Program Evaluation KnowledgeBase

This KnowledgeBase archive includes content and external links that were accurate and relevant as of September 30, 2019.

The Program Evaluation KnowledgeBase is an online resource aiding education professionals in understanding the basics of project evaluation in order to properly assess projects and programs. It is organized around three elements to assist educators with their program evaluation.

Task 3: Develop Evaluation Questions

Guideline: Evaluation is a critical component throughout the life of a program or project. In planning the evaluation determining the questions to ask is an important step. As a program or project evolves through its life cycle, different questions might be asked at different life stages. Questions to address over the life of a program or project as suggested in the W. K. Kellogg Foundation's Evaluation Handbook include:

What do you want your project to accomplish?
How will you know if you have accomplished your goals?
What activities will your project undertake to accomplish your goals?
What factors might help or hinder your ability to accomplish your goals?
What will you want to tell others who are interested in your project?"

Resources

Tools

Creative Thinking Tools - The Six Thinking Hats

Individual group members often have divergent viewpoints. Edward de Bono's Six Thinking Hats is a system fostering collaboration, increased productivity, creativity, and innovation. The concept enables participants in a discussion to move from the traditional argumentative approach to a collaborative process and fosters a more productive dialog. The document provides an overview of the tool and additional resources about it.

Developing Evaluation Questions

The National Science Foundation's User Friendly Handbook for Mixed Method Evaluations offers guidance on developing evaluation questions. This section includes five worksheets that take an evaluation team or evaluator through a process for developing questions. The worksheets are provided in PDF form for easy printing and reproduction.

Practical Tips

Brainstorming Techniques that Work (this website no longer exists)

The resource from EffectiveMeetings.com offers a list of nine practical tips that will help you have brainstorming sessions that generate results.

References

W.K. Kellogg Foundation Evaluation Handbook

This handbook provides a model for program evaluation developed by the W. K. Kellogg Foundation.

The contents of this website were developed under a grant from the U.S. Department of Education and are intended for general reference purposes only. However, those contents do not necessarily represent the policy of the U.S. Department of Education or the Center, and you should not assume endorsement by the Federal Government. Some resources on this site require Adobe Acrobat Reader. This website archive includes content and external links that were accurate and relevant as of September 30, 2019.