To evaluate the Adult Literacy Organization of Zimbabwe (ALOZ), an organization whose aim is to achieve universal literacy in Zimbabwe, a study interviewed officials at ALOZ, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), and other institutions involved in literacy development; reviewed relevant literature and documents;…

This paper presents the ARCS model, which is a research-based systematic design model that interfaces with typical instructional design and development models to improve the motivational appeal of instructional materials, of instructor behavior, and of the way in which lessons (or modules) and courses are designed. The description of the model,…

Since all Agency for International Development (AID) projects require an evaluation component, AID's emphasis on assistance to agriculture and rural development projects ensures a continuing need for skilled and expert personnel to evaluate those projects. Intended for potential AID project evaluators, this guide uses experience gained from field…

A plan for evaluating teacher training workshops and institutes is presented. Juxtaposition of the target group and the type of evaluation provides the framework for evaluating such a program. Evaluation is formative, aimed at modifying and improving the plan as it is being developed, and summative, assessed at the end of the experience. The use…

A report is given of the problems and successes of an evaluation team engaged in examining a 9-year community research demonstration project. The project, the Stanford Heart Disease Prevention Program, was designed to develop effective health education programs and to institutionalize these programs through community organizations so that they are…

Hypothesis generation and testing is outlined as an additional domain for program evaluators. Program evaluation involves a thorough analysis of the processes that contribute to change (or a lack of change) among program recipients. This process of change is analyzed in two ways: (1) treating programs as naturally occurring field studies; and (2)…

A conceptual framework and practical approach are presented focusing on the possibility of making an evaluation of tertiary educational institutions by means of different levels, categories, and criteria of analysis. The paper is a preliminary reference design of evaluation whose theoretical approach is summarized with a more extensive…

"Illuminative evaluation," as defined by Parlett and Hamilton, "is not a standard methodological package but a general strategy. It aims to be both adaptable and eclectic. The choice of research tactics follows not from research doctrine, but from decisions in each case as to the best available techniques; the problem defines the…

This paper explores the background to and process of quality circles as well as the implications of circles for training. In the first section, the emergence and growth of quality circles in Japan and the United States are traced. Next, the theoretical and conceptual bases of quality circles are examined, while section 3 looks at implementation in…

A model for describing and assessing the effectiveness of student affairs programs is outlined in this paper as it was presented to the California Community College Student Affairs Association. First, the goals of student affairs programs (i.e., enrichment, involvement, and retention) and the impact of budget constraints on the achievement of…

While efforts directed toward aiding the individual elderly will continue to be necessary, the widening gap between seniors' needs and available resources requires broader based interventions at the organizational level. In order to move such organizations to adopt program evaluation as a technique for improving organizational effectiveness, a…

American River College's (ARC's) model for evaluating instructional programs using a mini-accreditation approach is presented in this report. First, a rationale for program evaluation is provided, focusing on its role in future planning, improving existing programs, accounting for expenditures, and self-validation. Next, program evaluation is…

Social programs are often based on unclearly articulated theoretical rationales. The evaluations of these programs are also often relatively theory free, and therefore make limited contributions to theory. A Program Development Evaluation (PDE) approach, intended to integrate theory testing with the development and evaluation of action programs,…

This volume is the fourth in a series of five texts designed to accompany workshop instruction in evaluating bilingual programs. It is addressed to those involved with bilingual programs generally, educators directly involved in planning and implementation, and research and evaluation specialists. The purpose of this text is to provide the…

Evaluations of bilingual education programs have received criticism from many sources. This criticism has been partially due to difficulties in obtaining hard data in bilingual settings, such as the lack of test instruments for bilingual children, the lack of appropriate reference groups, and the deficiencies of traditional evaluation models. The…