This guide was developed to empower individuals and organizations to solve social and educational problems. It is intended for use by anyone interested in leading groups in developing programs to improve education. The principles and methods that it contains are based on psychological theory and research, and it is intended to stimulate effective…

As part of the evaluation of schools participating in the Comprehensive School Reform Demonstration (CSRD) program, a site researcher is to visit each participating site twice a year to collect data for CSRD formative evaluation. To prepare site researchers for their evaluation activities, a training and orientation session was held for 18…

As part of the Comprehensive School Reform Demonstration (CSRD) program, schools participated in the Formative Evaluation Process for School Improvement (FEPSI), a package of services mainly provided during two visits each school year. This document reports on the evaluation of training for Georgia educators involved in FEPSI as site researchers.…

Latent growth modeling (LGM) has emerged as a flexible analytic technique for modeling change over time because it can describe individual variability in terms of initial status and in growth. LGM methodology can also provide a means for testing the contribution of other variables in order to explain variability in those initial levels and growth…

This digest describes some of the basic logic-of-evaluation skills and some of the basic methodological skills that need to be mastered in order to practice the art and science of evaluation. Some topics from the logic of evaluation that must be dealt with include understanding : (1) the differences and connections between evaluation and other…

The action evaluation process at a mediation agency in Dayton, Ohio, that offers the services of trained volunteers is described. Action evaluation is an integrated research and intervention methodology for helping to define, promote, and assess success in an endeavor, while using evaluation as a bridge between research and practice in ways that…

This guide offers Head Start staff a blueprint for developing the skills and methods necessary for a Head Start program's planning and review process. The guide stresses the need for Head Start administrative and managerial leadership to maintain a holistic, integrated approach; use the strength and resources of Head Start team members; identify…

The primary purpose of the investigation discussed in this paper is to determine the perceived effectiveness of a life skills education program for youth. During an eight-week summer day camp program, youth in grades kindergarten through fifth participated in 28 hours of life skills education focusing on relating and caring. Fifteen skills were…

Harvard Family Research Project's series of Out-of-School Time Evaluation Snapshots distills the wealth of information compiled in our Out-of-School Time Program Evaluation Database into a single report. Each Snapshot examines a specific aspect of out-of-school time (OST) evaluation. This Snapshot provides an overview of how researchers are…

The 2003 Minnesota Legislature directed the Higher Education Services Office to evaluate and report monthly on state financial aid expenditures by type to date and unexpended balances. This is the fourth monthly report with Fiscal Year 2005 data. This document contains information through October 31, 2004. Information is provided on spending for…

The issue of treatment fidelity has been a concern in the field of evaluation research. Nearly three decades ago, Cook and Campbell (1975) outlined four types of validity that may influence treatment outcomes. Defining these validity measures has since prompted researchers to closely examine potential threats within the context of program…

Name-calling and bullying are pervasive in American schools. This project, No Name- Calling Week, is an annual week of educational activities aimed at ending name-calling of all kinds and providing schools with the tools and inspiration to launch an on-going dialogue about ways to eliminate bullying in their communities and ensure safe and…

This paper is a report of the development of a systematic process for locating instructional design alumni and recruiting them to provide feedback from their workplaces. The purpose is to make alumni part of the process for program improvement. The process for tracking, contacting, and gathering data from alumni is described. In addition, the…

The purpose of this study is to suggest another source of information to be used for evaluating our teacher education programs. (Author)

A program for individualizing bookkeeping instruction utilizing script/tapes, illustrations, assignment sheets, study guides, and problem and unit tests is presented. A discussion of the advantages and disadvantages of the program conclude the article. (AG)