As you might expect, my wallpaper for
the week is from the dslreports site that I mentioned
yesterday. This one is a shot of one of those plasma
thingies. There are a bunch of others so if you have a
broadband connection I encourage everyone to take a look at
what they have.
Just when you thought it was safe, the money grubbers have gotten to the US Senate and the likelihood that Internet access will now be taxed grows each day. In fact, as of this past weekend, when the current moratorium expired, the way is clear for each state to immediately impose an Internet access tax.
From what was first seen as a slam dunk, a bill that would permanently exempt access to the Internet from taxes is now in deep jeopardy as special interest groups, like the National Governor's Association, lobby hard against the prohibition.
What it comes down to is these groups see nothing but the dollars they can take from your pocket if they could only tax you for accessing the Internet. This includes nascent technologies like WiFi and Voice over IP. If you don't want to pay yet another tax, contact your Senator and let them know how you feel. Do it right now because it may already be later than you think.
As most of my 11 long-term readers know, I work as a Program Evaluation Analyst for the State of Hawai'i Judiciary. Some of you probably wonder what such an analyst does so I've put together a few short paragraphs, based on what I think are some good definitions from various sources and meshed it with what I think is important.
What is program evaluation?
Evaluation pertains to the systematic examination of events or conditions that have (or are presumed to have) occurred at an earlier time or that are unfolding as the evaluation takes place. But to be examined, these events or conditions must exist, must be objectively describable, and must have occurred or be occurring. Evaluation is, thus, retrospective in that the emphasis is on what has been or is being observed, not on what is likely to happen (as would be the case in forecasting).
Why do program evaluations?
From a global perspective, the ultimate goal of scientific research is finding relations between variables. The philosophy of science teaches us that there is no other way of representing "meaning" except in terms of relations between some quantities or qualities. So on this level, evaluation provides a structure in which understanding can take place.
From a more concrete perspective, program evaluation provides some of the data that decision makers can use when determining what programs to continue at its present level of support, those that need to be modified, and those that should be terminated. They can do this because, if done well, the data can be relied upon to be objective, accurate, and relevant. The data will indicate whether a program is effective in meeting its objectives and if not, suggest where it can be improved.
Such a review needs to be done, if for no other reason, because resources are finite and therefore need to be prioritized. While the effectiveness of a program is surely not the only criteria to be used in apportioning our limited resources, it is a very important one.
But beyond determining if the program objectives are being met, an evaluation should answer the question of whether the results are producing the desired changes (sometimes referred to as outcomes)? That is, are the program objectives relevant indicators of the goal of the program?
Even though the program may be meeting its objectives, that does not mean it is meeting its goal. Hence, a large part of program evaluation includes clarifying goals and objectives. For example, if the goal is to reduce the recidivism rate of illegal drug users, then having an objective that merely lists how many pages have been photo-copied and distributed to users probably will not be sufficient, in and of itself, to determine effectiveness in reducing long-term illegal drug use.
In the end, program evaluation is critical because it gives decision makers the information they need to make rational, informed decisions regarding the status of all programs and a framework within which to prioritize what should be funded and at what level of support.
Aloha!
