Developmental Evaluation for Understanding Innovations in Teacher Professional Development Programs

• In Event: Evaluations of Professional Development Programs: From Design to Implementation

Abstract

The paper shares theoretical and practical implications from a program evaluation of an innovation in teacher professional development. The lessons learned for similar studies are discussed utilizing the Program Evaluation Standards as criteria for meta-evaluation. The paper describes the program, the evaluation design and findings, and asserts the emergent use of a developmental evaluation approach more appropriately served the needs and goals of this innovative program. The original evaluation design was outcomes-based, but did not yield high data quality and affected interpretation integrity and validity. By year three, the developmental evaluation approach facilitated more useful evaluation findings demonstrated through the utilization of findings and recommendations.

Author

• Juna Z. Snow, University of California - Berkeley