| Abstract:
Educational programs are not self-contained. They are integrated, complex systems that interact with a larger social, political, and organizational context. If the function of educational evaluation is to make decisions about improvement as well as effectiveness, systems thinking can provide the broader perspective needed to understand the quality of what is going on. In this workshop, participants will learn how to integrate systems thinking and logic modeling to guide evaluation of educational programs. Using a simple systems model and a basic logic model, participants will engage in defining a system, developing a program logic model, and developing a basic evaluation approach that integrates both models in its overall design. Ultimately, it is hoped that participants will come away with new ideas about how to capture critical elements of process, context, and program outcomes in their own evaluation practice.
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