NCJ Number
61596
Date Published
1978
Length
28 pages
Annotation
A COMPREHENSIVE 36-HOUR TRAINING SESSION ON METHODOLOGIES FOR CONDUCTING PROGRAM IMPACT EVALUATIONS IS DESCRIBED.
Abstract
CONDUCTED BY THE GEORGIA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY FOR THE CONTRACT SERVICES SECTION OF THE TITLE XX ADMINISTRATION DIVISION OF GEORGIA'S DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN RESOURCES, THE TRAINING HAD THE OVERALL GOAL OF PROVIDING PERSONNEL WITH NECESSARY SKILL FOR PROGRAM EVALUATION AT APPROPRIATE LEVELS OF DETAIL AND COMPREHENSIVENESS. TRAINING IN IMPACT RATHER THAN PROCESS EVALUATION METHODOLOGIES WAS EMPHASIZED. SUBJECT COVERED IN THE TRAINING SESSION WERE OVERALL CONCEPTS OF THE IMPACT EVALUATION PROCESS; CRITERIA DEFINITION; EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN; MEASUREMENT, SURVEYS, AND SAMPLING; STATISTICAL DATA ANALYSIS; ORGANIZATIONAL IMPLICATIONS OF IMPACT EVALUATIONS; COMPUTER SUPPORT FOR DATA ANALYSIS; AND MANAGEMENT OF THE EVALUATION PROCESS. CLASSROOM INSTRUCTION WAS ACCOMPLISHED IN NINE WEEKLY 4-HOUR SESSIONS. AFTER CLASSROOM INSTRUCTION, MOST PARTICIPANTS FORMED SMALL DISCUSSION GROUPS TO DEAL WITH APPLICATION PROJECTS IN AREAS OF CONTRACTED ADULT DAY CARE PROGRAMS, INHOUSE STAFF TRAINING PROGRAMS ON ADMINISTRATIVE POLICIES AND PROCEDURES, CONTRACTED TRAINING FOR SOCIAL SERVICE WORKERS AND CHILD DAY CARE TEACHERS, AND ALTERNATIVE SLIDING FEE SCALES FOR DAY CARE SERVICES. SHORT-RANGE GOALS OF THE TRAINING SESSION WERE ACHIEVED, AS DEMONSTRATED BY A PRE- AND POSTTEST EVALUATION. APPENDIXES CONTAIN A DETAILED OUTLINE OF THE TRAINING SESSION AND THE POSTTEST. A BIBLIOGRAPHY IS INCLUDED. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED--RCB)