing the standardized…

Studied the efforts of a state-funded evaluation support unit in Rhode Island to increase evaluation capacity in 13 community-based organizations through a needs assessment, on-site technical assistance, a workshop series, and selected model projects. Measures of organizational needs, staff confidence, and agency progress are used to document…

Studied community initiatives in several low-income California Latino communities over 5 years. Results of these analyses show the challenges of blending a critical theory social science approach with community-focused evaluation practice. (SLD)

A model is offered which identifies those who benefit and the benefits of special education. The model uses impact analysis rather than benefit-cost analysis and involves establishing evaluative techniques, developing novel metrics, and gathering baseline evaluation data to ascertain the social, economic, and personal benefits of special…

The claim that professional accreditation processes provide sufficient comprehensive information to systematically assess undergraduate professional programs is examined and found to be false. Illustrations of the issues are drawn from the case of a large public university. Recommendations are made for improving undergraduate professional program…