Evaluation:
Faculty: Marvin Alkin, Felipe Martinez

These students are typically interested in learning a variety of research methods with the goal of further developing and applying them towards evaluative settings in education, public policy, and other institutional and organizational settings.

During the first year, students gain a broad understanding of research methods, including a foundation for both quantitative and qualitative methods.  Students can choose to focus on a particular tradition of methods (quantitative or qualitative) or develop competencies in both, equipping them for mixed-methods studies. 

There are two foundational evaluation courses offered: Evaluation Theory and Procedural Problems in Evaluation.  The evaluation theory course explores prevalent evaluation theories, systems for categorizing these theories, and the process of theory development in educational evaluation.  The procedures course includes assessment methodologies appropriate for evaluation problems, writing evaluation proposals, developing program monitoring procedures, selecting appropriate evaluation design strategies, coping with ethical considerations in evaluation, framing the decision context, and reporting evaluation results.  

Students who focus on evaluation can also pursue coursework both in the department of education and in other campus departments such as psychology, sociology, public policy, or statistics.  This work leads to an area of specialization of interest to the student.  Within the school of education, there are also opportunities for students to participate in research and/or evaluation projects.  Research assistant positions are available with both faculty and the Center for the Study of Evaluation (CSE)/the National Center for Research on Evaluation, Standards and Student Testing (CRESST) – a research center on campus.  Then, through the dissertation process students further develop their expertise. 

Evaluation student profiles and dissertation titles:
Christina Christie
What Guides Evaluation? A study of How Evaluation Practice Maps onto Evaluation Theory
Dissertation Chair, Marvin Alkin.