Program Evaluation

In an organizational learning context, program evaluation is used to assess the worth of a course or learning program in order to make decisions about its future.

Employing systematic, consultative, fact-based methods, learning program evaluation can be used to reach conclusions about, for instance:

• The success of a particular course in meeting its objectives
• The value of a curriculum to its stakeholders
• An organization’s effectiveness in administering a learning program

All of a learning program’s stakeholders – senior executives, program managers, learners, and others – have much to gain from its periodic evaluation. When a program is found to be effective and well-managed, an evaluation provides reassurance for stakeholders and grounds for continued financial support. When an evaluation identifies areas of weakness and opportunities for improvement, corrective actions can be confidently prescribed.

Learning program evaluators can draw on a wide selection of models and methodologies appropriate to different circumstances. Depending on the client, the purpose of the evaluation, the questions being asked, the stakeholders to be consulted, the stage of program development (e.g. In development? Just implemented? Mature program?), and other factors, an appropriate methodology can be applied.

Program evaluations are always highly collaborative. They require ample input and on-going participation from stakeholders and evaluators alike.

Androcom Can Help

Androcom can support the evaluation of your learning program by:

• Helping you frame evaluation questions
• Recommending an appropriate evaluation methodology
• Developing program standards to be used in making evaluative judgments
• Gathering program information and performance data
• Polling or interviewing stakeholders
• Interpreting results
• Drawing conclusions and helping to chart the way forward