This issue explores the current state of program theory as it has developed over the last ten years and examines the role program theory can play in a range of new areas that have recently arisen in evaluation. The contributors draw on a review of the literature to discuss the history of program evaluation, its diversity in application, and its strength and limitations in practice, including the special challenges related to causal inference. They describe opportunities for program theory to help evaluators in areas such as measuring performance, replicating successful programs, helping program staff understand the support evaluation, and conducting meta-analysis. They outline a future agenda for program theory evaluation, explain why it is essential that there be an increase in real-world tests and applications, and more.This is the 87th issue of the quarterly journal New Directions for Evaluation.
Patricia has worked in public sector evaluation and research for more than 25 years, across a wide range of program areas (including agriculture, community development, criminal justice, early childhood, education, health promotion, and Indigenous housing)and levels of government (national, state and local).
In addition to her work in Australia with Federal, State and Local governments, the Australian Research Alliance on Children and Youth, and Changemakers Australia, she has worked on projects with Department of Labour (New Zealand), Development Bank of Southern Africa (South Africa), Health Scotland (UK), Ministry of Education (Singapore), Ministry of Education (New Zealand), Ministry of Finance (Malaysia), Network Of Networks on Impact Evaluation (NONIE), Office of the Presidency (South Africa), Public Service Commission (South Africa), United Nations Development Program (UNDP). Patricia has presented keynote addresses at conferences of the Australasian, Aotearoa/New Zealand, European, United Kingdom, South African and Swedish evaluation societies and associations, and taught short courses in Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Malaysia, Singapore, South Africa, and USA. She has been awarded the American Evaluation Association's Myrdal Award for Evaluation Practice, the Australasian Evaluation Society's Evaluation Training and Services Award for outstanding contributions to the profession of evaluation, the AES Caulley-Tulloch Prize for Pioneering Literature in Evaluation, and led the team that was awarded the AES 'Best Evaluation Study' Award for the evaluation of the Stronger Families and Communities Strategy 2000-2004.
In addition to the new book Purposeful Program Theory: Effective Use of Theories of Change and Logic Models with Sue Funnell, to be published by Jossey-Bass/Wiley in early 2011, her recent publications address challenges in evaluating complicated and complex interventions, qualitative data analysis, accountability and organizational learning.
Patricia lives in the Australian bush on the edge of Melbourne with her family, when she's not overseas working on international projects.
