The relationship between alternative evaluation approaches and the concerns of policy communities is examined. It is assumed that there are certain criteria and methods that are more relevant to particular types of policy discussions. Evaluation methodology should be based on the interests of the policy actors involved. (TJH)

Comments on S. Pogrow's suggestion that educational programs should be judged by the degree to which schools using them achieve "surprising scores." Emphasizes the importance of the use of control groups in program evaluation. (SLD)

The Situated Evaluation Framework for continuing professional education programs situates the learner and knowledge assessment at the junction of three contexts: educational, practice, and evaluation. The framework incorporates the following components of evaluation theory: programming, valuing, knowledge, and utilization. (SK)

The most important result of training is the satisfaction of customers who deal with trainees when they return to their jobs. Customer reaction sheets are easy and inexpensive to create, administer, tabulate, and interpret. (JOW)

In the last 10 years, there has been increased use of case study methodology, with accompanying refinement and improvement of the methods. Case studies have become legitimate research methods in evaluation, but it is too soon to say whether improvements in methodology are really resulting in improvements in the case studies conducted. (SLD)

Empowerment evaluation is defined as a process that encourages self-determination among the recipients of a program evaluation. This article contains a theoretical framework of empowerment evaluation, a discussion of methodological issues, and suggestions for operational considerations for evaluators who wish to implement empowerment evaluation.…

Discusses current issues in theory-driven evaluation from the perspective of the evaluation practice literature. Confirmatory program evaluation is proposed as one way to use theory, in combination with quantitative analytical techniques, to assess the effects of social and educational programs. An illustration is provided in the evaluation of a…

Articles in this special issue are reviews that focus on issues related to the evaluation of addiction treatment outcomes over longer term followup periods (2 years or more). The primary conclusion that can be drawn is that research evaluations of substance abuse treatment should reflect, to a greater degree, the chronic nature of addiction. (SLD)

Evaluated the success of a palliative health care team in a Dutch health region. Results show that it is more appropriate to acknowledge ambiguity and facilitate its handling as part of dynamic learning processes. Discusses the usefulness of a responsive approach to evaluation, evaluation methodology, and learning experiences. (SLD)

Offers a critical commentary on theory-based evaluation, stressing its utility as a method of program planning and as an adjunct to experiments but rejecting it as an alternative to experiments. Cites seven reasons for doubting that theory-based evaluations can provide the valid conclusions about a program's causal effects that proponents have…

Makes the case that faith in randomized controlled trials (RCTs) to determine "what works" in education may be misplaced. Identifies eight possible problems with relying on RCTs and notes that the rigor required for RCTs may not be practicable. (SLD)

Introduces the 21 papers in this special issue on the future of evaluation. These articles suggest a field that is more eclectic in methods, approaches, and practitioners than was the field described in a similar issue in 1994. (SLD)

Discusses the development of evaluation's collective capacity and offers an analysis of ways members of the evaluation community can work to build collective strength. These include better efforts to educate evaluation clients. (SLD)

Provides an overview of evaluation checklists and describes 10 checklists for program, personnel, and product evaluations that were developed to be available to evaluators through the World Wide Web. (SLD)

This article describes how job analysis, a method commonly used in personnel research and organizational psychology, provides a systematic method for documenting program staffing and service delivery that can improve evaluators' knowledge about program operations. Job analysis data can be used to increase evaluators' insight into how staffs…