NCJ Number
56639
Journal
REHABILITATION LITERATURE Volume: 39 Issue: 6-7 Dated: (1978) Pages: 180-185
Date Published
1978
Length
6 pages
Annotation
THEORETICAL AND PRACTICAL ISSUES IN PLANNING EVALUATION OF POSTEMPLOYMENT TRAINING FOR REHABILITATION PERSONNEL ARE EXAMINED, AND DECISIONMAKING, ECLECTIC PERSPECTIVE, AND A COMPREHENSIVE APPROACH ARE NOTED AS PREREQUISITES.
Abstract
BEFORE BEGINNING THE EVALUATION, THE PERSON IN CHARGE OF DATA COLLECTION AND ASSESSMENT MUST BE FAMILIAR WITH THE BROAD, GLOBAL INTENTS OF THE PROGRAM, SPECIFIC PROGRAM OBJECTIVES, PROGRAM STRATEGIES, AND PROGRAM IMPLEMENTATION AND OUTCOME. IN FACT, EVALUATION CAN BE TARGETED AT ANY ONE OF THESE AREAS. EVALUATORS OF TRAINING PROGRAMS SHOULD CONSIDER FOUR PRACTICAL AREAS: (1) REACTION, THE FEEDBACK EXPRESSED BY PARTICIPANTS; (2) LEARNING, THE FACTS AND TECHNIQUES ACQUIRED BY PARTICIPANTS DURING THE TRAINING PROGRAM; (3) BEHAVIOR, ON-THE-JOB BEHAVIOR OF PARTICIPANTS AFTER TRAINING; AND (4) RESULTS, DEFINED AS REDUCED COSTS, IMPROVED EFFICIENCY, INCREASES IN QUALITY AND QUANTITY OF SERVICES, AND IMPROVED MORALE. TARGETS (CATALYSTS, ACTIVITIES, AND PRODUCTS), EVALUATION METHODS AND INSTRUMENTS, AND EVALUATION COMBINATIONS MUST ALSO BE EXAMINED AND CHOSEN CAREFULLY. DATA FOR EACH OF THESE AREAS CAN BE COLLECTED THROUGH A VARIETY OF TECHNIQUES: QUESTIONNAIRES, DIRECT OBSERVATION, INTERVIEWS, HIDDEN MONITORING DEVICES, CHECKLISTS, AND PROGRAM REPORTS. THESE TECHNIQUES AND THE DATA THEY COLLECT CAN BE COMBINED IN A NUMBER OF WAYS FOR DIFFERENT TYPES OF EVALUATION. THREE DIAGRAMS PRESENT VARIOUS COMBINATIONS FOR SEVERAL EVALUATION PURPOSES. THESE DIAGRAMS CONSIDER THE PRACTICAL PROBLEMS INHERENT IN EVALUATION, THE THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK FOR AN EVALUATION, AND THE FRAME OF REFERENCE WHICH DETERMINES THE EVALUATION STRUCTURE. REFERENCES ARE APPENDED. (GLR)