JOURNAL OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS EDUCATION - Naspaa

Public Service Education: Adding Value in the Public InterestTable 1.ContinuedSource/YearFieldModeof DataCollection Inquiry FocusTargetPopulationDataProvidedSullivan &Thomas(2007)PsychologyCase StudySurveyStudentLearningOutcomes/CurriculumQualityMeasuringand demonstratingthat undergraduatecurriculumresults inpositivelearningoutcomes.DepartmentofPsychology— SouthernIllinoisUniversityEdwardsvilleYes,qualitativeand surveyof postgradsn=229Fenwick(2002)Various Survey StudentLearningOutcomesin CareerHow doesa Master’sprogramusingproblembasedlearningdevelopskills?MA —HarringtonUniversity(Canada)Yesn=133n=20(follow upsurvey)Attributing outcomes to education programs is challenging. DonaldKirkpatrick’s four-tier model for evaluating educational outcomes has been thedominant conceptual framework for more than three decades (Kirkpatrick,1959, 1976, 1998). The literature in Table 1 predominately uses Kirkpatrick’swork as a foundation for outcome research. Kirkpatrick’s framework measureseducational outcomes in four stages:1. The students’ perceptions and assessments of program quality, at its conclusion.2. The realized use of knowledge and skills in the workplace at some pointafter program completion.3. Changes in work processes that are the result of students’ learned skillsand knowledge.4. Overall productivity increases in organizations where alumniare employed.Hamblin (1974) has offered a fifth level: ultimate value. Later, Phillips (1997)refined Kirkpatrick’s model, by suggesting the monetary return on investment(ROI) as an additional level.214 Journal of Public Affairs Education