Practical Program Evaluation: Theory-Driven Evaluation and the Integrated Evaluation Perspective

Within his discussion of the various evaluation types, Huey T. Chen details a range of evaluation approaches suitable for use across a program’s life cycle. At the core of program evaluation is its body of concepts, theories, and methods. This revised edition provides an overview of these, and includes expanded coverage of both introductory and more cutting-edge techniques within six new chapters. Illustrated throughout with real-world examples that bring the material to life, the Second Edition provides many new tools to enrich the evaluator’s toolbox. 

New to this edition:

• A new comprehensive evaluation typology in Chapter 2 helps readers systematically identify stakeholders’ needs and select the evaluation options best suited to those needs.
• A new Part V, Advanced Issues in Program Evaluation, includes three new chapters that help readers understand challenging issues and innovative approaches, and enhance their competencies in applying them.
• Coverage of cutting-edge evaluation perspectives and approaches, including the Action Model/Change Model Schema, helps readers think "outside the box."
• New chapters introduce the innovative holistic effectuality approach as an alternative to the traditional experimentation evaluation approach for conducting real-world outcome evaluation and expand the scope of evaluation from effectuality to viability and transferability.
• A new Chapter 14 explores the relative strengths and limitations of formal theories versus stakeholder theories.
• A new Chapter 15 compares two approaches to evaluation and dissemination: the top-down approach versus the bottom-up approach.
• The more complex evaluation theories presented in later chapters are presented in accessible language and illustrated with interesting real-world examples.