DEVELOPMENT OF EVALUATION AS A PROFESSION - CURRENT STATUS AND SOME PREDICTIONS

• NCJ Number: 48099
• Journal: JOURNAL OF EVALUATION AND PROGRAM PLANNING Volume: 1 Dated: (1978) Pages: 11-17
• Author(s): J A MORELL; E W FLAHERTY
• Date Published: 1978
• Length: 7 pages
• Corporate Author: Pergamon Press, Inc
• Sale Source: Hahnemann Medical College and Hospital
• Publication Type: Best Practice/State-of-the-Art Review
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

SOCIOLOGICAL MODELS OF PROFESSIONALIZATION ARE APPLIED TO THE FIELD OF PROGRAM EVALUATION AND DEVELOPMENTAL AND FUTURE TRENDS ARE EXAMINED WITH A FOCUS ON PROBLEM AREAS.

Abstract

IN GENERAL, SIX ELEMENTS HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED AS CRUCIAL TO THE PROFESSIONAL STATUS OF ANY AREA OF ENDEAVOR. THESE INCLUDE A MONOPOLY OVER AN ESOTERIC BODY OF KNOWLEDGE, A BASIS IN ABSTRACT PRINCIPLES RATHER THAN IN PRACTICAL EXPERIENCE, CONTROL OVER RECRUITMENT INTO THE PROFESSION, ASSURANCE OF THE QUALITY AND INTEGRITY OF INDIVIDUALS WITHIN THE PROFESSION, AND PROJECTION OF AN ALTRUISTIC AND SERVICE-ORIENTED PUBLIC IMAGE. WHILE EVALUATION DOES NOT YET MEET THESE CRITERIA, THERE ARE DEFINITE SIGNS OF EMERGING PROFESSIONALISM IN THE FIELD. FOUR MAJOR THEORIES OF PROFESSIONALIZATION MAY BE IDENTIFIED. WILENSKY (1964) VIEWS PROFESSIONALIZATION AS A FIVE-STAGE PROCESS WHICH EVOLVES FROM DOING, TO TRAINING, TO ASSOCIATION, TO LICENSURE, AND FINALLY TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF AN ETHICAL CODE. BECKER (1970) POSITS THAT PROFESSIONALIZATION IS THE PROCESS TOWARD THE ATTAINMENT OF SOME IDEAL CONCEPTION OF THE ACTIVITY. BUCHER AND STRAUSS (1961) VIEW PROFESSIONALIZATION AS CONFLICT PROCESS INVOLVING LOOSE SEGMENTS WITHIN THE RELEVANT POPULATION GROUP. FINALLY, GOODE (1969) PROPOSES A SOCIAL POWER/PRESTIGE MOTIVE IN PROFESSIONALIZATION. IT IS SUGGESTED THAT THE NEED FOR AUTONOMY, THE EXISTENCE OF A SPECIALIZED KNOWLEDGE BASE, THE AVAILABILITY OF POWER, PRESTIGE, AND INCOME, AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF A SERVICE IDEAL ALL PORTEND THE DEVELOPMENT OF EVALUATION AS A NEW PROFESSION. THE THEORIES OUTLINED SUGGEST THAT AS EVALUATION PROGRESSES TOWARD PROFESSIONAL STATUS, A NUMBER OF PROBLEMS WILL BE ENCOUNTERED. THESE WILL INCLUDE THE DETERMINATION OF THE SORT OF WORK INVOLVED, HOW THE WORK SHOULD BE ORGANIZED, WHICH TASKS SHOULD HAVE PRECEDENCE, WHAT METHODOLOGIES AND TECHNIQUES ARE APPROPRIATE, WHO CONSTITUTES THE CLIENT POPULATION, WHO PERFORMS THE EVALUATION, AND WHAT TRAINING IS NECESSARY. IT IS SUGGESTED THAT THESE PROBLEMS WILL INEVITABLY HAVE TO BE FACED BY THE FIELD, AND THAT A FOREKNOWLEDGE OF SUCH EXPECTED PROBLEM AREAS BY PERSONS IN THE FIELD MAY AID IN THEIR AMELIORATION. REFERENCES ARE PROVIDED. (JAP)