THE ROLE OF EVALUATION IN PROGRAM ADMINISTRATION

This study examines the role of program evaluation employing case study analyses of an education program funded by an American organization for Tanzania and Liberia. The Practical Program for Professors (PPP) was designed to enhance the substantive academic and pedagogical skills of teachers, administrators, and students in the fields of English or language arts, science, and mathematics. Formative or preliminary evaluations and overall or final evaluations of programs' operations and/or modes of implementation--that is, program administration--were conducted by the American donor organization, the American universities implementing the projects, and African host education organizations. The evaluations attempted to discern those features of program evaluation which assisted program administration or implementation, development, and planning. This study employs qualitative or naturalistic methods to describe and examine the methodologies of the evaluations; to determine and report the evaluation findings; to examine how the findings and evaluation reports were disseminated; and to ascertain how the evaluations were utilized. A major finding is that the evaluations were used for decision making, particularly for program modifications or alterations, administrative and management procedures, and planning. The final aspect of this study concentrates on an "evaluation of the evaluations" in relation to the missions and goals of the American agency, the African organizations, and the American universities. This evaluation of the evaluations portrays several shortcomings of the evaluation methodologies and reports. The failure to address the administrative, planning, or educational needs of the several groups--in relation to their overall purposes or missions--was a major shortcoming of the several evaluations. The study concludes with a critical discussion of the several evaluations and presents and elucidates policy recommendations which should strengthen program administration and evaluation design, methodology, and utilization.