What is Evaluation?
By: AEA Administrator on Jan 10, 2014
This statement was developed by a previous AEA Task Force commissioned by the AEA Board to “define and communicate the value of evaluation to the media, the public, and other audiences as well as be used comfortably by evaluators throughout the field without regard for specialty or area of expertise.” The statement is meant to encourage dialogue -- so based on comments and responses it will be revised periodically. Thus, your reactions and comments are encouraged (see comment section below).The Task Force was comprised of both long-time evaluation professionals and AEA members newer to the profession. All have experience and expertise in communicating to others about evaluation. The task force included:
Michael Quinn Patton, Chair, Edith Asibey, Jara Dean-Coffey, Robin Kelley, Roger Miranda, Susan Parker, and Gwen Fariss Newman
What is Evaluation?
Evaluation is a systematic process to determine merit, worth, value or significance. So what does that mean in practice? Let’s use one kind of evaluation, program evaluation, to illustrate. Programs and projects of all kinds aspire to make the world a better place. Program evaluation answers questions like: To what extent does the program achieve its goals? How can it be improved? Should it continue? Are the results worth what the program costs? Program evaluators gather and analyze data about what programs are doing and accomplishing to answer these kinds of questions.
A program evaluation has to be designed to be appropriate for the specific program being evaluated. Health programs aim to make people healthier and prevent disease. School programs strive to increase student learning. Employment training programs try to help the unemployed get jobs. Homelessness initiatives work to get people off the streets and into safe housing. Chemical dependency programs help people using alcohol and drugs. Community development programs plan initiatives to increase prosperity among those in poverty. Juvenile diversion programs try to keep kids out of jail and put them on a path to becoming productive adults. For each kind of program, an evaluation would gather and analyze data about that program’s effectiveness. But program evaluation is only one kind of evaluation.
To read more visit: http://www.eval.org/p/bl/et/blogid=2&blogaid=4#a_comm_6
1 comment:
Thumbs up for you, the way you've described evaluation.
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