8 Smooth Steps to Evaluating Staff Development Programs | Esther B. Coleman and Joellen Killion
Program Description
This program will ensure that staff developers, and all persons responsible for the development and implementation of staff development programs in schools, are able to meet expectations associated with The National Staff Development Council standards, Virginia standards, and the federal No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) that promote rigorous evaluation of professional learning programs. With more emphasis on accountability, staff developers must explore and understand ways to evaluate their programs and to link staff development to student learning. This program will help them do that effectively.
Particular emphasis will be placed upon the following phases and steps within those phases:
Planning phase
- Assess evaluability.
Determine whether the staff development program is ready to be evaluated.
- Formulate evaluation questions. Design formative and summative evaluation questions.
- Construct evaluation framework.
Determine the evidence needed to answer the evaluation questions, the data sources, the data collection methodology, logistics of data collection, and the data analysis methods.
Conducting phase
- Collect data. Manage data collection process and collected data.
- Organize and analyze data.
Organize, analyze, and display data.
- Interpret data.
Interpret data to determine merit, worth, and/or impact and to make recommendations for improvement.
Reporting phase
- Disseminate findings.
Identify audiences to receive findings, the most appropriate format for communicating findings to each, and disseminate findings.
- Evaluate the evaluation.
Reflect on the evaluation process, the knowledge and skills of the evaluation team, the resources and methodologies used, and the findings to improve future evaluations.
All programs are developed based on a theory of change and a professional development logic model in accordance with standards and principles of the National Staff Development Council - NSDC.
Virginia Standard(s) Addressed
Planning & Assessment (ISLLC standard 3)
Instructional Leadership (ISLLC standard 1)
Safety & Organizational Management for Learning (ISLLC standards 2 & 3)
Communication & Community Relations (ISLLC standard 4)
Professionalism (ISLLC standards 5& 6)
Program Goals and Objectives
By the end of this program, participants will demonstrate the ability to evaluate the effectiveness of their staff development programs and demonstrate the impact on student achievement - in effect, they will be able to show evidence of professional learning's ability to improve student learning.
Program Format
Instructional Strategies will include the following:
- Engagement in a participant-centered approach to learning and transformation emphasizing the importance of individual change as a precursor and foundation for larger organizational and community change
- Utilization of clear and detailed training materials to implement the workshop strategies as part of their follow-up activities
- Participation in follow-up electronic dialogue with facilitators and other participants
- Completion of follow-up assignments to include developing evaluation frameworks
Target Audience
School- and division-level administrators, school staff, parents, community members, school volunteers.
Self-Selection and/or Identification Through School Division
Yes/yes.
Duration of Program
Tailored to the needs - This training is best delivered in a series of sessions spanning one semester or longer with follow-up assignments in between sessions.
Outcomes Measured
Measurement of outcomes will focus upon the program goal transformed into outcomes and will answer the following evaluation question within an NSDC evaluation framework:
- Are participants able to demonstrate the ability to evaluate the effectiveness of their staff development programs and demonstrate its impact on student achievement?
- Are participants able to assess evaluability?
- Are participants able to formulate evaluation questions?
- Are participants able to construct evaluation framework?
- Are participants able to collect data?
- Are participants able to organize and analyze data?
- Are participants able to interpret data?
- Are participants able to disseminate findings?
- Are participants able to evaluate the evaluation?
Program Evaluation
The evaluation process is ongoing and will include multiple sources of information.
Program evaluation is centered upon participants' growth in the following areas (the evaluation framework is developed in accordance with standards and principles of the National Staff Development Council - NSDC):
- Knowledge
- Attitudes
- Skills
- Aspirations
- Behaviors
Contact Information
Esther Coleman
Educational Consultant
2304 N. Main Street
South Boston, Virginia, 23452
Phone Numbers: 919-932-7711 Office | 561-707-6094 Cell
ebellcole@aol.com