Area Of Program Evaluation Research Articles

Professional Competence of Extension Personnel in Karnataka State of India

The study examines the level of professional competence among agricultural extension personnel in the Karnataka state of India. The study population was composed of agricultural extension personnel in development departments and Krishi Vigyan Kendra’s (Farm science center). During 2021-2022, 285 extension personnel completed self administered surveys. The design for the data collection instrument was based on a literature review and focus group recommendations. The findings showed that respondents thought they were highly competent in the areas of program evaluation, organizational skills, human relations skills, and communication skills and moderately competent in the areas of knowledge, administration, teamwork, leadership, program planning, and implementation. Respondents’ competency differed by their cadre also; ADAs, ADHs, and SMSs had high competence levels than their counterparts- AOs, AAOs, and AHOs. The findings imply that there is a need for in-service training of extension professionals in all core competency areas. Pre-service extension education curricula need to be reviewed and updated, incorporating the core competencies highlighted in the study.

Integrating Social Marketing Into Fijian HIV/AIDS Prevention Programs: Lessons From Systematic Review

ABSTRACTSocial marketing techniques have been tested and proven useful within the health sector worldwide. In Fiji, social marketing was introduced in the early 1990s, and more rapidly during the last decade to improve national response to an increasing incidence of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) such as human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS). Given the limited amount of research in the area of program evaluation in Pacific Island Countries and Territories (PICTs), this study systematically analyzes five Fijian HIV/AIDS prevention programs through Andreasen’s benchmark criteria, in order to identify gaps in program design that ultimately impact program effectiveness. Assessment results unveil some interesting trends regarding the focus and applications of past Fijian HIV/AIDS prevention programs in the past decade. This article discusses these findings and other valuable lessons for future HIV/AIDS prevention strategies in Fiji and elsewhere.

Revisiting the Retrospective Pretest

The purpose of the present study was to examine a common practice in some areas of program evaluation, the retrospective pretest, and to present recommendations regarding its use. The authors review literature to emphasize first, that bias is likely in both prospective and retrospective ratings, and second, that under some circumstances, retrospective pretests may introduce greater bias than traditional pretests. The authors examined data from 100 participants who attended a family program at 15 sites. Results supported the hypothesis that items on which parents were asked to endorse socially desirable parenting behaviors resulted in greater discrepancies between prospective and retrospective ratings. Effect sizes calculated from prospective ratings were comparable with published effect sizes from research trials of the same program. The authors conclude that replacing traditional with retrospective pretests does not eliminate bias. They recommend traditional pretests for examination of program effects and retrospective pretests for examination of subjective experiences of program-related change.

Qualitative analysis of private mediation: Benefits for families in public child welfare agencies

A pilot project of mediated adoptions was offered to parents in permanency planning units in seven branches of a state's public protective child welfare agency. Three research questions guided the study: First, can mediated agreements provide an effective and efficient alternative to adversarial Termination of Parental Rights procedures within a public protective service agency caseload of highly abusive and neglectful parents? Second, can mediated agreements enable birth parents and caseworkers to reach a resolution to the family's crisis more quickly, and therefore less costly, than is true for the customary adversarial method? Third, of the parties involved (attorneys, birth parents, adoptive parents, foster parents, caseworkers, and agency supervisors) which find mediation to be beneficial? It was decided that three areas of program evaluation would be tested using three unique sources of data, collected independently to ensure the highest standard by which to evaluate this program. These three sources were: 1. 1) interviews with caseworkers, 2. 2) written questionnaires by parents and service providers, 3. 3) empirical data on families who entered into cooperative agreements. Mediation was found to be effective by all three measurements, thereby providing first-time evidence that mediation can change parents' views regarding adoption and provide them with an avenue for voluntary relinquishment.

Negotiating An Evaluation Agreement

Increasingly, applied anthropologists are finding a market for their research skills in the area of program evaluation or environmental (cultural) impact evaluation. Those who respond to this market are called upon to fulfill a scientific role involving valid and objective reporting. Less obvious but equally crucial is the requirement that evaluators function as competent business persons, and that they have the practical and political skills necessary to cope effectively with conflicts inherent in the field of evaluation

NEW DIRECTIONS FOR EDUCATION AND TRAINING IN GERONTOLOGY

Abstract If training programs with older participants can be implemented and evaluated through Title IV‐A of the Older Americans Act, the gerontological community can compare the relative merits of these types of programs with the more typical ones that train younger adults to serve older persons. An emphasis on older participants may be particularly relevant in the 1980s, when career training for younger adults in the human service occupations appears to be less promising. Older participants are more likely to complete training programs and enter part‐time or volunteer work. Studies have found older participants to be competent trainees, effective workers, and likely candidates to improve self‐esteem. However, much work needs to be done in the area of program evaluation. The Institute of Gerontology at the University of the District of Columbia has developed and implemented three training programs with older participants. Two future objectives of the Institute are to evaluate the programs with more rigor...

System Operability: Concept and Measurement in Test and Evaluation

In conducting adequate system evaluation, as in the related area of program evaluation, there are four major methodological issues that must be successfully resolved. These issues are conceptualization, i.e., the classification procedures for subdividing subject matter; measurement, i.e., the process of developing and employing operational definitions of constructs; design, i.e., systematic data collection; and, finally, interpretability, i.e., how the results fulfill the purpose of the evaluation. Mission Operability Assessment Technique (MOAT) is a tool for system evaluation which incorporates these four issues within its structure. This paper emphasises how MOAT can be used to conceptualize and measure problems encountered in system evaluation. Specific examples include how MOAT will be used on the F-18 fighter aircraft to provide indices of man-system compatibility across a mission profile.

Participant Observation and Program Evaluation

The contributions that participant observation can make to the area of program evaluation are analyzed, based on research in a therapeutic drug community. Participant observation is approached from the notion of strategies of participation, namely: (1) gaining access to data; (2) evoking behavior; (3) identifying psychologically with the people being studied; (4) connecting concepts with indicators; and (5) formulating hypotheses. The present study supports the usage of these strategies as a framework that is useful in formulating more scientific approaches to evaluation. 'The implication of the study is that participant observation should be integrated into a network of research techniques.