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Program Evaluation

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International Handbook of Research in Medical Education

Part of the book series: Springer International Handbooks of Education ((SIHE,volume 7))

Summary

Program evaluation provides a set of procedures and tools that can be employed to provide useful information about medical school programs and their components to decision-makers. This chapter begins with contemporary views of program evaluation. It describes the various proposals of evaluation and the areas of decision-making that they can inform. Logic models are introduced as a tool to facilitate evaluation activities. The importance of including stakeholders in planning an evaluation and in clarifying the evaluation questions and goals is stressed. Evaluation requires careful planning, as this activity is always somewhat political in nature. Inadequate attention to planning may lead to questionable information and to poor uptake of results. A series of basic issues that must be considered in developing an evaluation strategy for medical education programs is described and illustrated with examples from recent program evaluation activities in undergraduate medical education. Recommendations are made about how we can continue to improve evaluation activities including some guidelines for those who wish to evaluate medical education programs.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. McMaster University, USA

    Christel A. Woodward

Authors
  1. Christel A. Woodward
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. McMaster University, Canada

    Geoff R. Norman

  2. University of Maastricht, The Netherlands

    Cees P. M. van der Vleuten  & Diana H. J. M. Dolmans  & 

  3. University of Sheffield, UK

    David I. Newble

  4. Dalhousie University, Canada

    Karen V. Mann

  5. University of Toronto, Canada

    Arthur Rothman

  6. CurryCorp, Canada

    Lynn Curry

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© 2002 Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht

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Woodward, C.A. (2002). Program Evaluation. In: Norman, G.R., et al. International Handbook of Research in Medical Education. Springer International Handbooks of Education, vol 7. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-010-0462-6_5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-010-0462-6_5

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  • Online ISBN: 978-94-010-0462-6

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