Evaluating program effects: Conceptualizing and demonstrating a typology

Xingyuan Gao; Jianping Shen; Huang Wu; Huilan Y Krenn

doi:10.1016/j.evalprogplan.2018.10.008

Evaluating program effects: Conceptualizing and demonstrating a typology

Eval Program Plann. 2019 Feb:72:88-96. doi: 10.1016/j.evalprogplan.2018.10.008. Epub 2018 Oct 5.

Authors

Xingyuan Gao¹, Jianping Shen², Huang Wu³, Huilan Y Krenn⁴

Affiliations

¹ Dept. of Education, Institute of Schooling Reform and Development, East China Normal University, China. Electronic address: xingyuan.gao@wmich.edu.
² Dept. of Educational Leadership, Research and Technology, Western Michigan University, United States. Electronic address: shen@wmich.edu.
³ Dept. of Educational Leadership, Research and Technology, Western Michigan University, United States. Electronic address: huang.wu@wmich.edu.
⁴ W. K. Kellogg Foundation, United States. Electronic address: hyk@wkkf.org.

PMID: 30321687
DOI: 10.1016/j.evalprogplan.2018.10.008

Abstract

Outcome evaluation is very important for program evaluation and has been becoming increasingly so in the age of accountability. Typically, outcome evaluation is conducted for a single program from a single perspective. However, in a real-life situation, many programs exist in a system, and the effects could be viewed from various perspectives. The authors illustrate a typology of program effects in a system. It moves from the paradigm of a single program's single effect to that of a set of programs' multiple effects. Methodological implications are discussed.

Keywords: Collective impact; Program evaluation; Typology; What Works Clearinghouse.

MeSH terms

Behavioral Research / organization & administration*
Behavioral Research / standards
Child
Child, Preschool
Education / organization & administration*
Education / standards
Female
Humans
Program Evaluation / methods*
Program Evaluation / standards
Quality Improvement / organization & administration
Reproducibility of Results
Socioeconomic Factors