The Florida case of "Sweeney v. Turlington" dramatically illustrates the confusion between measurement and evaluation and how measurement-oriented evaluation systems diminish the role of the evaluator. This article discusses the implications of this case, which challenged the validity of the Florida Performance Measurement System, a…

This essay provides examples of two types of educational assessment that serve two interrelated purposes of the reform movement. The first are climate-related evaluations that have created a sense of crisis, thereby stimulating a desire for change in schools. The second are policy-related evaluations at the state level that have stimulated major…

Discusses colleges' use of popular financial reporting to make their annual financial reports more readable to citizens and legislators and to make their reports useful marketing and recruitment tools. Highlights research about financial reports and performance reporting conducted by the Governmental Accounting Standards Board. Describes the…

Presents a functional working model of 15 points for planning and production of educational media. Discusses selection and analysis of subject, working/executive group, target groups, and media; surveying conditions in the field; analysis of subject/problem description/goal; selection of contents/detailed planning; operation in the field; editing;…

The phenomenon of empowerment in evaluation is examined by hypothesizing possible benefits and harms that may accrue from the program development process and the impact both may have on the evaluation. The evaluation of the Health Care Intervention Service of New York State offers an example. (SLD)

Discusses the need for lifelong learning in our future society and considers the growing importance of telecommunications learning centers. The role of evaluation is discussed; the diversity of needs and value systems is examined; and the failure of the Learn Alaska network resulting from the lack of appropriate needs assessment is described. (two…

Reasons for the failure to adopt behavior-analytic teaching strategies include the perception that behavior analysis is coercive and controlling, difficulties in implementation, university factors, and marketing problems. The goal of dissemination of these strategies could be met through creating motivational conditions and devising marketing…

Reasons tendered by a selected group of 31 professional philanthropic foundation staff for the limited use of evaluation of philanthropic grants are reviewed. Ways to increase evaluation use are reviewed. Formal, informal, internal, and external evaluations can be very valuable to a foundation. (SLD)

Explores the policy uses of assessment and focuses particularly on its persuasive role in encouraging higher levels of educational performance and on its accountability and regulatory functions. Policymakers continue to insist that assessments can be used for multiple purposes, in spite of past experience and expert evidence to the contrary. (SLD)

In the volume reviewed, papers from 15 international experts address how government can use evaluation to guide (or control) education while attempting to decentralize administrative structure and pedagogical content. Thoughtful analysis is provided in highly integrated coverage of theory and practice. (SLD)

In program evaluation and policy analyses, utility supplants rigor as the first and most important criterion in judging literature reviews. Although R. T. Ogawa and B. Malen emphasize rigor, a utilization-focused evaluation emphasizes purpose and audience, both of which affect the conduct of a multivocal literature review. (SLD)

Reviews of multivocal literature are assessments of what can be learned from a given body of literature and assessments of the claims on which that knowledge is based. Methodological rigor is less likely to be a problem in such reviews than is lack of independent judgment. (SLD)

Four forms of evaluation are outlined: (1) evaluation and development; (2) design evaluation; (3) process evaluation; and (4) summative evaluation. Each form is understood through five dimensions (orientation, state, focus, timing, and approach), which are illustrated through evaluation of a community services training program in Australia. (SLD)

The political context of evaluation is compared for the United States and developing countries, and a framework is proposed for discussing the political context of evaluation. Significant differences are the role that international donor agencies play in developing countries and the emphasis on stakeholder evaluation in the United States. (SLD)

Evaluation activities in China are examined, focusing on housing reform. How evaluation functions in justifying the political initiatives of the Chinese Communist Party is explored, and the possibility that evaluation research can become an academic field in China using Western methodology is discussed. (SLD)