Description
This course will introduce students to the fundamentals of program evaluation. Program evaluation assesses the effectiveness of a program at accomplishing measurable outcomes, the quality with which a program is implemented, and it identifies ways the program can be improved. Evaluation is critical in assessing the success of programs and is often used to justify the continuance of established programs or the initiation of new programs. This course focuses on evaluation methodology with a heavy emphasis on practical, real-world applications and examples. The emphasis of the course is on developing critical thinking skills. Topics in the course include, but are not limited to: the link between program planning and program evaluation; evaluation designs and their limitations; integrating process and outcome approaches; methods of data collection and related measurement; reliabiltiy and validity; and utilization of evaluation results.