Six issues in the evaluation of gifted programs are considered: the purpose of evaluation, difficulties in defining student objectives in behavioral terms, potentially unrealistic and inappropriate expectations for the program, lack of valid measurement instruments, and lack of appropriate evaluation designs. (CL)

A model for program evaluation that was originally designed for use by educational evaluators has been found useful for the evaluation of health care delivery programs. The model provides the basis for comprehensive evaluation and could serve as a useful tool for nurse administrators in the ongoing evaluation of programs they supervise. (Author)

A problem for program evaluators involves a search for ways to maximize internal validity and inferential power of research designs while being able to assess long-term effects of social programs. A multimethodological research strategy combining a delayed control group true experiment with a multiple time series and switching replications design…

Describes the derivation of, and rationale for, the methods used to evaluate a new clinical curriculum at the Royal Free Hospital School of Medicine in London. Thirty-three references are appended. (LLS)

Focuses on issues in evaluating educational change. Topics include what should be evaluated, management of reform and evaluation, evaluation as a threat, attitudes toward evaluation, factors in drawing up an evaluation plan, management information systems, evaluation techniques, financing evaluation, and indicators of success. (KC)

The author, chair of the Joint Committee on Standards for Educational Evaluation, compares the Evaluation Research Society (ERS) and Joint Committee Standards and proposes that ERS and the Joint Committee consider merging their standard-setting efforts. (Author/LC)

Presents a systematic process for performing an analysis of program failure in adult education, including ways to identify the type of failure and questions designed to determine its cause. (SK)

Summarizes major concepts and approaches of the Evaluation Training Consortium project, showing how they relate to evaluation in the human resources development context. (CT)

Four fundamental issues in program evaluation are discussed: (1) evaluations involve stakeholders with diverse interests; (2) data involve some degree of subjectivity; (3) meaningful interpretation of results requires understanding of the assumptions on which results are based; and (4) programs are dynamic and require flexible evaluations.…

The paper reviews the methodology of quantitative documentation of the progress of handicapped, delayed, and at risk infants in early intervention programs. The authors discuss design and analysis issues, concluding that the use of several designs and analytic techniques provides useful exploration of hypotheses in early intervention programs.…

An innovative new evaluation unit in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services is detailed. This unit, the Office of Service Delivery Assessment (SDA), regularly briefs the Secretary on the services delivered to clients at the local level. The process of the SDA is described and conclusions are offered. (Author/GK)

Federal support for answers to the question "What is really going on out there?" has increased interest in the use of ethnography as a research method for evaluation of educational programs. Pros and cons of the use of ethnography for educational research are discussed. (PR)

Five causal metaphors running throughout youth employment and education programs are reviewed: (1) the functionalist economic model; (2) the institutional socialization model; (3) a psychosocial view of youth development; (4) the subcultural model; and (5) a self-determined community development vision. (Author/GK)

Reviews formative evaluation and presents a model for instructional material development and revision. The model can be used for curriculum development efforts and is designed to be helpful in a variety of instructional efforts. (CT)