{"title":"Learning from educators: Implementation of a positive behavior support program targeting challenging behavior in children with autism","authors":"","doi":"10.1016/j.evalprogplan.2024.102491","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.evalprogplan.2024.102491","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Challenging behaviors (CB) are a frequent co-occurring problem in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and hinder their response to recommended interventions such as early intensive behavioral intervention (EIBI). The Prevent-Teach-Reinforce for young children (PTR-YC) program was implemented to meet community-based EIBI educators’ training and support needs in managing CB in their day-to-day work with families. Although this positive behavior support program has a strong empirical basis, its implementation by community-based educators has yet to be assessed from a systematic and structured program evaluation perspective. Using Chen’s (2015) theoretical framework for program evaluation, this study assessed the quality of implementation of PTR-YC as perceived by 17 educators who received training and supervision on applying PTR-YC among families of children with ASD receiving EIBI services. Educators’ post-intervention interviews and questionnaires were analyzed using the logical model for program evaluation to identify obstacles and facilitators to the implementation of PTR-YC.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":48046,"journal":{"name":"Evaluation and Program Planning","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.5,"publicationDate":"2024-08-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0149718924000934/pdfft?md5=14c771ae742f7ab8c62e79a103ec3e00&pid=1-s2.0-S0149718924000934-main.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142146594","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Training effectiveness evaluation: Advancing a Kirkpatrick model based composite framework","authors":"","doi":"10.1016/j.evalprogplan.2024.102494","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.evalprogplan.2024.102494","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>The present study aims at ideating a quantitative protocol to evaluate effectiveness of training programmes especially meant for farmers, farm women, and rural youth. The specific objective was to develop a robust framework for measuring the effectiveness of rural training programmes organized by the Farmers Training Centres (FTCs) of India. Kirkpatrick’s training evaluation model provides us the foundation to design a four-dimensional composite framework based on range-based indicator normalization, principal component analysis based indicator weight estimation, and rank correlation based framework sensitivity testing. We used cross-sectional primary data generated through household survey and personal interviews with randomly selected one thousand trainees to test and validate our proposed protocol. Applying it on our evaluation target we find that the degree of effectiveness of the training programmes varies; one in every four training programmes may not be effective. Trainees’ reactions on various aspects of the training programmes may have positive and significant influence on learning. Training outcomes may be linked with the trainees’ post-training changes in behaviour. A sensitivity test confirms that the proposed framework is not susceptible to changes in weighting schemes, implying robustness of indicator selection. The findings offer dissection of individual training programmes guiding policy decisions for a training organization. The proposed framework enriches the Kirkpatrick’s training evaluation model by offering standardized indicators for training effectiveness evaluation.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":48046,"journal":{"name":"Evaluation and Program Planning","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.5,"publicationDate":"2024-08-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142128773","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"How enabling factors determine unmet healthcare needs? A panel data approach for countries","authors":"","doi":"10.1016/j.evalprogplan.2024.102492","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.evalprogplan.2024.102492","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Health service need refers to the essential care required to achieve optimal health outcomes within resource constraints. When necessary services to address identified health issues are not received, unmet needs arise. This research focuses on the determinants of unmet healthcare needs across the 34 countries within the European region from 2011 to 2019, focusing on Andersen's Behavioral Model's enabling factors. We employed a static and robust panel regression model using Stata 14.0 software. Key determinants analyzed include GDP per capita, urbanization rate, and physicians per capita. Findings reveal that lower GDP per capita and lower urbanization rates are significantly correlated with higher levels of unmet healthcare needs, highlighting income level and geographical accessibility as critical factors. Additionally, a higher number of physicians per capita is associated with reduced unmet healthcare needs, indicating the importance of healthcare resources in addressing healthcare access gaps. These findings underscore the importance of targeted healthcare policies that address income level, improve healthcare accessibility, and enhance healthcare resource allocation to reduce unmet healthcare needs effectively. These findings equip policymakers and administrators with empirically grounded insights to comprehend the factors contributing to unmet healthcare needs and to develop policies aimed at addressing this challenge.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":48046,"journal":{"name":"Evaluation and Program Planning","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.5,"publicationDate":"2024-08-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142128772","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Evaluation of the impact of Korea’s employment protection legislation on vocational training discrimination against non-regular workers","authors":"","doi":"10.1016/j.evalprogplan.2024.102493","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.evalprogplan.2024.102493","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>This longitudinal study evaluated the effectiveness of Korea’s 2007 employment protection legislation (EPL), aimed at mitigating labor discrimination against non-regular workers (NRW). Specifically, we use the Korean Workplace Panel Survey data from 2005 to 2013 and adopt a difference-in-difference methodology (DD) to explore whether establishment reduces the gap in training opportunities between NRW and regular workers (RW). Results show that compliance with government regulations depends on how business establishments react to the rules and the characteristics of these stakeholders. Overall, the 2007 reform partially improved the training opportunities in NRW. However, this positive outcome was mostly concentrated in companies with affluent resources or stronger bargaining power of NRW. Policymakers should consider in what context the policy works well and what factors may hinder its operation at the policy design stage.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":48046,"journal":{"name":"Evaluation and Program Planning","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.5,"publicationDate":"2024-08-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142128774","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Evaluation of public private partnerships in highways","authors":"","doi":"10.1016/j.evalprogplan.2024.102490","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.evalprogplan.2024.102490","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>This paper reviews and evaluates four U.S. P3 toll highways, identifying their performance and common challenges. Contrary to the conventional wisdom that federal and state governments should fund highways, this paper argues that users should bear the cost for both efficiency and equity considerations. The shift from government investment and operation of highways to Public-Private Partnerships (P3) was driven by the lack of public funding, more productive competitive business practices, and the government's desire for upfront payments to fund other unrelated public projects. However, these justifiable public benefits were accompanied by significant problems. Highways were often leased for 35 to 75 years, depending on the total equity and loans of the private partner and various risk factors.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":48046,"journal":{"name":"Evaluation and Program Planning","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.5,"publicationDate":"2024-08-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142096644","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Evaluating the performance of Tunisian higher Institutes of Technological Studies (ISETs) using a stochastic frontier analysis","authors":"","doi":"10.1016/j.evalprogplan.2024.102480","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.evalprogplan.2024.102480","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Benefiting from low repetition and dropout rates, as well as their excellent employability rate of their students, the Higher Institutes of Technological Studies (ISETs) have acquired a strategic position in the Tunisian higher education system. This paper aims to use the Stochastic Frontier Analysis (SFA) method to measure the efficiency of Tunisian Higher Institutes of Technological Studies (ISETs) and to determine the factors that cause performance differences. The results indicate that ISETs appear well managed, although some of them warrant a more detailed analysis (below-average efficiency). Also, it was found that the ISETs situated in the most industrialized part of the country, the Central-East, record highest scores of efficiency, while those in the South-East show more homogeneous efficiency. The results underscore the importance of focusing support and improvement efforts on ISETs located in less developed regions or those with lower efficiency levels. Moreover, the negative relationship between the age of institutions and their efficiency suggests that reforms to institutional practices may be necessary for older establishments. Finally, institutes that are located in one of the main cities will not necessarily be more efficient than the others. The findings presented in this paper have targeted and practical implications for the development of the ISET network in Tunisia.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":48046,"journal":{"name":"Evaluation and Program Planning","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.5,"publicationDate":"2024-08-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142087702","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Evaluating the efficiency of online course resource allocation in universities of China","authors":"","doi":"10.1016/j.evalprogplan.2024.102481","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.evalprogplan.2024.102481","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Curriculum is the core element of talent cultivation in universities, and its quality directly determines that of the talent cultivation. However, the efficiency of online course resource allocation in universities of China is unacceptable, and the corresponding driving mechanisms are unclear. Based on the data of iCourses platform for a top university (H University) of China, this paper develops the DEA-Malmquist index and Tobit regression model to evaluate the efficiency of university online course resource allocation and explore its main influencing factors. The empirical results indicate that, first of all, humanities and social sciences outperform natural sciences in the resource allocation efficiency of online courses. Compared with non-national premium online courses, the resource investment redundancy of national premium online courses appears relatively lower. Secondly, from the perspective of temporal changes, the total factor productivity of online course resource allocation generally has a downward trend. The innovation effect of technological progress is more significant, while the catch-up effect of technical efficiency is clearly insufficient. Scale efficiency is the main factor hindering its improvement. Finally, in terms of the factors affecting the efficiency of online course resource allocation, teachers’ research guidance capability, teaching research skills, and the number of courses offered have significantly positive impact.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":48046,"journal":{"name":"Evaluation and Program Planning","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.5,"publicationDate":"2024-08-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142049999","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Impact of a monitoring and evaluation training in 3 PEPFAR-supported countries","authors":"","doi":"10.1016/j.evalprogplan.2024.102479","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.evalprogplan.2024.102479","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><p>The second phase of the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) transitioned from scaling up HIV prevention and treatment to promoting sustainability and capacity building for programs monitoring performance and evaluating key program indicators. We assessed the success of a monitoring and evaluation (M&E) curriculum designed to build capacity in three PEPFAR-supported countries.</p></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><p>We customized M&E trainings based on country-specific epidemic control priorities in Ethiopia, Guatemala, and Cameroon. The M&E curriculum included five modules and three evaluation activities to assess impact: (i) in-person pre-post confidence assessment surveys (CAS), (ii) in-person pre-post knowledge tests (PPKT), and (iii) electronic 6–12 months post-training translating knowledge into practice (TKP) surveys. Pre- and post-training results were compared within and across countries and triangulation with the qualitative data evaluated overall success.</p></div><div><h3>Results</h3><p>Among 188 participants attending M&E trainings, 154 (82 %) responded to CAS and 165 (88 %) participants from Ethiopia and Cameroon completed PPKT. Overall CAS scores between pre- and post-test improved [Score mean difference:1.5–1.9]. PPKT indicated statistically significant knowledge gained. One out of five TKP respondents provided direct application examples from the M&E training.</p></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><p>While feedback was predominantly positive overall, revisions were recommended for three of the five modules. Developing a customizable and adaptable M&E curriculum may sustain countries’ ability to monitor their progress towards epidemic control.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":48046,"journal":{"name":"Evaluation and Program Planning","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.5,"publicationDate":"2024-08-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0149718924000818/pdfft?md5=917aa6a7c123652b45ece7302674c8b7&pid=1-s2.0-S0149718924000818-main.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142241787","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Evaluating food security and nutritional pathways of rural farm families: Empirical evidence from northeast India","authors":"","doi":"10.1016/j.evalprogplan.2024.102478","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.evalprogplan.2024.102478","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>The study aimed to ascertain a relationship between agricultural status, socioeconomic factors, and nutrition of farm families. The study was conducted in selected villages in the West Garo Hills district of Meghalaya, using Stratified Random Sampling (St. RS). Using pretested interview schedules, we collected primary data from respondents in 2020 and 2021, focusing on socioeconomic variables, body mass index, and income from agriculture and related sectors. The data was analysed using correlation analyses and separate combined regression estimates for each year and month were obtained. Results from the study indicate that agricultural income significantly influenced nutritional status (p < 0.05) and household income growth was also found significant. The region's agricultural production of cereals, pulses, and vegetables was insufficient, as was the production of meat and meat products, milk, and milk products. Hence, expenditure towards purchasing the above food groups from the market was found to be significant (p < 0.05). Therefore, the markets near the mainland especially in the hilly region play a crucial role in the nutritional pathway of rural farm families.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":48046,"journal":{"name":"Evaluation and Program Planning","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.5,"publicationDate":"2024-08-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142122902","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Learning from graduate students’ non-formal evaluation experiences in university-based centers","authors":"","doi":"10.1016/j.evalprogplan.2024.102477","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.evalprogplan.2024.102477","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>This paper examines graduate research assistants' informal applied learning experiences on the evaluation team at a university-based agricultural safety and health research center. The case study aims to identify the specific learning outcomes derived from the experience, as described by students, and the factors that facilitated them. The research team used a semi-structured focus group tool, and the focus group participants conducted their own analysis and interpretation of the data. An inductive qualitative analysis revealed that students had new perspectives on evaluation, greater evaluation knowledge, and comfort using evaluative tools. Students expressed that key factors like trust, respect, and reflective practice effectively fostered learning. These data were corroborated using deductive analysis using Fink’s Taxonomy of Significant Learning. Ultimately, the study supports the value of informal applied learning experiences for students, particularly in the field of evaluation, and describes a model of support to facilitate learning in various contexts.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":48046,"journal":{"name":"Evaluation and Program Planning","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.5,"publicationDate":"2024-08-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142011652","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}