School counselors participated in a study examining their program evaluation interest and skills. Findings suggest that school counselors understand the importance of program evaluation, yet they may lack the skills and confidence to successfully engage in program evaluation activities. Professional development training may be an important method…

Purpose: This paper aims to apply the system evaluation theory (SET) to analyze the institutional quality standards of Oman Academic Accreditation Authority using the results chain and value chain tools. Design/methodology/approach: In systems thinking, the institutional standards are connected as input, process, output and feedback and leads to…

In this article we discuss a model for assessing general education student learning outcomes related to reducing racial bias in postsecondary students. As many postsecondary institutions do, our institution attempts to address racial bias through our general education curriculum, but it is difficult to assess improvement in this area. We used the…

The research study recognized that, although the knowledge obtained from academic textbooks and traditional classes are important to post-secondary hospitality management curriculum as they provide numerous insights and perspectives of different methods to manage a particular avenue within the hospitality industry; it is not the only aspect of the…

This document synthesizes the findings from the evaluations of four statewide programs designed to provide support for underperforming schools and districts in California as part of the state accountability system: (1) Immediate Intervention/Underperforming Schools Program (II/USP); (2) High Priority Schools Grant (HPSG) Program; (3) School…

Educational partnerships surged in the 1980s, and saw an equally substantive increase in research about these relationships. However, not all aspects of these partnerships have been examined and as a result there are gaps in the literature. A thorough literature review confirmed that in fact there was no research specifically about partnerships…

Professional Learning Communities (PLCs) have become a popular reform initiative for schools looking to increase student achievement. School district officials can find it difficult to implement and sustain Professional Learning Communities as some teachers are not accustomed to the levels of collaboration with peers involved. If implemented and…

National College Access Network (NCAN) has heard repeatedly and consistently over the years that one of the best aspects of network membership is the ability to collaborate with and learn from other members. In an effort to further the transfer of ideas, in the summer of 2016 NCAN hosted a series of four Idea Incubators across the country, which…

If professional learning leaders are looking for a clear path lined with models of best program evaluation practices, they will become tangled in the weeds. After working for several decades to help professional learning leaders and their teams improve programs and evaluations, the author has observed several habits of mind and work that can make…

Several analytic strategies exist for opening up the "black box" to reveal more about what drives policy and program impacts. This article focuses on one of these strategies: the Analysis of Symmetrically-Predicted Endogenous Subgroups (ASPES). ASPES uses exogenous baseline data to identify endogenously-defined subgroups, keeping the…

Although visitor studies has gained in popularity in the museum field over the past decade, staff members in many institutions still believe that evaluation is a time-consuming, often complex practice that requires considerable resources and expertise. Over the past few years, evaluation professionals have begun developing innovative methods to…

Selection bias pervades the evaluation of supplemental instruction (SI) in non-experimental settings. This brief note provides a formal framework to understand this issue. The objective is to contribute to the accumulation of credible evidence on the impact of SI.

Student performance on standardized tests in Louisiana has trailed national averages for decades. In the 2017 8th-grade reading results on the National Assessment of Educational Progress, Louisiana public schools tied for 42nd in the nation and rated significantly higher than only one jurisdiction, the District of Columbia. Only 25 percent of…

Funders and policymakers are increasingly recognizing the afterschool field for its vital role in supporting the social and emotional growth and academic achievement of school-age youth. Although this recognition is welcome, it often comes with increased expectations for high-quality research demonstrating the value of programming. To satisfy…

Concern has been raised recently in relation to excessive use of digital technology and the detrimental effect this has on familial relationships, well-being and development, andon people's connection with nature. This article provides a timely response to this concern by presenting the findings of a qualitative evaluation of a supported nature…