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Programs: A
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The Use of Observation in Program Evaluation.
With the emphasis on empirical data the valuable contribution that observation can make to evaluation is often overlooked. Observation can be a particularly unobtrusive method of collecting information that is less likely to be distorted than that collected through a questionnaire or interview.
This type of data can be collected in a structured and systematic manner through the use of trained observers. In evaluating a guardian ad litem program, for instance, observers in the courtroom could record the type of interaction among the participants.
In addition, observation data may be collected in a systematic manner by the evaluator during participation in project development and routine staff meetings. Notes should be made immediately after these events and a journal kept for later analysis. This form of data is particularly helpful in conducting process evaluation.
A third valuable source of data comes through observing details of the project operation. In the course of interaction, a number of seemingly insignificant details may be important in assessing the program's impact. Consider the evaluation of an education program in a juvenile detention center. If, on a site visit, the evaluator observes that the texts and workbooks are in perfect shape and appear unused he or she may reasonably suspect that the program has not been adequately implemented. While such data are not hard evidence, they can sensitize the evaluator to issues to be further investigated in a more formal manner