Program Evaluation

Have you ever been part of a program and found yourself wondering, Does this program actually do what it is supposed to do? Does this training actually impact classroom practices? Are the activities that take place as part of this program really effective at helping us to reach the desired goal?  Program evaluation  - the process of determining the merit, worth, and/or significance of a program - is a field of study that allows a researcher to answer these types of questions. The first presentation below briefly describes the key concepts of evaluation research. The second presentation is a more targeted discussion of three primary purposes for conducting this type of research: to evaluate the adequacy, plausibility, or probability of a program.

- Frances Chumney, Ph.D.

Introduction to Program Evaluation

Purposes of Program Evaluation