Applying outcome measurements

IT GIVES PARTICIPANTS AN UNDERSTANDING OF THE USE OF STATISTICAL SCIENCE FOR THE PROGRAM ADMINISTRATOR. THE THEME OF THE SEMINAR IS THAT THERE ARE GREAT DIFFICULTIES IN COLLECTING, ANALYZING, AND INTERPRETING DATA. THUS, FORMAL STATISTICAL METHODOLOGY IS NEEDED. MOREOVER, IT IS IN PROGRAM ACCOUNTABILITY AND OUTPUT PROGRAMMING THAT DATA INTERPRETATIONS ARE NEEDED. A SECOND THEME OF THE SEMINAR IS THAT ADMINISTRATORS CAN DRAW ON OTHER PROFESSIONS AND COMBINE INPUT FROM TWO SOURCES: EDUCATION AND STATISTICAL SCIENCE. THE GUIDEBOOK DISCUSSES SEVEN GENERIC PROBLEMS OF ACQUIRING, ANALYZING, AND INTERPRETING DATA FOR MANAGEMENT USES. THESE CONCERN CHARACTERIZING AND COMPARING A GROUP OF PEOPLE, OBJECTS, OR EVENTS; MEASURING THE VARIABILITY ASSIGNABLE TO PROGRAM INFLUENCES; DETERMINING WHAT PRINCIPLES GOVERN COLLECTION OF DATA FOR ALL TYPES OF ANALYSES; AND ARRANGING FOR THE ECONOMICAL COLLECTION OF PRECISE DATA. IT ALSO COVERS THE APPLICATION OF STATISTICAL PRINCIPLES TO OUT-PUT ORIENTED MANAGEMENT: TO MANAGEMENT BY OBJECTIVES, OUTPUT BUDGETING, COST-EFFECTIVENESS STUDIES, AND BENEFIT-COST STUDIES OF EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS.