Program evaluation is a systematic method for collecting, analyzing, and using information to answer basic questions about a program. Evaluation research definition of evaluation research by. Although there is evidence of results, there is no indi cation either of criteria or of judg ment of the program which uses the evidence and results in meaningful conclusions. Program evaluation iresearchnet psychology definition. Effective program evaluation is a carefully planned and systematic approach to documenting the nature and results of program implementation. Understanding different types of program evaluation brad. Your intended evaluation design should be based on and aligned with the following. Evaluation definition of evaluation by the free dictionary. Processimplementation evaluation determines whether program activities have. Principles and practices a northwest health foundation handbook this handbook has been prepared by the northwest health foundation1 as a framework for community organizations to use to evaluate and understand the effectiveness of their programs. Program assessment is intended as a formative evaluation and. Program evaluation is the application of social research tools that contribute to decisions on installation, continuation, expansion, certification or modification of programs.
An evaluation should be as systematic and impartial as possible uneg, 2005. Planning the evaluation determining the evaluation questions. Define and give examples of formative and summative evaluation. Evaluate definition is to determine or fix the value of. A good program evaluation should test some part of your theory of change. Program evaluation hiring and managing an outside evaluator, project managers responsibilities educate the evaluator about the project provide timely feedback update and inform the evaluator of project changes monitor the contract supervisor inhouse evaluation activities provide program expertise.
Summative evaluation an overview sciencedirect topics. Children fivetiered approach to program evaluation. Program evaluation and research designs john dinardo university of michigan and nber david s. A systematic assessment of how well a program is working, and why applied research using objective measures and analysis to answer questions about performance note. Sep 04, 20 evaluation may involve evaluation of a total package or evaluation of o ne small a spect of a tot al curriculum, such as a film. Although ongoing program s are subject to evaluation, c urriculum. Program theory and logic models evaluation resources from wilder research. Jun 25, 2015 with this in mind, chapter 7 will present the following. While program evaluation first focuses around this definition, important considerations often include how much the program costs per participant, how the program could be improved, whether the program is worthwhile, whether there are better alternatives, if there are unintended outcomes, and whether the program goals are appropriate and useful. Evaluation definition is the act or result of evaluating. Regardless of the term used, it should be clearly stated at the outset of this paper that the content is provided with respect to developing a theory of the program works and that the evaluation of the program s theory is an evaluation of the program and not. A program evaluation can improve staffs frontline practice with participants. Furthermore, 7 argues that sometimes referred to as program logic or theory of change it points to a variety of ways of developing a causal modal linking program inputs to.
There are several types of evaluations that can be conducted. Pdf what is evaluation this is the second in a set of handouts on the key questions. Evaluation research is the systematic assessment of the worth or merit of time, money, effort and resources spent in order to achieve a goal. Evaluation is the systematic process of delineating, obtaining, reporting, and applying descriptive and. Involvement of these stakeholders is an integral part of. But you dont have to be an expert in these topics to carry out a useful program evaluation. The framework for evaluation in public health 1 guides public health professionals in their use of program evaluation. It is a practical, nonprescriptive tool, designed to.
The framework is a practical, nonprescriptive tool, designed to summarize and organize essential elements of program evaluation. The periodic health evaluation phe consists of one or more visits with a health care provider to assess patients overall health and risk factors for preventable disease, and it is distinguished from the annual physical exam by its incorporation of. One way to find the question is for the evaluator and program people to. Terms in boldface are defined in the key concepts list at the end of the chapter and in the glossary. What program evaluation is why evaluation is important the steps in planning and conducting evaluations as outlined in the cdc framework for program evaluation what standards exist for program evaluation how to identify and engage stakeholders step 1 of the framework. We begin with the definition of program evaluation that guides the orientation of this. Metaevaluation a critical assessment of the strengths and weaknesses of the evaluation itself e. It identifies the procedures undertaken and the decisions made in developing the program. Purpose and intent of the journal evaluation and program planning is based on the principle that the techniques and methods of evaluation and planning transcend the boundaries of specific fields and that relevant contributions to these areas come from people representing many different positions, intellectual traditions, and interests. Virtually all program evaluations conducted in the federal government fall into four broad types. Summative evaluation is intended to identify possible problems, assess performance of members, seek resolution to problems found, and appropriately adjust the strategic planning process to meet current needs and future expectations. Program evaluation a broader definition pdf the journal of. An evaluation is an assessment, as systematic and impartial as possible, of an activity, project, programme, strategy, policy, topic, theme, sector. Evaluation design is the structure that provides the information needed to answer each of your evaluation questions.
Involvement of these stakeholders is an integral part of program evaluation. Your programs theory of change and logic model primary purpose of the evaluation and key research. The meaning of evaluation is often overlooked in doing program evaluation. An evaluation is methodical, providing information that is credible, reliable, and useful to enable the. The basic tenet underlying program evaluation that makes it so useful in this context is its reliance on methods that integrate science and practice to produce reliable and actionable.
Effective program evaluation is a systematic way to improve and account for public health actions by involving procedures that are useful, feasible, ethical, and accurate. All human service programs are designed to make a difference in the lives of people or to. Collaboration is the key to successful program evaluation. Program evaluation is a systematic method for collecting, analyzing, and using information to answer questions about projects, policies and programs, particularly about their effectiveness and efficiency. Program evaluation may be used to rally support or opposition to a program. Distinguishing evaluation type is often helpful in ensuring a program evaluation meets the needs of the requester. Types of evaluation centers for disease control and. A basic guide to program evaluation by carter mcnamara. A broad view of evaluation in health care includes three approaches, directed toward structure, process, and outcome, depending on the focus of evaluation and the criteria or standards.
Plans set out objectives and criteria for success, while performance reports assess what has been. Definition of program evaluation in the definitions. Evaluating early childhood education and care programs. Program evaluation is the systematic assessment of programs designed to. Relevance of the better parenting program to the country goals 64 5. This description helps to identify how the program should lead to the. Program theory and logic models 1 wilder research, august 2009 wilder research. There are numerous books and other materials that provide indepth analysis of evaluations, their designs, methods, combination of methods and techniques of analysis. It is important to note that in this evaluation, the program will only be evaluating a narrow segment of this theory of change. No previous evaluation knowledge is needed to understand the material presented.
Based on these three essential elements, we suggest this definition of evaluation. Its purpose is to make judgments about a program, to improve its effectiveness, andor to inform programming decisions patton, 1987. What is evaluation back to determining the evaluation question. It involves collecting and analyzing information about a programs activities, characteristics, and outcomes. Formative evaluation ensures that a program or program activity is feasible, appropriate, and acceptable before it is fully implemented. In its broadest meaning, to evaluate means to ascertain the worth of or to fix a value on some object.
Historically, program evaluation has been used as a tool for assessing the merits of educational and governmental programs, where public funding demands a demonstration of accountability. Pdf types and phases of evaluation in educational practice. Evaluating program performance is a key part of the federal governments strategy to manage for results. A program evaluation can increase a programs capacity to conduct a critical self assessment and plan for the future. Definition the systematic collectionof information about the activities, characteristics, and outcomes of programs to make judgmentsabout the program improve program effectiveness andor make informed decisionsabout future programming. Evaluation research, also known as program evaluation, refers to research purpose instead of a specific method. Evaluation and program planning is based on the principle that the techniques and methods of evaluation and planning transcend the boundaries of specific fields and that relevant contributions to these areas come from people representing many different positions, intellectual traditions, and interests. Program evaluation represents an adaptation of social research methods to the task of studying social interventions so that sound judgments can be drawn about the social problems addressed, and the design, implementation, impact, and efficiency of programs that address those problems. The evaluation process described below is designed to give you good information on your program and what it is doing for students, clients, the community and society.
Effective program evaluation is a systematic way to improve and account for actions by involving procedures that are useful, feasible, ethical, and accurate. The program cycle design, implementation and evaluation fits into the broader cycle of the governments expenditure management system. With this in mind, chapter 7 will present the following. However, there are considerable challenges to program theory and not all evaluators are convinced it is useful 7. The first thing we note is that program evaluation should be systematic. What is evaluation one main goal of program evaluation is. Lets unpack this program evaluation definition a bit. One way to do this is for the evaluator and program people to develop a very good description of. An overview of program evaluation sage publications inc. We offer this definition of process evaluation developed by the federal bureau of justice administration.
Program evaluation is the systematic assessment of programs designed to improve social conditions and our individual and collective wellbeing. Program can be any activity, project, function, or. Evaluation definition of evaluation by merriamwebster. Outcomeeffectiveness evaluation measures program effects in the target. Evaluation is the systematic assessment of the design, implementation or results of an initiative for the purposes of learning or decisionmaking. Ultimately, the different types of evaluations discussed above support the general definition of program evaluation a systematic method for collecting, analyzing, and using information to answer questions about projects, policies and programs, particularly about their effectiveness and efficiency. Evaluation is a process that critically examines a program. The purpose of summative program evaluation is to judge the quality and worth of a program. In both the public and private sectors, stakeholders often want to know whether the programs they are funding, implementing, voting for, receiving or objecting to are producing the. On the other hand, the purpose of formative program evaluation is to provide feedback to help improve and modify a program.
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