Program Evaluation Theory and Practice, Second Edition

Donna M. Mertens, PhD, is Professor Emeritus in the Department of Educational Foundations and Research at Gallaudet University, where she taught advanced research methods and program evaluation to deaf and hearing students. She received the Distinguished Faculty Award from Gallaudet. The primary focus of her work is transformative mixed methods inquiry in diverse communities, with priority given to the ethical implications of research in pursuit of social justice. A past president of the American Evaluation Association (AEA), Dr. Mertens provided leadership in the development of the International Organization for Cooperation in Evaluation and the establishment of the AEA Diversity Internship Program with Duquesne University. She has received AEA’s highest honors for service to the organization and the field, as well as for her contributions to evaluation theory. She is the author of several books and is widely published in major professional journals. Dr. Mertens conducts and consults on evaluations in many countries, including Chile, Japan, Sri Lanka, Guatemala, Egypt, India, South Africa, Botswana, Israel, Australia, New Zealand, and Costa Rica.Amy T. Wilson, PhD, is Director of Mill Neck International at the Mill Neck Family of Organizations, where she leads a team of deaf education specialists who share their expertise, knowledge, and technical skills with parents, educators, and professionals in economically poor countries. Dr. Wilson was a professor in the Department of Educational Foundations and Research at Gallaudet University for 14 years. After living in developing countries and noting the poor assistance people with disabilities were receiving from U.S. development organizations, she developed Gallaudet’s MA degree in International Development. The degree, which is the only one of its kind in the United States, focuses on the inclusion of people with disabilities in development assistance programs and in nongovernmental, federal, and faith-based development organizations both in the United States and overseas. Dr. Wilson was Program Director of the International Development Program; she also taught deaf and hearing students research and evaluation, theory and practice of international development, micropolitics, community development with people with disabilities, multicultural education, and gender, disability, and development. Dr. Wilson evaluates and advises development organizations and agencies (e.g., U.S. Agency for International Development, the InterAmerican Development Bank, the World Bank, and the Peace Corps) about the inclusiveness of their programs, as well as their effectiveness with various disability communities.

• I. The Landscape of Evaluation1. Introduction to Evaluation: Defining Terms and Ethical Considerations2. Framing Evaluation: Paradigms, Branches, and TheoriesII. Historical and Contemporary Evaluation Paradigms, Branches, Theories, and Approaches3. The Postpositivist Paradigm and the Methods Branch4. The Pragmatic Paradigm and the Use Branch5. The Constructivist Paradigm and the Values Branch6. The Transformative Paradigm and the Social Justice BranchIII. Planning Evaluations7. Working with Stakeholders: Establishing the Context and the Evaluand8. Evaluation Purposes, Types, and Questions9. Evaluation Designs10. Data Collection Strategies and Indicators11. Stakeholders, Participants, and Sampling12. Data Analysis and InterpretationIV. Implementation in Evaluation: Communication and Utilization of Findings, Management, Meta-Evaluation, and Challenges13. Communication and Utilization of Findings14. Meta-Evaluation and Project Management15. Perennial and Emerging Issues in EvaluationAbbreviation DictionaryGlossaryReferences

"This textbook combines theory with concrete practical applications. The diverse case examples threaded throughout the chapters provide for a truly interdisciplinary text. The reflective commentaries from evaluators and the extended learning activities give students a deeper understanding. Features that set this text apart from others include the logical flow, which aligns with the process of evaluation; pedagogical activities in each chapter; explanations of the theoretical foundations of different evaluation approaches; and checklists and tables that students will continue to use as resources as they move through their programs and into practice.”--Kristin L. K. Koskey, PhD, Department of Educational Foundations and Leadership, University of Akron"If I were permitted only one text to introduce students to the breadth of evaluation theory, methods, and practice, this would sit at the top of the list. The updated second edition offers the beginner an accessible, lively treatment of the distinctive approaches and techniques that make evaluation a uniquely exciting enterprise. Each chapter richly illustrates how an evaluator’s most basic assumptions inform choices in the field and distinguish evaluation from other applied forms of inquiry. Contemporary examples are drawn from diverse problem areas and settings, providing a window into the dilemmas, issues, and challenges confronting evaluators. Readers will discover a wide array of ideas and resources to support their successful design and execution of evaluation projects."--Robin Lin Miller, PhD, Department of Psychology, Michigan State University"One of the reasons I selected this text for my course is its strong coverage of evaluation with marginalized and vulnerable populations, a topic that has been getting increasing attention in the field. Issues of social justice, power and privilege, and cultural competence are woven throughout.”--Colleen Fisher, PhD, Department of Social Work, University of Alabama at Birmingham"The primary strength of this book is its grounding in principles of cultural responsiveness, social justice, and the transformative power of evaluation. It occupies a unique space in a sea of 'value-neutral' evaluation textbooks. I also appreciate the real-life evaluation examples. It is rare to find such well-chosen, carefully summarized, and annotated examples to use in a course. I have yet to see a better example of a text that combines the theory and practice of evaluation in one volume.”--Lauren P. Saenz, PhD, Department of Education, Bowdoin College“The authors’ discussion of paradigms opens up interesting discussions of the ethical elements in program evaluation and the role of the evaluator. This is an excellent introduction to social science theory, models of program evaluation, and the process of research design, for instructors looking for a text that minimizes purely statistical topics.”--Gerasimos "Jerry" A. Gianakis, PhD, Institute for Public Service (retired), Suffolk University -