8 Smooth Steps

Author: Killion, J.
Publisher: National Staff Development Council (NSDC)
Publication Date: 2003, Fall
Journal: Journal of Staff Development
Journal Volume: 24(4)
Full text available online at: http://www.nsdc.org/library/publications/jsd/JKillion244.pdf

Abstract (written by WestEd)

The National Staff Development Council (NSDC), as well as the No Child Left Behind Act and many individual states, calls for evaluation of professional development. The director of NSDC presents an eight-step method for evaluating professional development programs.

    PLANNING PHASE
  1. Assess evaluability
  2. Formulate evaluation questions
  3. Construct evaluation framework

    CONDUCTING PHASE
  4. Collect data
  5. Organize and analyze data
  6. Interpret data

    REPORTING PHASE
  7. Disseminate findings
  8. Evaluate the evaluation
The bulk of the article focuses on step 1, assessing evaluability, and addresses how to set goals around evaluation, define standards and indicators of success, develop or identify a theory of change, and create a logic model. A logic model, a type of action plan, contains inputs, activities, and outcomes (initial, intermediate, and intended) that will accomplish the goal(s) of the professional development.

The article concludes with tools for evaluating professional development programs.

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