Abstract
The critical challenges of constructing the program evaluation are the necessity to conduct the effective needs assessment, the necessity to identify the program evaluation objectives clearly, the necessity to conduct the in-depth interviews, and the necessity to conclude about the program’s effectiveness with references to the evaluation procedure. The evaluation of the Breaking Barriers program is connected with such issues as the question of the program’s design, the appropriateness of the program’s realization, and the evaluation of the program’s expected outcomes.
Critical Challenges of Constructing the Program Evaluation
The process of constructing the program evaluation can be discussed as rather challenging and full of controversial aspects associated with the public program’s design and implementation. Thus, the program evaluation process consists of such stages as the survey stage, the program evaluation planning stage, the fieldwork stage, and the stage of analysis; and the completion of each stage can be considered as challenging because of the social program’s certain elements.
While referring to the example of the Breaking Barriers program, it is possible to identify such critical challenges of constructing the program evaluation as the necessity to conduct the effective needs assessment, the necessity to identify the program evaluation objectives clearly, the necessity to conduct the in-depth interviews, and the necessity to conclude about the program’s effectiveness with references to the evaluation procedure. However, such action research strategies as the Action Research Inquiry Cycle can address the mentioned issues and contribute to overcoming these concerns.
The first challenge is associated with the survey stage of the program evaluation process during which it is necessary to conduct the effective needs assessment. Focusing on the Breaking Barriers program, it is necessary to conduct the needs assessment while interviewing the female representatives of the African American community. The discussed community is rather large and diverse to be examined successfully. However, using the Action Research Inquiry Cycle, it is possible to research the question carefully and to determine the range of females which should be asked in order to complete the needs assessment effectively (Greenwood & Levin, 2007, p. 112).
The second challenge associated with the process of the program evaluation is the necessity to identify the objectives of the program evaluation. On the one hand, it is the main step of the process. On the other hand, the effectiveness of the evaluation depends on the effectiveness of the objectives (Rossi, 2003b, p. 38-39). The Breaking Barriers program is oriented to support the African American female scientists and other women interested in science and taking the active social position.
Thus, the main program evaluation objective should be associated with the necessity to determine the role of the program in affecting the females’ decision to start and continue their scientific careers within the community. Nevertheless, the minor objectives should be also indentified clearly, and the focus on the action research can contribute to solving this problem.
The actual process of evaluation is connected with such a challenge as the necessity to conduct in-depth interviews to understand the program’s aspects and functioning. To address this challenge, it is necessary to refer to the action research strategy and to research the information on the program’s speakers and active participants to design the effective interviews in order to collect the necessary information (Stringer, 2013, p. 23-24).
The next challenge is observed at the final stage of the program evaluation when it is necessary to analyze the statistical data and to decide about the program’s effectiveness. Referring to the Breaking Barriers program, it is rather difficult to conclude about the program’s results at this stage of implementation. However, the reference to the Action Research Inquiry Cycle is important to evaluate the expected outcomes and the program’s role for the community (Stringer & Dwyer, 2007, p. 53).
Thus, to overcome the challenges connected with constructing the program evaluation, it is necessary to refer to the strategies used during the completion of all the stages presented in the Action Research Inquiry Cycle.
The Issues Associated with the Public Program
To evaluate the public program effectively, it is necessary to focus on conducting the needs assessment in order to state the program’s appropriateness for addressing the community’s issues at this stage of the community’s development; to focus on the program’s design; to concentrate on the aspects of the program’s implementation; to examine the program’s impact and efficiency; and to conclude about the program’s costs and expenses. The above-mentioned processes can be discussed as the issues which should be resolved in relation to each concrete public program. The evaluation of the Breaking Barriers program is connected with such issues as the question of the program’s design, the appropriateness of the program’s realization, and the evaluation of the program’s expected outcomes.
The first issue is the effectiveness of the program’s design. The organization of the program plays the important role in contributing to the program’s effectiveness. The Breaking Barriers program is designed as the series of meetings with the female scientists. Thus, to evaluate the design’s effectiveness, it is necessary to ask such questions: What audience and clientele are addressed? How can program work with the clientele? How can program organize the provision of services? Referring to the Breaking Barriers program, these questions can serve to evaluate the program’s design in relation to the program’s objectives.
The appropriateness of the program’s realization is the second important issue because much attention should be paid to evaluating how the program uses its resources in order to complete the goals. The Breaking Barriers program is designed to inspire African American women to develop their scientific careers and to cope with social stereotypes. That is why, the questions which can be asked during the evaluation of the program’s services are the following ones: Is the target audience of the program addressed?
Are the services delivered effectively? Is the audience satisfied with the offered services? The goal of the program is to make the society look at the female scientists within the African American community from the other point, and the proposed services should address this task (Rossi, 2003a, p. 77-78). Thus, the mentioned questions should be asked to conclude about the program’s administration.
The next issue is the evaluation of the program’s expected outcomes. It is rather difficult to evaluate the short-term and long-term outcomes of the Breaking Barriers program because the conclusions are based only on the analysis of the program’s design and audience’s feedback.
Thus, it is necessary to provide the answers to the set of questions in order to conclude about the public program’s expected impact on the society (Rossi, 2003a, p. 77-78). These questions can be formulated the following way: Do the program’s services affect the target audience positively? Can the program’s goals associated with inspiring the African American females and overcoming the social stereotypes be discussed as achieved? Are there observed positive outcomes? Are the program’s possible side effects addressed?
The discussed issues are important to be analyzed and resolved with the help of the certain questions which are identified by the evaluators. These questions help the evaluators understand the level according to which the program’s objectives are addressed and the goals are completed. To report on the program’s effectiveness, the evaluator should have a lot of data, and the questions help collect the necessary information.
References
Greenwood, D. J., & Levin, M. (2007). Introduction to action research. Thousand Oaks: Sage.
Rossi, P. (2003a). Identifying issues and formulating questions. In P. Rossi (Ed.), Evaluation: A systematic approach (pp. 69-100). USA: SAGE Publications, Inc.
Rossi, P. (2003b). Tailoring evaluations. In P. Rossi (Ed.), Evaluation: A systematic approach (pp. 33-66). USA: SAGE Publications, Inc.
Stringer, E. (2013). Research in professional and public life. In E. T. Stringer (Ed.), Action research (pp. 21-32). USA: SAGE Publications, Inc.
Stringer, E., & Dwyer, R. (2007). Action research in human services. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson.