Identifies five themes that illustrate different aspects of the process of diffusing democratic deliberation into more widespread use: (1) appreciation; (2) addition; (3) apprehension; (4) application; and (5) adaptation. These themes give guidance concerning evaluation practice and the role of evaluation in society. (Author/SLD)

Joint protection, a self-management technique taught to people with rheumatoid arthritis, was used in a group education program. A crossover trial (N=35) was conducted. No significant changes in measures of pain, functional disability, grip strength, self-efficacy or helplessness occurred post-education, although this may have been due to the…

Targeting Outcomes of Programs is a model used to assess volunteer program inputs (resources, activities, participation), outcomes (reactions, changes in knowledge, skills, opinions, aspirations), and impact (practice changes and societal, economic, and environmental impacts). (SK)

Describes the development of program theory evaluation and the various versions of program theory evaluation currently in use. Discusses some of the differences between theory and evaluation practice. Program theory evaluation consists of an explicit theory or model of how a program causes outcomes and an evaluation that is at least partially…

Provides guidance about which links in program theory to study and which theories to use. In choosing the links to study, the first criterion is to choose the links that are most critical to the success of the program. The second criterion is the degree of uncertainty about the linkage. (SLD)

Discusses the potential that program theory evaluation has to provide knowledge about the parts of a program that should be retained and the parts that can be changed or should be abandoned. Considers why program theory evaluation may be able to give some guidance about how a program should be changed to function in a new and different…

Summarizes interesting aspects of the preceding chapters and the issues and concerns raised related to program theory evaluation. Suggests that evaluators may be fighting a losing battle in their efforts to shore up weak programs through the introduction of program theory evaluation, asserting that the development of strong program theory should…

Studied the convergence of evaluator and non-evaluator perspectives about collaborative evaluation. Results based on work of 67 pairs of evaluators and program practitioners show that, generally, program practitioners were more conservative in their opinions. Many differences in the two perspectives are noted. (SLD)

Describes the dialogue in an informal discussion group and asserts that because the group is interactive, dynamic, and applied it is an embodiment of the nature of evaluation knowledge. Discusses ways in which this group teaches about evaluation. (SLD)

In today's world of accountability and litigation, physical educators face an everyday battle of defending the merits of their programs. While strong professionals eagerly promote their programs, many issues continue to reflect negatively on physical education, thus putting a damper on the physical activity of children. "Stings," characteristic…

This program evaluation study examined the relationship between Problem Solving/Response to Intervention (PS/RtI) training and technical assistance and educator and implementation outcomes following the first year of a 3-year project. Educators from 40 pilot schools in eight districts participating in the study received ongoing professional…

"Evaluation Science Briefs" summarize the findings and implications of a recent study evaluating the effects of an early childhood program or environment. This Brief evaluates the study, "Building Support for Language and Literacy in Preschool Classrooms through In-Service Professional Development: Effects of the Literacy Environment Enrichment…

In this paper Lifelong Learning Program of Education Faculty in Sinop was evaluated in terms of interrelations between LLP and cultural shock. The barriers of LLP in Education Faculty in Sinop can be examined in two main parts: difficulties of finding suitable partner and students' difficulty in deciding whether to apply or not. These two main…

One of the main policy responses to turnover and inadequate preparation among beginning teachers is supporting them with an induction program. Informal or low-intensity teacher induction programs are prevalent and include pairing each new teacher with another full-time teacher without providing training, supplemental materials, or release time for…

Critics of school voucher programs argue that private schools that receive taxpayer dollars should be held accountable to the same standards as public schools. School choice supporters counter that private schools should be left alone to answer to the parents of their students. The authors advocate for a re-visit to the discussion of…