Confirmative Evaluation : Practical Strategies for Valuing Continuous Improvement

by Joan C. Dessinger (Wayne State University); James L. Moseley (The Lake Group)

• ISBN13: 9780787965006
• ISBN10: 0787965006
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2003-12-01
• Publisher: Pfeiffer

Summary

This much-needed book offers trainers, consultants, evaluation professionals, and human resource executives and practitioners a hands-on resource for understanding and applying the proven principles of confirmative evaluation. Confirmative evaluation is a marriage of evaluation and continuous improvement. Unlike other types of evaluation¾which are used during the design of a learning program or applied immediately after conducting a program¾confirmative evaluation follows several months after the program is implemented. It tests the endurance of outcomes, the return on investment, and establishes the effectivenss, efficiency, impact, and value of the training over time.

Author Biography

<b>Joan Conway Dessinger</b> is founder of and senior consultant with The Lake Group, a performance improvement consulting firm.&#160; She is the coauthor of two books with James L. Moseley and Darlene Van Tiem. The books won the 2001 and 2003 Award for Excellence in Instructional Communication from the International Society for Performance Improvement. She is also a contributor to <i>Distance Training</i> and <i>Sustaining Distance Training,</i> both from Jossey-Bass. <p> <b>James L. Moseley</b> is an associate professor of community medicine at Wayne State University and is also on the faculty of the College of Education, in the instructional technology department. He has won numerous awards for teaching and mentoring and frequently consults with business and industry on program evaluation and needs assessment.

Table of Contents

List of Figures, Tables, and Performance Support Tools.

Acknowledgments.

Introduction: Getting the Most from This Resource.

PART 1: The Challenge.

Chapter 1: Full-Scope Evaluation: Raising the Bar.

Evaluation: The Full Scope.

Comparing the Four Types of Evaluation.

Evaluation: Full-Scope Model.

Challenges to Full-Scope Evaluation.

Chapter 2: Confirmative Evaluation: A Model Guides the Way.

Confirmative Evaluation Model.

Challenges to Implementing Confirmative Evaluation.

Why Bother?

PART 2: Meeting the Challenge.

Chapter 3: Preplan: Assess Training Program Evaluability.

When to Plan Confirmative Evaluation.

How to Plan a Confirmative Evaluation.

Assess Evaluability.

Challenges to Evaluability Assessment.

Chapter 4: Plan: The Plan’s the Thing.

What’s in a Confirmative Evaluation Plan?

Review, Validate, and Approve the Plan.

Chapter 5: Do: For Goodness’ Sake.

Jump-Start Data Collection.

Focus Data Collection.

Collect the Data.

Train the Data Collectors.

Store the Data.

Manage the Data-Collection Process.

Chapter 6: Analyze: Everything Old Is New Again.

Get Ready, Get Set.

Prepare the Confirmative Evaluation Data.

Now Analyze.

Interpret Confirmative Evaluation Results.

Make Results-Based Recommendations.

Report Confirmative Evaluation Results.

Chapter 7: Improve: Now What?

Focus on Utilization.

Assume the Role.

Accept the Challenge.

Alignment: The Last Word.

PART 3: Lessons from Oz.

Chapter 8: Case Study: Lions and Tigers and Bears, Oh My!

The Case Study.

Meta Evaluation.

Final Thoughts.

Chapter 9: Conclusion: We’re Not in Oz Anymore.

Issues That Challenge Confirmative Evaluators.

Evaluation as an Emerging Discipline.

Improving the Process.

Put Yourself in the Picture.

Glossary.

References.

Index.

About the Authors.

About the Series Editors.

About the Advisory Board Members.