School staffs should consider the levels of evaluation listed below when analyzing their change efforts. The following levels and accompanying questions were developed by Donald Kirkpatrick in A Practical Guide for Supervisory Training and Development (2nd Ed., Addison Wesley, 1983), and adapted b Margaret Arbuckle, Suzanne Bailey, and Doris Ray (1996).

Level 1: REACTION

• To what degree are those involved/participants satisfied with a specific event/activity?

• Were the design and delivery acceptable?

• To what extent do participants feel the outcomes were achieved?

Level 2: LEARNING

• To what extent did those involved learn what was intended for them to learn?

• Have the objectives of the effort been met? With what quality?

• What do participants know and what are they able to do as a result?

• What can they demonstrate immediately?

Level 3: APPLICATION

• How are those involved/ participants using what they have learned on the job?

• What observable skill or behaviors have changed over time?

• What (internal) assumption/concepts have changed - like commitment, sense of community, efficacy, etc?

Level 4: IMPACT/RESULTS

• What are the measurable results of this effort for the school/school district? What concrete changes have been effected?

• How has this effort contributed to and/or impacted classroom(s), department(s), or program(s)?

Level 5: RETURN ON INVESTMENT (ROI)

• What was the value added (in dollars) of this effort/program?

• Did the results (Level 4) exceed the cost?

The CORNERSTONES: Chronology and Artifacts

(A filing system from which a 'HISTORY" can be constructed; a timeline and description of all key activities, events, and incidents relative to the effort)

• What activities, events, and critical incidents occurr4ed? When?

• What was the nature of these events, activities, critical incidents?

• What materials, resources, tools, and strategies were used?

• Who were the key players?

Back to Ideas for Staff Development Home