This article places continuing professional education evaluation in perspective and provides practical guidance to practitioners of continuing professional education who wish to improve the quality of their decision making. Examines evaluation methods and procedures, basic guidelines, self-directed learning, program improvement, and impact…

A representative sample of studies drawn from the published program evaluation literature is examined. It is concluded that weak designs, low statistical power, ad hoc measurement, and neglect of treatment implementation and program theory characterize the state of the art in program evaluation. (Author/BS)

A microeconomic paradigm is proposed for the evaluation of special education in schools. The special education process is described in three phases: referral to special education by the classroom teacher; special classroom program; and mainstreaming. The relationship between referral by teachers, classroom resources, and students' desirable…

Provides a model for incorporating counseling evaluation concerns such as data on the counselor's instructional behaviors, client adherence to the counseling intervention and client change. Points out that much of the research on counselor effectiveness focuses on counselor characteristics rather than building the case that counseling services are…

Discusses elements of an in-house writing seminar: criteria for selecting a consultant (teaching experience, business experience, fees, etc.), management support, the seminar format, and seminar evaluation using a questionnaire. (CT)

Describes Fox Valley Technical Institute's instructional audit process, whereby a team of local employers visits the college and assesses the value of its programs in meeting local labor market needs. Considers the benefits of involving employers in the process. (HB)

Evaluation synthesis, a meta-evaluation method developed by the General Accounting Office to improve evaluation utilization by legislators, is described. It is designed to: (1) focus on the information needs and priorities of legislators, and (2) ensure continuous communication between sponsor and evaluator. The strengths and limitations of this…

Part/Whole percentaging analysis is a simplified method of evaluating alternative policies or decisions with multiple goals measured on different dimensions. The aggregated percentages for each policy may be used to select the best policy, subset of policies, or for budget allocation across policies in proportion to their aggregated percentages.…

Premature application of quantitative indicators formerly used for individual assessment and research to bureaucratic decision making can produce side effects that are dysfunctional in nature. In order to illustrate this phenomenon, the author reviews a general literature and utilizes examples form mental health care. (Author/BW)

Based on his experience as a youth planner, the author points out that the dysfunctional side effects of evaluation described by Ginsberg (TM 508 964) also apply to statewide efforts to deinstitutionalize status offenders. (BW)

Using a Maternal and Child Health clinic as an example, the social context of record production is stressed. The interorganizational context of the clinic, and its influence on the clinic's record production, illustrate Ginsberg's (TM 508 964) dysfunctional side effects on quantitative indicator production. (BW)

Evaluation, defined as "the systematic collection and analysis of information to aid in decision-making and program planning," must include special considerations when applied to computer-oriented programs. Presents a three-tier classification system for computer programs based on their stage of development and evaluation issues crucial to each…

The author argues in favor of "educational engineers" being grounded in the philosophies of education to understand the social meanings of the ideas with which they work. The leaders must set for themselves a long, continued study of the techniques that will make the idea operate in the learning situation. (CT)

The administrative history, staffing levels, and content of school guidance activities in the Eugene (OR) Public Schools were examined. Schools were compared to estimate differences in recipients and types of services. Different levels and types of services were provided secondary and elementary students. Schools with stable programs provided a…

The political processes involved in an academic program evaluation are discussed. Data gathered from a program evaluation conducted at a small, public, liberal arts university in the Southeast were used in examining the explanatory power of the various theories and models. (Author/MLW)