Explains the rationale underlying the State University of New York (SUNY) Assessment Initiative (a systemwide assessment of general education and academic majors), describes specific procedures and processes involved in implementation, and provides a preliminary report on its status. (EV)

Describes how the first evaluation practitioner for the American Cancer Society (ACS) came to do evaluation capacity building (ECB) because of the need for evaluation following changes in the organizational structure. Provides a brief history of these changes as a background for understanding the seven principles of ECB at the ACS. (Author/SLD)

Uses the psychological lens of motivation to make the case that mandated evaluation requirements can serve as the impetus for accountability to become synonymous with organizational improvement. Illustrates the discussion with examples from the Manitoba (Canada) School Improvement Program. (SLD)

Examined the current status of state legislative program evaluation using data from a variety of sources, including interviews with eight evaluation directors and seven senior staff. State offices have used now methods and information formats, integrated changing staff roles and functions, and become more proactive in meeting legislative policy…

Examined the effects of training community leaders in prevention science in the context of the Communities That Care (CTC) model fo community empowerment. Data from an evaluation of CTC in 21 Pennsylvania communities and interviews with 203 community leaders show that training is positively, although modestly, associated with participant attitudes…

Explored evaluator roles and strategies that have the potential to increase the likelihood that the evaluation process will have an influence on an organization and its members. Conducted a brief case study of an evaluation work group to illustrate evaluator roles in task-focused and task-related discussions. (SLD)

In Britain, a Women's Aid program offers practical support and assistance to abused women. Survivors of domestic abuse can benefit from the opportunity afforded by an objective appraisal of the social context of their personal experiences, facilitated by trained volunteers. (JOW)

Discusses guidelines developed by two professional associations, the Guiding Principles of the American Evaluation Association (1995) and the Program Evaluation Standards of the Joint Committee (1994), as they serve as a bridge between theory and practice in evaluation. Also reviews literature on these principles and standards to show their…

Describes 10-year-old Victoria, Australia granny flat program which has about 3,000 units in place. Sees granny flats, designed as standardized units using panels, as offering privacy yet proximity to family. Reviews Victoria program; suggests that state initiatives are more successful than local ones, and that decentralized administration is…

An ex ante benefit-cost analysis was conducted of applied tree improvement programs in the North Central Region from 1986 through the year 2030. Results for 24 tree species indicate that ex ante evaluation of the programs is difficult, but the intuition of professionals has built-in efficiency considerations. (TJH)

The problem associated with evaluating an econometric model using values outside those used in the model estimation is illustrated in the evaluations of a residential load management program during each of two successive years. Analysis reveals that attention must be paid to this problem. (Author/TJH)

Use and misuse of evaluation results are discussed. Variations in evaluation definitions, entity used, nature of the user, time and place of evaluation use, personal factor, basic premises of utilization-focused evaluation, misutilization, and method and rationales for use are discussed. A case example with a federal program is outlined. (TJH)

Proposes evaluation guidelines that are tailored specifically for adult basic education programs and reflect the issues of content and delivery typical of many local programs. Includes a sample evaluation tool. (JOW)

Defines and illustrates curriculum planning according to two basic models--the objectives and interaction approaches. Uses a sample of 20 New South Wales (Australia) primary schools to determine teacher preferences. School and individual scores on both models were not vastly different, suggesting eclectic use of these models. Includes 25…

The first four years of a summer faculty development program were evaluated through participant surveys, quarterly trainee logs, and reports of participant projects. The program received consistently high ratings; number of courses with gerontology/geriatrics content increased; and trainees went on to train peers, students, and laypersons. (SK)