Module 3 Assignment 1
Program Evaluation vs. Research
Program evaluation focuses on decisions. Research focuses on answering questions about phenomena to discover new knowledge and test theories or hypotheses. The aim of research is truth, and the aim of evaluation is action. There are several ways to show that a good program evaluation is similar to good research:
Program evaluation is a systematic process of looking for ways that an action might affect an outcome. In research, we call the action as the independent variable (IV) and the effect or outcome as the dependent variable (DV). In program evaluation, the program is the IV and the behaviors, attitudes, skills, and performance that we are targeting for change are the DVs.
We need good operational definitions of what is being done in the program (IV) and what the specific effects or outcomes are that we will be observing (DVs).
We need to use techniques and instruments for measurement of the DVs that are reliable and valid.
We need to try to evaluate the probable effect of our program (IV) on the DVs in a way that separates it from other activities and factors that might be affecting the DVs. This will allow us to evaluate the specific contributions that come from our program.
