Using Systems-Thinking Approaches in Implementation Evaluation of Education Programs

Implementation evaluation recognizes the need for systems-thinking and complexity-related approaches which would shed light on how complex programs work and the strategies that lead to systemic change. The systems-thinking approaches to evaluation deviate from the traditional approaches. This session describes evaluation from a residency model of teacher preparation program designed to provide effective preparation to prepare teachers for complex education settings with the goal of retaining them in school placements. To capture the complexity of the program, this session is a case study in the context of a program at a large, public university. Using a qualitative research design, and systems mapping and causal-loop diagrams methodology, this session will explore to understand the components and their interactions from the perspective of pre-service teachers (PST). A stratified sample of (n=94) PSTs and selection of interviews at two time points during residency pre-service years were collected.