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EVAL 6000: Foundations of Evaluation

This presentation, led by Dr. Chris L. Coryn and Kristin A. Hobson in Fall 2011, explores the foundational theories in evaluation, emphasizing Donald T. Campbell's contributions. It delves into Campbell's views on the role of evaluators, the importance of a scientific approach, and the interplay between societal needs and political behavior. The session covers his major theories, including social programming, knowledge construction, and valuation in the context of democratic processes. Engage in a comprehensive discussion about the advancements in evaluation methods inspired by Campbell's work.

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EVAL 6000: Foundations of Evaluation

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  1. EVAL 6000: Foundations of Evaluation Dr. Chris L. S. Coryn Kristin A. Hobson Fall 2011

  2. Agenda • Stage One theories • Donald T. Campbell • Questions and discussion • Encyclopedia of Evaluation entries

  3. “We would improve program evaluation if we were alert to opportunities to move closer to the experimental model” — Donald T. Campbell

  4. Biographical Sketch • Born in 1917, died in 1996 • Ph.D. in Psychology, University of California, Berkeley • Author or more than 235 publications • Recipient of numerous honorary degrees, awards, and prizes • Intellectual work included psychological theory, methods, sociology of science, and epistemology

  5. Campbell’s View of Evaluation • Evaluation should be a part of a rational society in which decisions depend on the results of rigorous tests of bold attempts to improve social problems • Evaluators should play a servant-methodologist role rather than an advisory role commensurate with democratic values

  6. Campbell’s Influence • Lionized as the father of scientific evaluation • Developed and legitimated scientific methods of evaluation • The utopian view of an ‘experimenting society’

  7. Campbell’s Major Contributions • Evolutionary epistemology • Validity theory and threats to validity • Experimental and quasi-experimental methods • Open, mutually reinforcing but critical commentary on knowledge claims (a disputatious community of truth seekers)

  8. Campbell’s Theory of Social Programming • Three worlds • The current world: Client needs are not the driving force behind political and administrative behavior • The current world as it can be marginally modified: Improvement through demonstrations • The utopian world: Critical reality checks and the experimenting society

  9. Campbell’s Theory of Knowledge Construction • Grounded in epistemological relativism (knowledge is impossible without active knowers) • Never knowing what is true and imperfectly knowing what is false • Evolutionary theory of knowledge growth • Not all methods yield equally strong inferences

  10. Campbell’s Theory of Valuing • Valuing should be left to the political process, not researchers (descriptive valuing) • Evaluators are not the arrogant guardians of truth • Multidimensional measurement that is inclusive of democratic values

  11. Campbell’s Theory of Knowledge Use • Use is the concern of the political process, not evaluators • Evaluations are only worth using if they have withstood the most rigorous tests • Most concerned with misuse • Methodological biases • Control of content or dissemination

  12. Campbell’s Theory of Evaluation Practice • Application of experimental design to answer summative questions • Priority given to internal validity • Theoretical explanation is best left to basic researchers • Evaluation resources should be focused on pilot and demonstration projects

  13. Encyclopedia Entries • Bias • Causation • Checklists • Chelimsky, Eleanor • Conflict of Interest • Countenance Model of Evaluation • Critical Theory Evaluation • Effectiveness • Efficiency • Empiricism • Independence • Evaluability Assessment • Evaluation Use • Fournier, Deborah • Positivism • Relativism • Responsive evaluation • Stake, Robert • Thick Description • Utilization of Evaluation • Weiss, Carol • Wholey, Joseph

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