ABSTRACT
Evaluation is a complex and challenging activity, as strongly suggested in the opening chapters of this volume. There are many dimensions involved in evaluating educational technologies, including (a) the type of thing to be evaluated; (b) the type of evaluation being done; (c) the purpose, focus and scope of the evaluation; (d) the methods and instruments involved; (e) the types of data and information to be collected and analyzed; and (f) sensitive issues such as ethical concerns, personnel matters, language and cultural considerations, and so on. Fundamentally, evaluation is a purposeful, goal driven enterprise that is aimed at improving an effort and determining the extent the effort achieved its intended aims. Goals can be considered a starting point in developing an evaluation plan for an effort.
