Examines the usefulness of participatory evaluation in program development. Emphasizes formative evaluation and suggests approaches for planning participation in evaluation and adapting methods to facilitate use of participatory evaluation in adult and nonformal education programs. (JOW)

The evaluation of educational programs in higher education needs a better theoretical base than it has had. Proposals as to what that base should encompass are discussed and an approach that involves a more adequate conceptual and procedural model is explored. Focus is on a systems viewpoint. (JMD)

Discusses problems that social scientists face when evaluating social programs, including cost, methodological concerns, and the development and application of new analytical techniques. (GC)

A 19-item list of humorous guidelines is presented for program evaluators. Conflicting advice and tongue-in-cheek remarks imply that it is not easy to describe evaluator behaviors which are guaranteed to have an impact on decision-making. (GDC)

The Multiattribute Utility Model combines subjective goal definition with objective data analysis. Goals are defined, ranked, and weighted. Subjective opinions about their attainment are assigned against decision alternatives considered by the school. Bayesian analysis of data enables revision of prior opinions about the realization of goals…

The return on investment for assessment centers is likely to be very high, and, more importantly, it can and should be estimated prior to assessment center design and implementation. (Author/IRT)

The choice between experimental research or process-oriented oriented research as the only valid paradigm of evaluation research is rejected. It is argued that there is a middle ground. Suggestions are made for mixing the two approaches to suit particular research settings. (Author/GK)

Offers recommendations about how to evaluate student activity programs. (JM)

Intervention programs claiming to benefit young handicapped children are increasingly being required to provide evidence of their effectiveness. An intervention efficiency index (IEI) is proposed as a method of measuring child progress and program impact by relating changes in children's developmental capabilities to time spent in a program.…

The article describes the social comparison method of social validation and reports on several studies in which it was used to evaluate interventions with learning disabled (LD) students. Several implications and areas for further study are discussed, relating to the use of the social comparison method in evaluating treatment programs for LD…

The relative utilities of subjectivity and objectivity in educational evaluation are debated. Page supports objectivity, while Stake supports subjectivity. (JKS)

Identifies three aspects of educational significance as important areas for teacher participation in the evaluation of innovative reading programs: the establishment of performance standards, the specification of program cost, and the evaluation of noncognitive benefits. (FL)

This bibliography cites 14 microfiche documents from the Educational Resources Information Center (ERIC) data base, selected for their practical relevance to the evaluation of career education programs. (SJL)

Discusses the utility of field research techniques for the evaluation of educational programs in general and the Minneapolis South East Alternatives Program in particular. Examines relationships between theory, field research, and evaluation in education and describes a pattern of relationships that has evaluative utility and provides responsible…

In 1991, Michael Scriven published "Beyond Formative and Summative Evaluation," a reconsideration of the classic distinction in evaluation roles. Debate about the roles of evaluation continued in the four papers that follow this introduction, all of which were presented at a forum at the 1995 International Evaluation Conference. (SLD)