1. Evaluation of Career Planning Services
Chapter 15

2. Why Evaluation Is Important
Determine if participants are reaching the predetermined objectives
Improve services
Provide accountability
Determine whether outcomes are worth expenditures

3. Types of Evaluation
Formative - purpose is to improve an ongoing program
Summative - purpose is to determine whether to retain a program

4. Steps in Planning Evaluation
Decide whether to do formative, summative, or both
Identify the specified attitudes or behaviors to be evaluated
Identify the sources of the evaluation data
Determine how and when to collect data
Determine how the data will be analyzed

5. Stakeholders
A stakeholder is any person or entity who is affected by a program of services.
Stakeholders must be considered when planning evaluation.
Different stakeholders may desire different kinds of feedback (evaluative data).

6. Types of Data
Qualitative - measures the perceived value of the services and the extent to which measurable objectives have been reached - in ways other than numbers
Quantitative - collects and reports numbers

7. Benchmarks for Evaluation
Outcomes must be compared to a desired standard, such as the following:
Goals of individual clients (one-to-one counseling)
Measurable objectives
National Career Development Guidelines
State or local guidelines
Theory

8. Methods of Evaluation Questionnaires Interviews Formal instruments
Follow-up studies

9. Using the Results of Evaluation
To determine if services met the needs of the participants
To improve the services
To provide feedback to stakeholders
To determine if outcomes were worth the expenditures

10. Roadblocks to Evaluation
Staff has fear of negative results and possible consequences.
Guidance services are often non-systematic, not lending themselves to evaluation.
Some counselors believe that their work cannot be quantified and evaluated.
Time is always insufficient, so evaluation is given low priority.