Program Evaluation Purposes Approaches, Read the Giancola (2015) and Peurach, Glazer, & Winchell Lenhoff (2016) articles. Reflect on the purposes and various approaches of program evaluations and those elements that are inherent in any program evaluation. Reminder: The Giancola (2015) resource will serve as an essential guide for the completion of your Course Project. Be sure to read it for your work in this module, and refer to it often as you complete your Course Project. • Consider a program within your specialization area (Early Childhood Education) that is in need of evaluation and change. Review any existing data regarding the program, and think about what the data may be telling you about the effectiveness of the program. • Think about how you would plan for the evaluation of your selected program. What tools might you need to measure its effectiveness? How might you develop a tool of your own to measure not only effectiveness, but also to identify areas for growth? • Using Giancola (2015) as a starting point, research a number of program evaluation tools and approaches. What quality indicators might you use to evaluate your selected program? What criteria will you use to evaluate the program based on those indicators?

Program Evaluation Purposes Approaches

Program evaluations are an important aspect of understanding the effectiveness and impact of a particular program. According to Giancola (2015), there are several key purposes of program evaluations, including assessing the impact and effectiveness of a program, identifying areas for improvement and future development, and providing accountability and transparency to stakeholders. In order to effectively evaluate a program, it is important to identify the appropriate approach and tools to use. Peurachm et al. (2019) discuss various approaches to program evaluation, including experimental, quasi-experimental, and non-experimental designs, as well as mixed methods approaches. In the field of Early Childhood Education, a program in need of evaluation and change might be a pre-kindergarten program aimed at preparing children for success in elementary school. Existing data on the program could include academic assessments, parent and teacher surveys, and observations of student behavior and engagement. In order to plan for the evaluation of this program, it would be necessary to identify the specific goals and objectives of the program, as well as the target population and any potential confounding variables. Tools that might be used to measure the effectiveness of the program could include standardized academic assessments, classroom observations, and surveys of students, parents, and teachers. Cont…