Physician impact analysis (PIA) is a planning tool intended to provide a way to evaluate the impact of a new or replacement physician's practice profile on the clinical program priorities, staffing resources, and costs of a hospital. Key methods for PIA and issues related to its use are considered. (SLD)

In spite of the scarcity of empirical studies of evaluation, such studies are critical to development of evaluation theory. Illustrative examples are given of studies of evaluation practice that operationalize theory. Although practitioners should continue public reflection, they must also focus on the independent and empirical study of…

A set of criteria is proposed by which development projects can be selected for purposes of ex post assessment to determine their effects and outcomes. Arguments are advanced as to the importance of these criteria, and observations are made about their current use by international aid agencies. (SLD)

A second-order factor analytic model of conceptual, instrumental, and symbolic use of evaluation information was developed and tested with 308 British Columbia school teachers. Results confirm a three-factor structure of conceptual, instrumental, and symbolic use. (SLD)

Health education, health promotion, and prevention are defined. The use of planning models in health education, meta-analysis, the quality of the intervention as a determinant of effectiveness, and the relevance of systematic implementation to the target population are discussed. Recommendations to increase the effectiveness of interventions are…

Presents a framework to describe typical constraints that program evaluators face. The framework encompasses the usual evaluation costs and other factors that impede data collection or the implementation of strong evaluation designs. These are characterized as internal/substantive or external/political. (SLD)

Discusses findings from one area of higher education review by the United Kingdom's Quality Assurance Agency and identifies reasons institutions lose marks in quality management and enhancement. Examines another area of weakness, incorporating student views, and its role in quality assurance (the University of Ulster serves as an example). Also…

In promoting and operating experiential education programs, educators must ask: Who is accountable to whom? How can accountability be measured? and How can accountability information be used? The perspectives of internal and external stakeholders must inform program assessment. (SK)

Evaluation in the 21st century will be characterized by critical and collaborative relationships, and citizens will include a basic knowledge of evaluation as part of their democratic literacy skills. Funders, program, staff, and participants will acquire the capacity to monitor and assess critical aspects of their own performance. (SLD)

Examines the findings from a national survey that was part of a research project of the National Center for Postsecondary Improvement (NCPI). The findings are used to develop and present a multidimensional approach for improving an institution's strategy for supporting and using student assessment. (EV)

Poses the ethical challenges involved when an evaluation report is being misinterpreted to serve political ends through program cancellation and considers the internal evaluator's responsibility and effectiveness. Commentaries reflect on codes of behavior and the position of an evaluator with respect to program management. (SLD)

Three principal factors supported our decision to participate in the piloting of the Pennsylvania Value-Added Assessment System (PVAAS). First, participants needed to have or secure electronic student assessment data. As a very data-oriented school district, we had over five years of longitudinal student data stored electronically for use in our…

The author presents a proposal that is roughly based on a contingency-based theory of evaluation developed in his book, "Evaluation: An Integrated Framework for Understanding, Guiding, and Improving Policies and Programs" (Mark, Henry, and Julnes, 2000). He and his coauthors stated in this book that social betterment was the ultimate goal of…

This handbook is a basic "how-to" guide to help one's Parent Training and Information Center (PTI) or Community Parent Resource Center (CPRC) evaluate its programs. Evaluation may seem overwhelming, but a center already performs some steps of the evaluation process for the reports required by the Technical Assistance ALLIANCE for Parent Centers…

If you ever have students who are reluctant to tell you when they don't understand something--or worse, tell you they understand when they really don't--then here's a book that gives you lots of ways to check for understanding. Learn why typical methods to check for understanding are usually ineffective. And explore formative assessment techniques…