Designing evaluations: A study examining preferred evaluation designs of educational evaluators

A sample of educational evaluators was asked to design an outcomes-focused evaluation of a school program that aims to improve the academic achievement and self-esteem of students. Evaluators provided detailed descriptions of their evaluation design and methodology in their responses. These descriptions were coded and analyzed to determine the design trends of practicing educational evaluators. Findings from the study indicated that there was a preference for the use of mixed method designs that concurrently implement qualitative and quantitative elements to examine the validity of program outcomes. Evaluators who chose experimental designs almost always included a contingency plan in case their design was not feasible. The study offers a baseline to help detect design trends in the field of educational evaluation.