The RevisedProgram Evaluation Standardsand their Correlation with the Evaluation use Literature

Background and history of the Joint Committee's Program Evaluation Standards

“…While the dangers in this gap are regularly identified, there is no doubt that, on its completion, users of the third edition of Program Evaluation Standards will be practicing at a time when the skills and sensitivities required to assess the richness, complexity, and consequences of such programs will be at a premium. With regard to instrumental, conceptual, or process uses (Weiss, 1998;Thompson, 1994;Patton, 1997), then the practices of North American evaluators and the consequences of North American evaluation practices and practice guidelines often reach far beyond North America, not only in direct impact on programs on the practice of evaluation but also through effects on how other cultural and national groups think about evaluation and its potential for increasing social good (Mark, Henry, and Julnes, 2000).…”

“…During development of the second edition of Program Evaluation Standards, extensive reviews of the literature informed the writing of all sections. For the utility standards, one JCSEE member documented in thorough detail the literature on evaluation use and how it formed the background for the conceptualization of the utility standards and their supporting cases and other material (Thompson, 1994). Similar congruence in other areas (feasibility, propriety, and accuracy) was a goal during this development phase.…”

“…The first edition of the Program Evaluation Standards incorporated the practice and theoretical knowledge about program evaluation available at the time (Stufflebeam, 2003;Thompson, 1994). Standards were organized into four major areas of concern experienced by the first generations of program evaluators: how to make evaluations more useful and more often used (utility), how to conduct program evaluations feasibly in the real world where little can be completely controlled and politically difficult situations abound (feasibility), how to ensure propriety in all aspects of the evaluation (propriety), and how to promote accurate and dependable evaluations (accuracy).…”

Developing and Assessing Statewide Competencies for Engineering Design

“…Utilization of evaluation data has been a historical problem in education and social programs. 8 Getting data to program decision makers in a timely manner is a prerequisite to using the data for program enhancement. Therefore, programs should give considerable emphasis to scoring and timely dissemination of results to faculty and other decision-makers.…”

An exploratory syudy on ENADE evaluation report utilization and its impact on undergraduate accounting program performance in Brazil

“…In general, nonuse represents a potential waste of money and effort (Thompson, 1994), but there are different nonuse classifications and nomenclature in the evaluation use literature, including justified nonuse (Alkin & Coyle, 1988). To better understand the justified nonuse concept, it is necessary to consider two opposite scenarios: a properly performed evaluation and a poorly performed evaluation.…”