Resources For Evaluating Education Projects

This list of resources was taken from an article called “Measuring Success” that appeared in Chemical and Engineering News. 88(37):48-52. See http://pubs.acs.org/cen/coverstory/88/8837coverbox1.html for full article.

HANDBOOKS & GUIDES

■W. K. Kellogg Foundation Evaluation Handbook - http://www.wkkf.org/knowledge-center/resources/2010/W-K-Kellogg-Foundation-Evaluation-Handbook.aspx

This handbook provides a framework for thinking about evaluation as a relevant and useful program tool. It was written primarily for project directors who have direct responsibility for the ongoing evaluation of W. K. Kellogg Foundation-funded projects.

■ W. K. Kellogg Foundation Logic Model Development Guide - http://www.wkkf.org/knowledge-center/resources/2010/Logic-Model-Development-Guide.aspx

This guide focuses on the development and use of the program logic model, which helps facilitate thinking, planning, and communications about program objectives and actual accomplishments.

■ National Science Foundation 2002 User-Friendly Handbook for Project Evaluation - http://nsf.gov/pubs/2002/nsf02057/nsf02057.pdf

This handbook discusses quantitative and qualitative evaluation methods, suggesting ways in which they can be used as complements in an evaluation strategy.

■ Mapping Your Science Education Program (HHMI Brochure) - www.hhmi.org/grants/pdf/hhmi_map_and_measure.pdf

This Howard Hughes Medical Institute brochure describes the use of a logic model in formulating questions and defining the methods used to evaluate education programs.

ONLINE SURVEY TOOLS

■ Student Assessment of their Learning Gains - www.salgsite.org

This website features a free course-evaluation tool that allows college-level instructors to gather learning-focused feedback from students.

■ SURE and CURE surveys - http://www.grinnell.edu/academic/psychology/faculty/dl/surecure

The Survey of Undergraduate Research Experiences (SURE) is a survey for undergraduates before and after a summer undergraduate research experience. The Classroom Undergraduate Research Experience (CURE) survey can be used to measure student experiences in research-based science courses.

BOOKS & ARTICLES

■ Berk, Richard A., and Peter H. Rossi. “Thinking About Program Evaluation,” 2nd ed.; Thousand Oaks, Calif.: Sage Publications; 1999.

■ Cooper, Melanie M., et al. “Reliable Multi-Method Assessment Of Metacognition Use In Chemistry Problem Solving,” Chem. Educ. Res. Pract. No. 9 (2008): 18.

■ Holme, Thomas, et al. “Enhancing The Role Of Assessment In Curriculum Reform In Chemistry,” Chem. Educ. Res. Pract. No. 11 (2010): 92.

■ Light, Richard J., Judith D. Singer, and John B. Willett. “By Design: Planning Research on Higher Education.” Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard University Press, 1990.

■ McLaughlin, John A., and Gretchen B. Jordan. “Logic Models: A Tool for Telling Your Program’s Performance Story,” Evaluation & Program Planning 22, No. 1 (1999): 65.

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