The Runaway and Homeless Youth Project

The following link is not a traditional program evaluation. This link provides the plan for a program for runaway youth. In the plan, it includes ideas about program evaluation. In addition, you will find some of the specific points that should be included in a logic model. I thought it would be a good idea for you guys to see the actual planning of a program that is going to need to be evaluated. Take a look at the link and tell me, with a critical eye, what you think.

Cost Benefit Analysis of Substance Abuse Treatment

The Journal of Mental Health Policy and Analysis published an article in 1998 entitled, "Cost Benefits of Substance Abuse Treatment: An Overview of Results from Alcohol and Drug Abuse. This study is a review of results from several studies which examines the cost benefits that were experienced, or not experienced, in health care settings after the inclusion of substance abuse treatment services. Review the article, and critically comment on the results, the method of evaluation, and the author's comments on both.

Presidential Debate Number 3 . . . Better Late Than Never

Some of you are involved in a Social Work policy class that is requiring you to watch the third presidential debate. Therefore, we have decided to incorporate that activity into our evaluation research class. What I want you to do is to evaluate the process of the debate. Start with the moderator and how they say the questions are developed . . . how did the moderator address each candidate . . . did the moderator, in fact, moderate or control the debate. Did the candidates respond respectfully or talk over each other. I want you to evaluate the process of what you watched, and perhaps suggest ways you would improve upon the process . . . what would you take out . . . what would you add . . .

P.S. Try not to talk about your own personal politics here, just focus on the process of the debate.

Hooray, they re-enabled the coding!

Making Evaluation Meaningful to Stakeholders

In 2002, Western Michigan University released a checklist meant to assist in making evaluation meaningful to education stakeholders. The checklist establishes three major areas of interest to make these evaluation meaningful to wide range of stakeholders: 1) Assessing the customer base, 2) Formatting the evaluation report, and 3) Disseminating the information and educating the stakeholders. Click the link to read through the checklist. Do you think this type of a checklist would be useful in social work agencies? Let me know what you think.

Making Evaluation Meaningful to all Education Stakeholders