Program Evaluation
Alternative Approaches and
Practical Guidelines
Question 1
What is Evaluation?
“to determine or fix the value of: to examine and judge”
Authors’ definition:
“the identification, clarification, and application of
defensible criteria to determine an evaluation object’s
value (worth or merit) in relation to those criteria”
(p. 7)
Question 2
What are the characteristics of a “program”?
 A set of planned systematic activities
 Using managed resources
 To achieve specified goals
 Related to specific needs
 Participants are specific individuals or groups
 Results in documentable outcomes and impacts
 Investigable costs and benefits
Question 3
What is the definition of a program?
Authors’ definition:
An ongoing, planned intervention that seeks to achieve
some particular outcome(s), in response to some
perceived educational, social, or commercial problem”.
(p. 8)
Question 4
How does Evaluation differ from research?
Research: primary purpose is to add to knowledge
in a field, to contribute to the growth of theory
(p. 9)
Evaluation: primary purpose is to provide useful
information to those who hold a stake in
whatever is being evaluated (stakeholders), often
helping them to make a judgment or decision.
(p. 9)
Research vs. Evaluation
Factor
Research
Evaluation
Purpose
Add to knowledge in a
field, develop laws and
theories
Make judgments, provide
information for decision
making
Who sets the agenda or
focus?
Researchers
Stakeholders and
evaluator jointly
Generalizability of results Important to add to
theory
Less important, focus is
on particulars of program
or policy and context
Intended use of results
Not important
An important standard
Criteria to judge
adequacy
Internal and external
validity
Accuracy, utility,
feasibility, propriety,
evaluation accountability
Preparation of those who
work in area
Depth in subject matter,
fewer methodological
tools and approaches
Interdisciplinary, many
methodological tools,
interpersonal skills
Stakeholders
Who is considered upstream, who is midstream, and who is
downstream in regard to Talmage’s (1982) model of
evaluation?
Upstream: make decision on whether to continue, initiate, or
change funding for programs
Midstream: program managers (principals), program staff
(teachers, counselors, nurse, etc.)
Downstream: parents, students, community members
Key Terms
Formative vs. Summative (p. 22)
How do they differ?
Formative: focus on program improvement
Summative: more concerned with providing information
to make decisions about program adoption,
continuation, or expansion
Formative vs. Summative
(Upstream, Midstream & Downstream)
If you were conducting a formative evaluation, which of
the “streams” do you think would be your audience?
Construct support for your answer.
If you were conducting a summative evaluation, which of
the “streams” do you think would be your audience?
Construct support for your answer.
Page 36 Question #1
 Consider a program in your organization.
 If it were to be evaluated, what might be the purpose of the
evaluation at this point in time?
 Consider the stage of the program and the information
needs of different stakeholder groups.
 What might be the role of the evaluators in conducting the
evaluation? (i.e. facilitator, collaborator, management
consultant, social change agent, program planning, etc.)
(pp. 16 - 18)
Page 35 #2
 What kind of evaluation do you think is most useful –
formative or summative?
 What kind of evaluation would be most useful to you
in your work?
 What kind of evaluation would be most useful to your
school or school board?