The concept of evaluation has been in existence since 2000 B.C. when the Chinese created a system of evaluation for their civil servants. Many definitions have been developed over the years but a comprehensive definition presented by the Joint Committee on Standards for Educational Evaluation (1994) defines it as "systematic investigation of the worth or merit of an object." Evaluations should be conducted for action-related reasons, and the information provided should be used to deciding a course of action. Evaluation provides information to help improve the project, reveals information that are essential to the Continuing Improvement Process, and may provide new insights or information that was not anticipated. The current view of evaluation stresses the interrelationships between evaluation and program implementation.
A solid evaluation plan is critical to ensure a successful program. Evaluation is not just a useful tool, it is a requirement for No child Left Behind. If a grant is needed to support a program, a solid evaluation plan can ensure a higher competitive rating by reviewers. The Center for Leadership in Education will help you write a rigorous and effective evaluation plan for your project ensuring that you not only meet, but exceed evaluation requirements. An evaluation should be useful, and user friendly.
Evaluations are designed to measure results and provide meaningful data. The Center has experience measuring the impact and effectiveness of grants submitted to the Ohio Department of Education, the US Department of Education, and foundations. Evaluation results provide far more than a thumbs up or thumbs down to a program. Evaluation identifies the multifaceted effects of a program on students and teachers, it documents what works and what components work best, and can assist in improving and replicating results.
The Center staff helps design evaluations to include the following components:
- Pre and Post Test Survey: Teacher knowledge, classroom practices, and appreciation and understanding of the project are measured through a pre and post survey which also measures class room practices.
- Student Measures: Student knowledge, appreciation and understanding are measured together with data collection on classroom practices. In addition, data is collected from standardized tests, achievement tests, report cards and the assessment of student work.
- Useful and User-Friendly Reports: The Center provides ongoing evaluation reports in a graphic and user-friendly format. Project administrators and teams can adapt their program based upon evaluation results.
Educators look at two kinds of evaluation - formative and summative. The purpose of the former is to assess initial and ongoing project activities while summative evaluation is to assess the quality and impact of a fully implemented project. Evaluation as a process rather than an event, should be to provide an ongoing source of information that can aid decision making at various steps along the way.
Evaluations can be thought of as having six phases:
- Development of a conceptual model of the program and identify key evaluation points
- Development of evaluation questions and define measurable outcomes
- Development of an evaluation design
- Collection of data
- Analysis of the data
- Dissemination of information to interested audiences
The Center for Leadership in Education uses a logic model that defines the project. The three elements are of the Logic Model are:
- Inputs
- Outputs (activities and participants)
- Outcomes - Impact (short term, medium term , long term)
Steps in developing the design of an evaluation include:
- Selecting the Methodological Approach - qualitative (numbers) or quantitative (words)
- Determine who and/or what will be studied
- Comparison Groups
- Timing, sequencing, frequency of data collection and cost
Steps in the evaluation process:
- Data Collection
- Analyzing the data
- Reporting the results
- Conclusions (and recommendations)
- Disseminating the information
The staff of the Center for Leadership in Education has worked with several school districts in Northeast Ohio. For more information please contact Jeff Jaroscak.