Program Evaluation in Practice: Core Concepts and Examples for Discussion and Analysis(Research Methods for the Social Sciences)

Table of Contents:
List of Tables, Figures, Exhibits, and Boxes xiii Preface xvii Acknowledgments xxi The Author xxiii PART ONE: Introduction 1 CHAPTER ONE: FOUNDATIONS OF PROGRAM EVALUATION 3 What is Program Evaluation? 5 Internal and External Evaluators 11 How to Use This Book 13 The Evaluation Objective 15 Designing and Developing an Evaluation Matrix 19 Data Collection 20 Triangulation of Data 31 Writing the Evaluation Report 31 Dissemination and Use of Evaluation Findings 35 Summary 37 Key Concepts 38 Discussion Questions 38 Class Activities 39 Suggested Reading 39 CHAPTER TWO: ETHICS IN PROGRAM EVALUATION AND AN OVERVIEW OF EVALUATION APPROACHES 41 Ethics in Program Evaluation 41 What is an Evaluation Approach? 43 Objectives-Based Approach 44 Decision-Based Approach 47 Participatory Approach 50 Consumer-Oriented Approach 55 Expertise-Oriented Approach 55 Eclectic Approach 56 Summary 56 Key Concepts 57 Discussion Questions 57 Class Activities 58 Suggested Reading 58 CHAPTER THREE: IN-DEPTH LOOK AT THE OBJECTIVES-BASED APPROACH TO EVALUATION 59 Objectives-Based Approach 59 How to Use Evaluation Objectives 64 Summary 66 Key Concepts 67 Discussion Questions 67 Class Activities 67 Suggested Reading 67 PART TWO: CASE STUDIES 69 CHAPTER FOUR: IMPROVING STUDENT PERFORMANCE IN MATHEMATICS THROUGH INQUIRY-BASED INSTRUCTION 71 The Evaluator 71 The Program 76 The Evaluation Plan 78 Summary of Evaluation Activities and Findings 81 Final Thoughts 86 Key Concepts 86 Discussion Questions 87 Class Activities 87 Suggested Reading 88 CHAPTER FIVE: EVALUATION OF A COMMUNITY-BASED MENTOR PROGRAM 89 The Evaluator 89 The Program 91 The Evaluation Plan 92 Summary of Evaluation Activities and Findings 97 Final Thoughts 97 Key Concepts 97 Discussion Questions 98 Class Activities 98 Suggested Reading 99 CHAPTER SIX: TEACHER CANDIDATES INTEGRATING TECHNOLOGY INTO THEIR STUDENT TEACHING EXPERIENCE 101 The Evaluators 101 The Program 102 The Evaluation Plan 102 Summary of Evaluation Activities and Findings 108 Final Thoughts 108 Key Concepts 108 Discussion Questions 108 Class Activities 109 Suggested Reading 110 CHAPTER SEVEN: EVALUATION OF A PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT TECHNOLOGY PROJECT IN A LOW-PERFORMING SCHOOL DISTRICT 111 The Evaluator 111 The Program 112 The Evaluation Plan 113 Summary of Evaluation Activities and Findings 116 Final Thoughts 117 Key Concepts 117 Discussion Questions 117 Class Activities 118 Suggested Reading 119 CHAPTER EIGHT: EXPANSION OF A HIGH SCHOOL SCIENCE PROGRAM 121 The Evaluators 121 The Program 122 The Evaluation Plan 122 Summary of Evaluation Activities and Findings 124 Final Thoughts 126 Key Concepts 126 Discussion Questions 126 Class Activities 127 Suggested Reading 127 CHAPTER NINE: EVALUATION OF A PROVEN PRACTICE FOR READING ACHIEVEMENT 129 The Evaluators 129 The Program 130 The Evaluation Plan 131 Summary of Evaluation Activities and Findings 131 Final Thoughts 133 Key Concepts 133 Discussion Questions 133 Class Activities 134 Suggested Reading 135 CHAPTER TEN: PROJECT PLAN FOR EVALUATION OF A STATEWIDE AFTER-SCHOOL INITIATIVE 137 The Evaluator 137 The Program 138 The Evaluation Plan 140 Summary of Evaluation Activities and Findings 143 Final Thoughts 144 Key Concepts 144 Discussion Questions 145 Class Activities 145 Suggested Reading 145 CHAPTER ELEVEN: EVALUATION OF A TRAINING PROGRAM IN MATHEMATICS FOR TEACHERS 147 The Evaluators 147 The Program 148 The Evaluation Plan 149 Summary of Evaluation Activities and Findings 151 Final Thoughts 154 Key Concepts 155 Discussion Questions 155 Class Activities 156 Suggested Reading 156 CHAPTER TWELVE: AN EVALUATOR-INTRAINING’S WORK ON A SCHOOL ADVOCACY PROGRAM 159 The Evaluator 159 The Program 160 The Evaluation Plan 162 Summary of Evaluation Activities and Findings 162 Final Thoughts 168 Key Concepts 168 Discussion Questions 168 Class Activities 169 Suggested Reading 170 CHAPTER THIRTEEN: EVALUATION OF A SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT GRANT TO INCREASE PARENT INVOLVEMENT 171 The Evaluators 171 The Program 171 The Evaluation Plan 172 Summary of Evaluation Activities and Findings 176 Final Thoughts 177 Key Concepts 178 Discussion Questions 178 Class Activities 178 Suggested Reading 179 CHAPTER FOURTEEN: EVALUATING THE IMPACT OF A NEW TEACHER TRAINING PROGRAM 181 The Evaluators 181 The Program 182 The Evaluation Plan 182 Summary of Evaluation Activities and Findings 185 Final Thoughts 185 Key Concepts 186 Discussion Questions 186 Class Activities 186 Suggested Reading 186 References 187 Index 189

About the Author :
Dean T. Spaulding is a professional evaluator and also serves on the faculty at the College of Saint Rose in Albany, New York in the Department of Educational Psychology, where he teaches educational research methodology and program evaluation. He is a coauthor of Methods in Educational Research: From Theory to Practice from Jossey-Bass.