Program evaluation is the process of collecting data to determine the effectiveness of a program and make decisions about its future. It can be used to demonstrate a program's effectiveness and request additional funding. Benefits include self-understanding, accountability, credibility, and accreditation. Evaluation research uses methods like surveys, pre-post testing, focus groups and case studies to provide empirical findings that strengthen programs. Accreditation agencies also conduct external evaluations using standards to ensure quality and integrity.

1. Chapter 30
Program Evaluation

2. Program Evaluation
• Definition
• Purpose
• Benefits
• Evaluation Research
• Conclusion

3. Program Evaluation
• Academic institutions and healthcare facilities
are required to be accountable to their
stakeholders and can no longer only be judged
by reputation and resources.
• The public wants measurable outcomes of
their work
– Licensure pass rates
– Mortality and morbidity rates

4. Definition
• The process of collecting data to
determine the effectiveness of a selected
program and to make decisions.
• Emphasis on systematic methods in
collecting data to include process and
outcome evaluations

5. Purpose
• May be comprehensive or directed at specific
aspects of a program.
• Includes effectiveness, accreditation,
outcomes, impact, cost/benefit analysis, needs
assessment, and research to provide empirical
support
• Can be used to demonstrate program
effectiveness if the program has been funded
and may be used to request additional funding

6. Purpose
• Inexpensive methods to collect information for
a program evaluation include questionnaires,
surveys, and checklists, which can be
anonymous and provide a large amount of
data.
• Interviews can elicit more information, focus
groups can be helpful but a skilled moderator
is needed.

7. Benefits
• The members of the program benefit by
gaining self-understanding and self-
accountability and provide a way to show the
accomplishments of the program.
• Credibility & visibility
• Strategic planning & Funding requests

8. Benefits
• Accreditation Model
– An accreditation agency for a profession will
develop standards, guidelines, and
requirements that the program will need to
meet to achieve accreditation for a
undergraduate and graduate programs in a
specific profession.

9. Benefits
• Accreditation Model
– E.g. CCNE – Commission on Collegiate
Nursing Education
– Developed to ensure the quality and
integrity of baccalaureate, graduate, and
residency programs in nursing and serves
the public interest by assessing and
identifying programs that engage in
effective educational practices.
– Nongovernmental peer review process

10. Benefits
• Accreditation Model
– CCNE
– Educational organization applies for initial
accreditation of existing and new programs
– Onsite visit
– Provide a nursing program the opportunity
to conduct its own program evaluation
using the CCNE’s four standards and key
elements of each standard.

11. Benefits
• Accreditation Model
– CCNE
– Standards I– III relate to program quality of
its mission and governance, institutional
commitment and resources, and curriculum
and teaching–learning practices;
– Standard IV is focused on program
effectiveness with aggregate student and
faculty outcomes

12. Benefits
• Accreditation Model
– CCNE
– Many aspects of a quality nursing program
are addressed in the CCNE accreditation
review process, such as mission, goals,
student and faculty expectations and
outcomes, student and faculty governance,
institution support and resources,
curriculum and teaching–learning practices,
and program effectiveness based on
aggregate data.

13. Evaluative Research
• Evaluation research provides empirical
findings that can strengthen the value of
selected programs and determine how
they are working.
• Can focus on the entire program or
certain aspects of a program.

14. Evaluative Research
• Survey
• Pretest-Posttest Design
• Focus Groups
• Case Studies

15. Evaluative Research
• Survey
– a common method used in social science
research to collect data
– Advantages - flexibility, broad scope, and
ability to focus on diverse topics
– Can be used to obtain data in personal
interviews, questionnaires, and telephone
interviews.

16. Evaluative Research
• Pretest-Posttest Design
– involves the collection of data prior to an
intervention and then again after the
intervention
– researchers can determine which changes
occurred and see if any statistical
significance was found in a quantitative
study

17. Evaluative Research
• Focus Groups
– Held to obtain perceptions about an area of
interest
– Usu. includes 4-12 participants
– Enables a researcher to take advantage of
the participants’ discussion to collect more
in-depth data

18. Evaluative Research
• Case Studies
– In-depth descriptions of selected
phenomena including an individual, group,
or social unit.
– Data collection may relate to a present state
or other factors related to the study of
interest

19. Conclusion
• Using data from program evaluations can be
useful in better understanding a program, and
it can provide insights into necessary changes
for improvement.
• Research evaluations provide empirical data to
support needed changes in specified programs.