Social Construction of Reality - Bad Request

Appendix F
Electronic Survey
• Place in new data collection sequence: 3
• Survey delivered via email to all stakeholders
• Designed, supported, and delivered via Survey Monkey
• Projected length to complete: 15 minutes
• Open-ended questions
1. During the interviews, the single word every participant said was “effective.” Most
participants believed the chief purpose of program evaluation was to determine whether
the program being studied was “effective.” How would you define “effective?”
(Objectivation)
2. Stakeholder voice and/or input was viewed by participants as the second most significant
factor in program evaluation. Participants identified the need to “bring stakeholders to the
table.” However, the ESOL pilot evaluation surfaced problems (both ideological and
logistical) associated with convening large groups of stakeholders around a table on a
regular basis over the course of an evaluation. What recommendation(s) do you have for
balancing the need for stakeholder input against the problems associated with the routine
scheduling and use of large, lengthy meetings? (Objectivation)
3. Interview transcripts reflect that each member of the Cabinet believes the benefits of
program evaluation include any dollar savings, increased efficiencies or additional
revenue generated. However, participants also made it very clear that it is also important
to take into account qualitative benefits that relate directly to The School District’s
vision, mission, goals—particularly when such benefits are tied directly to students. This
sentiment held true among most participants, despite the fact that often the “cost per unit”
for these qualitative benefits is higher. To what extent should program evaluations be
designed to investigate and put a valuation on a program’s qualitative benefits?
4. Evaluation capacity building has been defined as the “intentional work to continuously
create and sustain overall organizational processes that make quality evaluation and its
use routine.” Should “evaluation capacity building” be an official part of the program
evaluation process? Why or why not?
5. The ESOL program evaluation originally did not take into account the phenomena known
as “evaluation anxiety.” What process(es) or activities do you recommend to lessen
anxiety on the part of the program manager whose program is about to be evaluated?”
6. Please list, in order of priority from your perspective, a few examples of district
PROGRAMS you believe should be evaluated within the next 24 months.
7. Please list, in order of priority from your perspective, a few examples of district
SERVICES that you believe should be evaluated within the next 24 months.
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