Defining Evaluation II

I'm looking forward to reading everyone's thoughts on the definition of evaluation, thoughts on the required reading, and how they might be using these in real life.

"This week’s discussion is around other broad concepts in Evaluation. For example, what does evaluation mean? How to define evaluation? We are also looking at how to make distinctions about different terminology: Needs Assessment, Monitoring, Outcome Studies, Testing, Measurement, and Assessment."

-- Ana-Paula, Welcome to Week 3 Online Discussion

I highlighted pages 7 and 9 of Fitzpatrick, J., Sanders, J. & Worthen, B. (2011). Program Evaluation: Alternative Approaches and Practical Guidelines (4th ed.). They seem to define the word evaluation for the book. The book includes the dictionary definition, a research definition, and a methods-based definition for  evaluators with external stakeholders.

Defining "Evaluation"

Contents

1. Foreword
   • Note to class
   • Ana-Paula Quote
   • Fitzpatrick Book Reference
2. Definitions of 'Evaluation' by Various Resources
   • Google Definition of Evaluation
   • Wikipedia Definition of Evaluation
   • University of North Carolina Greensboro Evaluation Resources
   • Handbook of Human Performance Technology
3. Discussion Questions and Response
   • Question 1. How does Fitzpatrick, Sanders & Worthen (2011) define “evaluation”?
   • Question 1. How does Kirkpatrick (1998) define “evaluation”?
   • Question 1. How does Newby (1992) define “evaluation”?
   • Question 2. What are the differences and similarities in the meanings, contexts and scopes of their definitions?
4. Resources

Audible Enhancements Wish List

Every time anything bad happens to my app or it updates I lose my list of listened to books. With over 800 books, this means I also have a hard time telling which books are all of a sudden missing. It means that I'm not sure which books still need read and I must spend a hour or more figuring it out. I also have multiple tablets, ipad/android, with similar issues.

Book Series Review: Until the End of the World

I'm not typically a fan of horror, zombies, or books that mess with my emotions as broadly as this book did. That being said, all four books in this series where addictive, well written, kept me guessing, and thoroughly had me on edge in one way or another.

The author of Until the End of the World, Sarah Lyons Fleming, has a way with words that is not only unique but makes her one of the better authors I've discovered in 2015. If you choose to listen to this series instead of read it, the Audible version read by Julia Whelan is an excellent choice. She adds to the characters with her tone, pitch, and pauses.

Book Review: Arcadia Falls

This murder mystery is a sad tale that merges real life mysteries from the past with the present. Most of the magical twists and turns are nothing more than personal secrets bottled up like a volcano and presented with beautifully written descriptors.

I enjoyed this short book. It immediately pulled me in and moves along at an even keel. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys romance novels, murder mysteries, or stories about people discovering their genealogy.

Written by: Carol Goodman

Narrated by: Jen Taylor

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Book Review: The Last Testament by David Javerbaum

I began this book like any other, with an open mind and an eagerness to get connected with the narrator and characters. That never happened. I tried to start the book multiple times and just didn't enjoy the narrator or story line. It's a satire on religion that, for me, was hard to listen to. A narrator change might have made a big difference, but who knows. You can't win them all.