THE DEVELOPMENT AND TESTING OF AN EVALUATION MODEL FOR VOCATIONAL PILOT PROGRAMS. FINAL REPORT.

THE OBJECTIVES OF THE PROJECT WERE (1) TO DEVELOP AN EVALUATION MODEL IN THE FORM OF A HOW-TO-DO-IT MANUAL WHICH OUTLINES PROCEDURES FOR OBTAINING IMMEDIATE INFORMATION REGARDING THE DEGREE TO WHICH A PILOT PROGRAM ACHIEVES ITS STATED FINAL OBJECTIVES, (2) TO EVALUATE THIS MODEL BY USING IT TO EVALUATE TWO ONGOING PILOT PROGRAMS, AND (3) TO CONDUCT A CLINIC FOR THE DISSEMINATION OF THIS INFORMATION TO THOSE RESPONSIBLE FOR EVALUATING PILOT PROGRAMS. THE CURRICULUM HIERARCHY FOR THE EVALUATION OF COURSE KNOWLEDGE (CHECK TECHNIQUE) WHICH WAS DEVELOPED IS BASED UPON THE ANALYSIS OF THE FINAL TASK OR OBJECTIVE OF A PROGRAM OR CURRICULUM STATED IN BEHAVIORAL TERMS WITH IDENTIFICATION OF A HIERARCHY OF TASKS AND SUBTASKS PREREQUISITE TO SATISFACTORY PERFORMANCE. A TEST, WRITTEN TO ASSESS LEARNING IN THIS HIERARCHY IS ADMINISTERED TO STUDENTS IN TWO OR MORE PILOT PROGRAMS WITHIN A SPECIFIC CONTENT AREA. BOTH BETWEEN-COURSE AND WITHIN-COURSE COMPARISONS ARE POSSIBLE. THE CHECK TECHNIQUE WAS EVALUATED BY APPLYING IT TO SEVERAL ONGOING COURSES IN DATA PROCESSING AND AGRI-BUSINESS PILOT PROGRAMS. IT WAS ABLE TO DIFFERENTIATE AMONG THE DIFFERENT COURSES ON THE BASIS OF STUDENT PERFORMANCE ON THE FINAL COURSE OBJECTIVES. IT ALSO HAD DIAGNOSTIC VALUES. HOWEVER, SOME REVISION OF THE BEHAVIORAL HIERARCHY WAS NEEDED. THE EVALUATION MODEL WAS EXPLAINED AT A WORKSHOP PRIMARILY FOR STATE DIRECTORS AND SUPERVISORS OF VOCATIONAL PROGRAMS. INCLUDED IN THE APPENDIXES ARE THE MODEL TESTS USED TO EVALUATE PILOT PROGRAMS IN DATA PROCESSING AND AGRIBUSINESS AND THE "MANUAL FOR EVALUATING EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS--THE CHECK TECHNIQUE." THE DOCUMENT ALSO PRESENTS AND DISCUSSES THE SCHEMATIC MODEL FORMS. (MM)