COURSE PROJECT PARTS 1 AND 2: THE PROGRAM AND EVALUATION TOOL PLANNING

“Just as the first step in solving a problem is to understand the problem, the first step in conducting an evaluation is to understand what you want to evaluate.”

– Giancola, 2014, p. 6

As a leader in the field of education, you must constantly review program goals and initiatives, collect and analyze program-specific data, and refine strategies for the continuation of your programs to affect educational change. Thus far, you have honed some of these skills in your hypothetical role as a member of Mayor Kelleràtask force in Grand City. You now have the opportunity to apply these skills to designing a program evaluation for your own educational setting. How will you approach understanding what you want to evaluate and enact data-informed change?

For this Assignment, you will develop Parts 1 and 2 of your Course Project. In Part 1: The Program, you will analyze a program in your specialization that is in need of evaluation and change; and in Part 2: Evaluation Tool Planning, you will outline an evaluation tool for the process.

To prepare:

¥view the Fullan (2016) chapters in the Learning Resources. Consider how program evaluations fit within the process of continuation of educational change and the stakeholders who play a role in that continuation.

¥ad the Giancola (2015) and Peurach, Glazer, & Winchell Lenhoff (2016) articles. Reflect on the purposes and various approaches of program evaluations and those elements that are inherent in any program evaluation. Reminder: The Giancola (2015) resource will serve as an essential guide for the completion of your Course Project. Be sure to read it for your work in this module, and refer to it often as you complete your Course Project.

ïnsider a program within your specialization area that is in need of evaluation and change. Review any existing data regarding the program, and think about what the data may be telling you about the effectiveness of the program.

(ink about how you would plan for the evaluation of your selected program. What tools might you need to measure its effectiveness? How might you develop a tool of your own to measure not only effectiveness, but also to identify areas for growth?

sing Giancola (2015) as a starting point, research a number of program evaluation tools and approaches. What quality indicators might you use to evaluate your selected program? What criteria will you use to evaluate the program based on those indicators?

¥view the Learning Resources from the Module 2 Discussion 2. What strategies might you consider employing to garner trust and buy-in from staff in conducting your program evaluation?

Part 1: The Program

Write an explanation of the following:

(e program you identified within your specialization area that is in need of evaluation. Be sure to include the purpose of the program, stakeholders involved in the program, and at least two current goals of the program.

õrrent program data and what the data is telling you about the effectiveness of the program. Be sure to include what additional data you believe should be collected to support a change.

(e strategies, activities, or program initiatives that are currently in place to help the program to be effective and meet the goals. Be sure to explain to what extent the program initiatives are supported by research and data.

Part 2: Evaluation Tool Planning

Write an explanation of the following:

t least five key quality indicators to measure the effectiveness of your selected program. Provide a rationale for each indicator supported with reference to program goals, initiatives, and research.

(e type of criteria you can use to evaluate the indicators and how you might set up your evaluation tool. Provide a rationale for your criteria and evaluation tool design.

(e strategies you will employ to establish buy-in and collaboration from other stakeholders regarding conducting a program evaluation. Provide a rationale as to why the selected strategies would be effective with your programàstakeholders.

For this Assignment, and all scholarly writing in this course and throughout your program, you will be required to use APA style and provide reference citations.

éancola, S. (2014). Evaluation matters: Getting the information you need from your evaluation.Links to an external site. U.S. Department of Education. Retrieved from https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/oese/sst/evaluationmatters.pdf

%urach, D.J., Glazer, J.L, Winchell Lenhoff, S. (2016). The developmental evaluation of school improvement networks.Links to an external site. Educational Policy, 30(4), 606-648. doi:10.1177/0895904814557592