Scholar Practitioners as Program Evaluators
The main goal of program evaluations is to improve and help programs succeed. For the content of this course, EDDD 8084, it will help me understand why program evaluations are important, the implementation of program evaluation and effective practice of program evaluation. The Head Start/Early Head Start Director, Michelle Zapata, mentioned that data collected from evaluation is used to create plans, set goals and objectives, and enforce policies and procedures to serve the families and children (Administration for Children and Families, 2018). This helps me create an understanding of the importance of program evaluation and how I can help families understand how they can help us improve services through program evaluation. My question and or concern is for effective practice of program evaluation. How can I help families understand and honestly complete program evaluation? How does relationship with families affect the program evaluation results? And with my busy schedule how can I effectively and efficiently implement program evaluation?
Programs depend on evaluation to improve quality (Laureate Education, 2016a). Gaining knowledge regarding implementing program evaluation can impact the quality of the service I provide. “Some of the outcomes include more parent involvement; parents better understand the quality of the services that their child is receiving in care” (Laureate Education, 2016a). The lack of parents understanding the quality of service does not help with the improvement in quality. Through this course I hope to gain more understanding regarding program evaluation and how I can get parents to be more involved and to understand the importance of program quality. I am looking forward to a very resourceful course and to improve the program evaluation at my current work to help our program improve through reliable and honest results of program evaluation.
Reference
Administration for Children and Families. (2018). Voices from the field: Plan to succeed - developing and sustaining. Retrieved from https://eclkc.ohs.acf.hhs.gov/video/voices-field-plan-succeed-developing-sustaining
Laureate Education (Producer). (2016a). NAYEC accreditation [Audio file]. Baltimore, MD: Author.
