PROGRAM EVALUATION
NEEDS ASSESSMENT

AEE Program Evaluation Workshop, 2ndNovember, 2001

Michael Gass

James Neill

University of New Hampshire

Department of Kinesiology

New Hampshire Hall

124 Main Street

Durham, NH03824

USA

Mike Gass ph: : 603 862 2024; James Neill ph: 603 862 3047

fax: 603 862 0154

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© Copyright “Program Evaluation Needs Assessment” by James Neill & Michael Gass, University of New Hampshire, 2001.
Not to be reproduced without permission of the authors.Contact: or

PROGRAM EVALUATION
NEEDS ASSESSMENT

This needs assessment aims to identify the purpose and type of evaluation your organization requires. This will help your organization clarify its goals for the evaluation and to identify ways in which you can receive effective help and advice from others.

A. PROFILE OF STUDY

In one to two sentences, state what the purpose of your evaluation project is?

Which of the five types of evaluation is your project? (Note: See Priest (2001).

Needs Assessment / Feasibility / Process Evaluation / Outcome Evaluation / Cost Analysis

Are you planning to conduct the study ‘in-house’, collaborate (e.g., with a university or another organization, a consultant), or have the evaluation conducted externally (circle one)?

In-house / Collaborative / External / Unsure / Other

Do you see this project as likely to be a one-off study, series of evaluations, or part of a continuous evaluation process (circle one)?

One-off / Series / Ongoing / Unsure / Other

Has your organization conducted any similar evaluations in the past? If yes, describe.

What client group(s) you are planning to evaluate?

Briefly describe the program you are planning to evaluate and its general aims.

Do you already have an existing evaluation design or evaluation tool in mind? If so, describe your ideas.

Do you have a budget for this evaluation – if so, what is it (roughly)?

How much experience or expertise do you have in conducting evaluations like the one you are currently interested in? (circle one)

1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5
None at all / A little / Some / Quite a lot / Lots & lots

Are you working to a deadline for this evaluation – if so, what is it (roughly)?

What potential difficulties or "roadblocks" are you likely to encounter whilst conducting this evaluation?

B. RESEARCH SUPPORT RESOURCES

Listed below are several types of help you may require for conducting an evaluation. Tick the categories of assistance which your organization may need.

Developing the focus of the evaluation
Accessing relevant evaluation resources such as survey questionnaires
Creating an evaluation procedure
Collecting the data
Analysis of data
Writing the report(s)
Presenting the findings to stakeholders
Implementing recommendations from the report
Other:

C. REPORTING FORMATS

What evaluation reporting formats does your organization want? Rate the possible formats using this scale:

1 / 2 / -
Very desirable / Somewhat desirable / Not important
Rating / Format / Example
Article in general academic journal / Review of Educational Research
Article in experiential education journal / Journal of Experiential Education
Conference presentation – experiential ed. / Association for Experiential Education
Conference presentation – general / Education Conference
Direct, technical report / To clients or funders
Direct, non-technical report / To clients or funders
Executive summary / Highlights, suitable for administrators
Seminar or briefing / In-person presentation to stakeholders
Brief papers / Snapshots of outcomes recommendations
News Releases / Press releases for media distribution
Community Releases / Summaries for parents, teachers, etc.
Popular article / Magazine-style article
Technical report - background, methods, results, findings, recommendations / Complete report - not for external distribution
Student thesis / Masters, PhD
Website report
Other:

OUTCOME PROGRAM EVALUATION

Listed below are several areas which may be considered important outcomes of the program you are investigating. Rate each outcomeaccording to how important it is that the program impacts participants in this area. You can add your own categories.

1 / 2 / 3 / -
Very important / Somewhat important / Little importance / Not important
Rating / Outcome / Rating / Outcome
Academic performance / Openness and flexibility in thinking
Academic motivation / Outdoor skills – general
Academic self-concept / Outdoor skills – specific
Achievement motivation / Outdoor activity participation in the future
Aggression (reduction of) / Peer relations
Assertiveness / Personal organization skills
Corporate productivity / Physical fitness
Civic responsibility / Physical self-concept or body image
Diversity awareness / Psychological distress (reduction of)
Emotional stability or well-being / Self-efficacy
Environmental awareness / Self-esteem and self-confidence
Family well-being / Self-understanding and self-awareness
Gender roles / Stress (reduction of) and relaxation
Independence and maturity / Social skills
Initiative taking / Therapeutic goals
Leadership skills / Teamwork
Moral development / Values and development of moral reasoning

CIRCLEany of the above outcomes which you want included in the evaluation.

PROCESS PROGRAM EVALUATION

Listed below are several program processes which may be considered important foci for your evaluation. Rate each programprocess according to how important it is that the evaluation investigate this part of the program. You can add your own categories.

1 / 2 / 3 / -
Very important / Somewhat important / Little importance / Not important
Rating / Process / Rating / Process
Program length
Program difficulty
Value of individual activities
Sequencing of activities
Location
Group discussions
Group size
Group gender
Participant gender
Participant age
Participant demographic/background
Participant motivation
Instructor hard skills
Instructor/participant rapport
Instructor soft skills
Facilitation style
Organization’s philosophy
Organization’s culture
Weather

CIRCLEany of the above outcomes which you want included in the evaluation.

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© Copyright “Program Evaluation Needs Assessment” by James Neill & Michael Gass, University of New Hampshire, 2001.
Not to be reproduced without permission of the authors.Contact: or