Program+Eval+Terminology

B
Black-box--see Theory-driven versus black-box debates

Fear Builders--Actions on the part of the evaluator or evaluation team that cause stakeholders to fear evaluation.

G
Goal-free Evaluation--Scriven's term--where people ask--without reference to existing goals and objectives--"What really happened here?" in order to reveal unexpected results and consequences. This is a very powerful approach, since it frees the evaluators from being limited to pre-existing purposes and intents.

Ideal Vision--the aim of Mega Planning, a situation where educational programs are an integrated and efficient means to reaching valid societal ends--societal ends that we agree on, not those that are imposed arbitrarily by one group or another. The value in evaluation stems from a societal view of right and wrong actions as they relate to an Ideal Vision.

An Ideal Vision BASIC IDEAL Vision: The world we want to help create for tomorrow's child.

There will be no losses of life nor elimination or reduction of levels of well-being, survival, self-sufficiency, quality of life, from any source including (but not limited to):

war and/or riot unintended human-caused changes to the environment including permanent destruction of the environment and/or rendering it non-renewable murder, rape, or crimes of violence, robbery, or destruction to property substance abuse disease pollution starvation and/or malnutrition destructive behavior (including child, partner, spouse, self, elder, others) accidents, including transportation, home, and business/workplace discrimination based on irrelevant variables, including color, race, age, creed, gender, religion, wealth, national origin, or location

Poverty will not exist, and every woman and man will earn as much as it costs them to live unless they are progressing toward being self-sufficient and self-reliant. No adult will be under the care, custody, or control of another person, agency, or substance: all adult citizens will be self-sufficient and self-reliant as minimally indicated by their consumption being equal to or less than their production.

Mega--a view of society based on consensus and agreement on how we see and interact with the world. It allows us to achieve the Ideal Vision. It is a focus on things we can agree are good and desirable. It avoids the peripheral areas of discordant beliefs that can sidetrack both evaluators and the program actions that lead to societal well-being. It is based on common sense that we all use in our daily lives. In fact, most people around the globe use it for their families and themselves to make daily decisions about their lives and well-being.

For example, here are some guiding principles of Mega thinking, planning, and evaluating:

1. Every time I deal with others, I expect them to treat me the way I treat them. I commit to do no physical, psychological, or financial harm and expect others to do the same. 2. When I do business with anyone--fly on an airline, eat in a restaurant, drive in a car, go to the dentist and physician, buy items in a supermarket or pharmacy--I expect the to put my health, safety, and well-being as the first thing on their "to do" list. No exceptions. I do the same in everything that I use, do, and deliver. 3. If you agree with the above, then you are "acting Mega."

When you think and act Mega, you commit to add value--real measurable value--to those you deal with as well as to our shared society.

Sociologists call being mega the social contract, and it is the basis of much that exists in our shared world: Being Mega-oriented is ethical. Being Mega-oriented is practical. Why would you want to harm others when such harm might in turn be visited upon you?
 * the basic and conventional religions around the world
 * rotary and other social service groups
 * the ten commandments

Short-term thinking is long-term failure. Mega does not mean superimposing your (or anyone else's) values or procedures on others. It is what is agreed upon by all social partners. And Mega is not code for "really big" or "really important." Mega means adding measurable value to all, including society. Mega-planning--an outside-in, shared view of societal well-being whose aim is Ideal Vision.

O
Outcomes--along with Outputs, one of the primary foci of the Results phase

Outputs--along with Oucomes, one of the primary foci of the Results phase

Process--

Products--

Stakeholders--Partners in educational accomplishment, and may include learners, teachers, parents, administrators, educational staff, future employers, and the community (society) in which we live. The stakeholders we invite to join us should be representative of the communities we serve. jThey should be seen as a sample of everyone in the educational service area, and they should be seen by their peers as appropriate and reprensenting them. A vital challenge is to keep the stakeholders focused on results and consequences, not on means, activities, resources, or politics.

Taproot-- a primary root that grows vertically downward and gives off small lateral roots; the central element or position in a line of growth or development

"This firmly established the discipline as a //taproot// for conducting evaluation studies...."

Theory-driven versus black-box debates--

Trust Builders--Behavior on the part of the evaluator or evaluation team that builds trust among stakeholders.