ABSTRACT
Program evaluation is the systematic collection of data about a program’s characteristics, activities, and outcomes that allows one to make a judgment about whether the program is working (Weiss, 1998; Worthen, Sanders, & Fitzpatrick, 1997). There is a growing demand for accountability in education (Allen, 2003), and a program evaluation can provide the necessary evidence that linking courses is an effective pedagogical method. As with the planning for any sort of evaluation, the two overriding preliminary issues to be addressed with an evaluation of linked courses are (a) what to assess and (b) how to assess it. The aim of this chapter is to offer the reader some suggestions on both matters. It is not intended to be a detailed guide, but it should provide the reader with enough background to understand the basics and to pursue more intensive sources on this topic if needed.
