A leader in the field of educational evaluation discusses her views on: (1) research utilization; (2) concepts of "knowledge creep" and "decision accretion"; (3) allegation that evaluation is used to legitimate a decision maker's previously determined course of action; and (4) the importance of validity and utility in evaluation. (Author/RL)

Proposes an ethical principle to guide evaluators of cooperative education programs: that all actions of the evaluator contribute to a competent, fair, and useful assessment. Applies this principle to each element of the evaluation process. (SK)

Suggests that meaningful evaluation requires a pre-evaluation design that assures evaluators and decision-makers that they know what they want from an evaluation and that they are able to get unambiguous and useful information, and that methodological and logistical problems of evaluation be considered at the outset. (Author/IRT)

The Judicial Evaluation Model (recently used by the Bureau for the Education of the Handicapped to investigate feasibility of implementing the Individual Education Program component of PL 94-142) is described in terms of its application in the State of New Jersey. Limitations and potentials are discussed. (JC)

The most desirable outcome of any patient education program is a patient who is aware of medical alternatives and their potential effects and who chooses voluntarily and intelligently whether or not to follow medical advice. (MM)

The evaluation of the 1984-95 occupational employment projections can determine the reliability of information based on the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) track record and enable BLS to improve the accuracy of its subsequent projections. (JOW)

Contends that D.L. Kirkpatrick's model for evaluating training courses can be adapted to evaluating products and services. Outlines how this can be done. States that measuring client and user satisfaction and performance can provide proof of technical communication's quality and value. (PA)

Describes a partnership of youth and adults in Ontario, Canada in the generative process of participatory evaluation as youth and adults jointly produced a conference as a participatory evaluation and worked as democratic equals toward a common goal. (SLD)

Used findings from the evaluations of California's Greater Avenues for Independence program and the National Evaluation of Welfare-to-Work Strategies to illustrate why it is important to question the legitimacy of such syntheses. Results show how tempting generalizations are not justified. (SLD)

Considers the use of instrumental variables to estimate effects of treatments on treated and randomly selected groups. Concludes that instrumental variable methods are extremely sensitive to assumptions about how people process information. (SK)

Setting the context for this theme issue on responsive evaluation, this article describes the core ideas of Robert Stake's responsive evaluation, presenting them as originally framed and discussing their evolution over time. Explains that the rhetoric and ethic of responsive evaluation is to be open, to find more than the initial issues. (SLD)

Illustrates the basic and theoretical issues in evaluation with which aspiring evaluators should be familiar to claim they know the knowledge base of the profession. The issues are discussed in question and answer format. (SLD)

Presents a vocabulary of the evaluation capacity building (ECB) field and reviews the relatively small ECB literature and what it teaches for evaluation practice. Introduces the other chapters of this special issue on ECB. (SLD)

Summarizes and analyzes the four case studies of this theme issue. The analyses consider the three structural elements of evaluation capacity building (ECB): overall ECB process; actual ECB practices; and ECB occupational orientation and practitioner role. Provides a practical checklist for assessing ECB at an organization and a framework for…

Discusses postmodernism as a complicated concept. The postmodern challenge to social science, particularly to program evaluation, and its contribution to evaluation are the subjects of vignettes from practice and a limited exploration, one that borrows from a playfully absurdist postmodern style. (Author/SLD)