NCJ Number
65178
Journal
Evaluation Review Volume: 4 Issue: 1 Dated: (FEBRARY 1980) Pages: 59-74
Date Published
1980
Length
16 pages
Annotation
DECISION RULES IN PROGRAM EVALUATION ARE EXAMINED, BASED ON THEIR USE IN EDUCATIONAL SETTINGS, WITH EMPHASIS ON THEIR ADVANTAGES, DISADVANTAGES, AND APPROPRIATE USES.
Abstract
DECISION RULES ARE INTERPRETIVE PRINCIPLES USED TO SUMMARIZE A LARGE BODY OF INFORMATION ABOUT THE VALUE OF EACH ALTERNATIVE IN A DECISION, IN ORDER TO DETERMINE WHICH COURSE OF ACTION IS MOST DESIRABLE. THESE RULES DEFINE THE CONDITIONS UNDER WHICH EACH OF THE ALTERNATIVES WOULD BE SELECTED. IN PROGRAM EVALUATION, THE MOST BASIC DECISION HAS THREE GENERIC ALTERNATIVES: END, CONTINUE, AND MODIFY THE PROGRAM. ALTHOUGH DECISIOM RULES ARE CRUCIAL IN PROGRAM EVALUATION, EVALUATORS RARELY DISCUSS ISSUES RELATED TO THEIR DEVELOPMENT AND USE. THEIR ADVANTAGES INCLUDE THEIR FUNCTION AS AN ORGANIZER FOR THE EVALUATION, AND THEIR REDUCTION OF IRRELEVANT DATA, AND THE DIFFICULTY OF DATA ANALYSIS. IN ADDITION, THEIR SPECIFICATION INCREASES THE PROBABILITY THAT EVALUATION DATA WILL BE USED AS INTENDED, PROVIDE A FRAMEWORK FOR REPORTING DATA TO DECISIONMAKERS, PROTECT AGAINST BIAS ON THE PART OF THE EVALUATORS AND THE DATA USERS, AND REDUCE CONFLICT OVER EDUCATIONAL DECISIONS. THE STRONGEST ARGUMENT AGAINST EXPLICIT DECISION RULES IS THE LIMIT THEY MAY PLACE ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF CREATIVE SOLUTIONS. BY PROMOTING SELECTIVITY RATHER THAN GENERATIVITY AND BY FOCUSING ON SOLUTIONS WITH THE GREATEST CHANCES OF SUCCESS, THE PROCESS IS UNLIKELY TO PRODUCE THE OPTIMUM SOLUTION. IN ADDITION, THE METHOD USUALLY LEAVES DECISIONMAKERS UNPREPARED TO COPE WITH LESS PROBABLE CONDITIONS. MOREOVER, PRESPECIFICATION OF DECISION RULES CAN BE FRUSTRATED BY CHANGES IN THE EDUCATIONAL CONTEXT. IT IS CONCLUDED THAT USE OF DECISION RULES IS NOT DESIRABLE IN ALL PROGRAM EVALUATIONS. RULE CHARACTERISTICS AND THE PROCESS OF THEIR DEVELOPMENT AFFECT THEIR SUITABILITY IN A GIVEN SITUATION. THEY SHOULD NOT BE USED WHERE THE PROBLEM LACKS FEASIBLE COURSES OF ACTION OR WHEN THE TASK IS TO GENERATE FRESH ALTERNATIVES. THEY ARE USEFUL TO ASSESS WHICH OF SEVERAL ALTERNATIVES SHOULD BE TAKEN AND IN CONTEXTS CONDUCIVE TO RATIONAL DECISIONMAKING. DECISION RULES MUST BE SPECIFIC RATHER THAN GENERAL, SENSITIVE TO DATA USERS' VALUES, FOCUSED ON DECISIONS TO BE MADE, AND CAPABLE OF EXPLICIT MODIFICATION IF CHANGING CONDITIONS NECESSITATE IT. DECISION RULES DO NOT USURP DECISIONMAKERS' ROLES, BUT CONTRIBUTE TO THEIR SUCCESSFUL FULFILLMENT. APPLICATIONS TO EDUCATION, TABLES, NOTES, AND A REFERENCE LIST ARE PROVIDED. (CFW)