The Role of Evaluation in a Mission Oriented Foundation.

The programs and projects of the Charles F. Kettering Foundation are outlined, and its attitudes toward evaluation are discussed--with particular emphasis on the evaluation of an individually guided education project, developed by the Institute for Development of Educational Activities to promote instructional change. The Kettering Foundation, a nonprofit, philanthropic foundation, often in cooperation with other agencies, develops programs to solve long-range social and scientific problems--including education, urban affairs, and world food supply. Program evaluations address the validity of the program's goals, assess its implementation, and suggest improvements. The evaluations differ according to each situation, and use recognized experts or consulting personnel. An evaluation may be stopped if it is felt that it will not yield useful information. Six steps are described to evaluate the individually guided education (IGE) program: (1) specify outcomes; (2) refine change strategies; (3) analyze training techniques that foster change; (4) develop teacher training materials; (5) identify cooperating agencies; and (6) train agency workers. The foundation encourages the continuous evaluation of its projects, and learning from mistakes. (Program appropriations in 1977 and 1978; names of trustees, officers, and advisory committee members; and objectives of the IGE program are appended). (GDC)