The summer evaluation institute has two primary objectives. First and foremost the institute provides instruction in the fundamentals of evaluation. These fundamentals include preparation and use of evaluation standards, careful review and analysis of several evaluation models, and skill development in a variety of evaluation areas. In some instances the methods are directly taught; in others, evaluation skills are employed to exemplify evaluation practices. Second, the institute focuses on developing materials for instructional support and developing evaluation tools.

In 2002 we will use materials development as a structural foundation and setting for the institute, which will begin with an analysis of materials development processes. Participants will be introduced to and analyze models for curriculum development. These analyses will identify key practices and issues in the development of science, mathematics, engineering, and technology (SMET) curricular materials and will prompt discussion and introduction of evaluation practices and issues inherent in any curriculum development efforts. Participants will also be introduced to instructional design and development principles to ensure development of strong materials.

After their introduction to key development and validation practices and issues from the developers' perspectives, participants will then study evaluation practices. The study of evaluation will begin with a focus on standards prepared by the Joint Committee on Standards for Educational Evaluation for program, personnel, and student evaluations. The relationship and relevance of these standards to materials development efforts will be presented and discussed. Instruction on those standards will be followed by instruction on models for evaluation. This instruction will use Stufflebeam's Foundational Models for 21st Century Program Evaluation as a means to introduce and study a cross section of the strongest models among the more than 20 popular models of evaluation.

With this instruction as a backdrop, participant teams will engage in developing and modifying evaluation materials. These development efforts will be expected to model what has been learned about materials development processes and evaluation practices. Each team is expected to draft one or more evaluation artifacts and present both the artifact and clear-cut strategies to effectively evaluate/validate and disseminate the materials for use in SMET education and evaluation situations.

As part of this development program, each team will also serve as an "external" evaluation group for another team. The evaluation will include formative review and feedback on development plans, participation in the institute discussion of the development team's presentation, and a brief follow-up report on the developed product and plan of action by the presenting team.

Concurrent with the materials development efforts, the institute will provide instruction in evaluation methods. Participants will be introduced to and instructed on several topics including evaluation design; evaluation budgeting; checklist, observation, interview, and survey methodology; and methods for evaluation reporting and follow-up. Instruction and discussions of evaluation methodology will focus primarily on educational contexts and settings. This instruction is intended to both increase participants' skills in the targeted areas and facilitate their development of evaluation materials in one or more of these targeted areas. The institute will provide opportunities for participants to interact with the visiting scholars and The Evaluation Center staff.

We expect institute participants to develop and improve their evaluation and materials development skills. We anticipate that the teams will produce strong materials artifacts and move forward to complete and validate their materials after the close of the institute. As an incentive to participants to continue development efforts, following the institute the project is prepared to provide travel support for several persons who present their work and findings at national or regional conferences. Also, up to six participants will be invited to continue development of their evaluation skills by participating in a paid internship program.

Participants complete an anonymous self-analysis of their evaluation skills prior to beginning the institute and again at the close. This self-analysis enables participants to better understand their personal growth and provides an opportunity for the institute staff to measure the institute's contribution to participant knowledge and skill development. Additionally, the Kercher Center for Social Research, directed by Dr. David Hartmann, will conduct an external evaluation of the institute program, interact with and gather data from participants, and provide both formative and summative feedback to participants and the institute staff.

Participants always identify collegial interactions and networking among the most valuable products of the institute. Because the Center's staff play key roles in evaluation-based organizations such as the American Evaluation Association, the Joint Committee on Standards for Educational Evaluation, and the Consortium for Research on Educational Accountability and Teacher Evaluation, institute participants gain insight into and opportunities for involvement in these organizations.

We encourage interested persons to visit the project Web site and/or encourage others to visit the site and consider applying for the institute.