From the Editor This issue of New Directions for Evaluation (NDE) marks a milestone?the 25th anniversary of the American Evaluation Association (AEA). NDE is an official publication of AEA and has been a crucial means for the Association to foster and promote the professionalization of evaluation through thematic discussions of theory and practice in evaluation. NDE was first published in 1978 under the name New Directions for Program Evaluation, although the title became New Directions for Evaluation in 1995 in acknowledgment of the broader scope of evaluation. The current issue of NDE, on the 25th anniversary of AEA, looks not back but ahead. Because NDE is a thematic and guest-edited journal it tends to favor more mature, self-assured voices in evaluation. The journal format does not lend itself easily to showcasing the voices of novice evaluators, those just entering the field and who will be the next generation of evaluation practitioners and theoreticians. As such, NDE has chosen on this anniversary to highlight those voices. Included are a number of chapters that build on what evaluation has already learned from other disciplines by introducing us to new possibilities. We are also challenged in the chapters to think about techniques or methods we use, both at a practical and conceptual level. Some chapters raise questions about who evaluators are, how they interact with others, and the roles they assume in their practice. Some young evaluators are confronting, in various ways, conundrums in thinking about and doing evaluation within organizations, either from an external or internal perspective. And issues in using technology in evaluation or challenges in evaluating technology are considered.

This issue of New Directions for Evaluation (NDE) marks a milestone: the 25th anniversary of the American Evaluation Association (AEA). NDE is an official publication of AEA and has been a crucial means for the Association to foster and promote the professionalization of evaluation through thematic discussions of theory and practice in evaluation. NDE was first published in 1978 under the name New Directions for Program Evaluation, although the title became New Directions for Evaluation in 1995 in acknowledgement of the broader scope of evaluation.

Context is a force in evaluation. It shapes our practice, influencing how we approach and design our studies, how we carry them out, and how we report our findings. Context also moderates and mediates the outcomes of the programs and policies we evaluate. This issue focuses squarely on the role that context plays in practice and illuminates its effect on the implementation and outcomes of programs. Exploring the ways in which attending to context may improve the quality of evaluation practice, the contributions span theory, methods, and practice in an effort to move to a more comprehensive conceptualization of context that can guide our work. It: Provides an historical and theoretical view of evaluators’ treatment of context Illustrates how context has influenced evaluation practice Presents a five-area framework for guiding a contextual analysis of evaluations Introduces “context assessment,” which provides a means of integrating context and its implications within the important stages of evaluation. This is the 135th volume of the Jossey-Bass quarterly report series New Directions for Evaluation, an official publication of the American Evaluation Association.

Evaluation is an essential element of professional practice. However, there is little in the literature that is designed to help students involve and support young people in evaluating the impact of youth work activities. This comprehensive book explores current thinking about evaluation in the context of youth work and community work and offers both theoretical understanding and practical guidance for students, practitioners, organisational leaders and commissioners. Part 1 provides underpinning knowledge of the origins, purpose and functions of evaluation. It charts the developments in evaluation thinking over the past 50 years, and includes an exploration of ‘theory of change’. Concepts such as impact, impact measurement and shared measurement are critically examined to illustrate the political nature of evaluation. Findings from empirical research are used to illuminate the challenges of applying a quasi-experimental paradigm of evaluation of youth and community work. Part 2 introduces the reader to participatory evaluation and presents an overview of the histories, rationale and underpinning principles. Empowerment evaluation, collaborative evaluation and democratic evaluation are examined in detail, including practice examples. Transformative Evaluation, an approach specifically designed for youth and community work, is presented. Part 3 focuses on the ‘doing’ of participatory evaluation and offers guidance to those new to participatory evaluation in youth and community work and a helpful check for those already engaging. It provides valuable information on planning, methods, data and data analysis and processes for sharing knowledge. This essential text will enable the reader to reconstruct evaluation as a tool for learning as well as a tool for judging value. It provides a comprehensive reference, drawing on a wide range of literature and practice examples to support those involved in youth and community work to develop and implement participatory approaches to evaluating and communicating the meaning and value of youth and community work to a wider audience.

The golden standard evaluation reference text Now in its second edition, Evaluation Theory, Models, and Applications is the vital text on evaluation models, perfect for classroom use as a textbook, and as a professional evaluation reference. The book begins with an overview of the evaluation field and program evaluation standards, and proceeds to cover the most widely used evaluation approaches. With new evaluation designs and the inclusion of the latest literature from the field, this Second Edition is an essential update for professionals and students who want to stay current. Understanding and choosing evaluation approaches is critical to many professions, and Evaluation Theory, Models, and Applications, Second Edition is the benchmark evaluation guide. Authors Daniel L. Stufflebeam and Chris L. S. Coryn, widely considered experts in the evaluation field, introduce and describe 23 program evaluation approaches, including, new to this edition, transformative evaluation, participatory evaluation, consumer feedback, and meta-analysis. Evaluation Theory, Models, and Applications, Second Edition facilitates the process of planning, conducting, and assessing program evaluations. The highlighted evaluation approaches include: Experimental and quasi-experimental design evaluations Daniel L. Stufflebeam's CIPP Model Michael Scriven's Consumer-Oriented Evaluation Michael Patton's Utilization-Focused Evaluation Robert Stake's Responsive/Stakeholder-Centered Evaluation Case Study Evaluation Key readings listed at the end of each chapter direct readers to the most important references for each topic. Learning objectives, review questions, student exercises, and instructor support materials complete the collection of tools. Choosing from evaluation approaches can be an overwhelming process, but Evaluation Theory, Models, and Applications, Second Edition updates the core evaluation concepts with the latest research, making this complex field accessible in just one book.

Highlights the contextual architecture for evidence and evaluation in sport, leisure and wellbeing. Contemporary analyses from many viewpoints that clarify and illuminate key conceptual issues underpinning evidence and evaluation practice. Identifies innovative approaches to evidence and evaluation that address some of the tensions and underlying questions in sport leisure and wellbeing. Asks the reader to question accepted methodologies in making sense of, and rationalising, evaluation practice. Will bring together established and up and coming scholars and will be accessible for both academic and professional practice audiences.

In this volume, we take a holistic approach to education, viewing human beings as lifelong learners who need interaction in all educational domains – cognitive, affective, psychomotor – to actualize their full potential. The chapters are based on presentations given at the 2012 conference of the Finnish Educational Research Association (FERA), whose theme was Interaction in Educational Research. Prof. David Clarke, from the University of Melbourne in Australia and the conference’s keynote speaker, opens our symposium with a discussion of international comparative research in educational interaction by constructing and concealing differences. The chapters that follow, arranged in three parts, deal with interaction in cognitive, affective, and psychomotor domains. In Part I, theoretical and philosophical approaches to interaction are examined through ontological, epistemological, and semiotic perspectives. Part II presents a series of empirical studies on educational interaction. Together, these show regional differences in cognitive and psychomotor learning outcomes, the importance of academic emotions in learning, cultural aspects in understanding the visual arts, and interactive learning for gifted science students. Part III introduces three programs that promote educational interaction: one enhances teacher education with interdisciplinary integration; another explores the benefits of Finnish-Russian cooperation; and a third uses musical concerts as an interactive tool for special education. All of the chapters contribute to the current research and discussion on learning and interaction. In this field inquiries need to be carried out in different learning domains and in various cultural contexts. In particular, cross-cultural comparisons are useful in validating the findings of empirical studies and testing the culture-dependent and culture-invariant dimensions of educational interaction.