Sage Journals: Discover world-class research

Abstract

This article reports on a formative and internal evaluation of teacher induction practices for newly hired teachers in a US university ESL program. By adopting a utilization-focused approach, evaluators produced a design that was articulated to the information needs of the evaluation users. The ensuing findings were then used to develop and improve program practices in specific and high-priority ways. This paper calls for attention to ways of enhancing the utility of evaluations within language education programs — and thereby enhancing the value of what language educators do — and it illustrates how a utilization-focused approach can help to ensure the actual uses and the utility of evaluation practices.

Get full access to this article

View all access options for this article.

References

Beretta, A. , & Davies, A. (1985). Evaluation of the Bangalore Project. ELT Journal, 39(2), 121-127.

Beretta, A. (1992). Evaluation of language education: An overview . In J. C. Alderson & A. Beretta (Eds.), Evaluating second language education (pp. 15-24). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Brown, J.D. (1995). The elements of language curriculum: A systematic approach to program development. Boston, MA: Heinle & Heinle.

English Language Institute, University of Hawai`i at Mānoa. (2003). Retrieved May 1, 2006, from http://www.hawaii.edu/eli/index.html

ELI research agenda. (2003). Retrieved May 1, 2006 , from http://www.hawaii.edu/eli/research/index.html

Joint Committee on Standards for Educational Evaluation. (1994). The Program Evaluation Standards. Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications.

Kiely, R. , & Rea-Dickins, P. (2005). Program evaluation in language education. New York: Palgrave Macmillan .

Lynch, B.K. (1996). Language program evaluation: Theory and practice . Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Mackay, R. , Wellesley, S. , & Bazergan, E. (1995). Participatory evaluation. ELT Journal, 49(4), 308-317.

10.

Norris, J.M. (2004). Validity evaluation in foreign language assessment . Honolulu, HI: Unpublished PhD dissertation.

11.

Norris, J.M. (2006). The why (& how) of assessing student learning outcomes in college foreign language programs. Modern Language Journal, 90(4), 576-583.

12.

Patton, M.Q. (1978). Utilization-focused evaluation. Beverly Hills, CA: SAGE Publications.

13.

Patton, M.Q. (1986). Utilization-focused evaluation (2nd edn). Beverly Hills, CA: Sage.

14.

Patton, M.Q. (1997). Utilization-focused evaluation: The new century text (3rd edn). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

15.

Scherer, G.A.C. , & Wertheimer, M. (1964). A psycholinguistic experiment in foreign language teaching. New York: McGraw-Hill.

16.

Smith, P.D., Jr. (1970). A comparison of the cognitive & audiolingual approaches to foreign language instruction: the Pennsylvania foreign language project. Philadelphia, PA: The Center for Curriculum Development.

17.

Surveymonkey.com. (2006). Surveymonkey.com . Retrieved March 14, 2006, from http://surveymonkey.com/

Evaluation of teacher induction practices in a US university English language program: Towards useful evaluation

Abstract

Get full access to this article

References