The Ethological Program Evaluation Method (Vocational Training, Diversity)
Fisher, Dennis Gene
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https://hdl.handle.net/2142/68925
Description
Title
The Ethological Program Evaluation Method (Vocational Training, Diversity)
Author(s)
Fisher, Dennis Gene
Issue Date
1984
Department of Study
Education
Discipline
Education
Degree Granting Institution
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Degree Name
Ph.D.
Degree Level
Dissertation
Keyword(s)
Education, Tests and Measurements
Abstract
A method of program evaluation was developed which was non-preordinate, used visual observation of motor behavior as the primary means of data collection, used methods from ethology (e.g. ethogram construction, one-zero sampling, focal animal sampling) and ecology (e.g. diversity, catastrophe, stress), and was an attempted formative-outcome evaluation of an exemplar. The method used a statistic, the diversity index, never before reported in the social sciences, including evaluation. The exemplar was an evaluation of an automotive, farm and diesel mechanic training program at a community college. The report of the exemplar was well-received by the community college faculty who were able to understand the natural language varialbes, discuss the implications of the findings and implement the recommendations.
Both a two-group and a three-group comparison were performed in the exemplar. The two-group comparison was of program graduates and was between the Non-Completer (N-C) group and the Cohort group.The three-group comparison was between the cohort graduates, the current community college class labs (PC Lab) and community shop mechanics (STS). Data was divided into tool-use and non-tool use activities. The N-C versus Cohort comparison yielded significant differences on three activity varialbes (drive, watch, inspect) and no tool-use variables. The Cohort versus PC Lab versus STS comparison yielded one significant tool-use difference (ratchets) and three significant differences on activity variables (search, talk, and watch). Staffing theory (Wicker, 1973/1979) was used to explain the data and make recommendations.
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