Michael Scriven

Australian academic
Questions and Answers

FAQ

Q: Who is Michael Scriven?
A: Michael Scriven is an American philosopher and educator. He is known for his contributions to the field of evaluation research and has made significant contributions to the development of evaluation as a discipline.
Q: What are Michael Scriven's areas of expertise?
A: Michael Scriven has expertise in a wide range of fields including philosophy, logic, evaluation, decision theory, cognitive science, mathematics, statistics, and artificial intelligence.
Q: What are some of Michael Scriven's notable accomplishments?
A: Michael Scriven has made numerous notable contributions to the field of evaluation. He is credited with developing the goal-free evaluation approach, which focuses on evaluating the effectiveness of a program without predetermined goals. He has also developed the concept of formative evaluation, which involves evaluating a program during its development to improve its effectiveness. Additionally, Scriven has published several influential books and articles on evaluation research.
Q: What is the goal-free evaluation approach?
A: The goal-free evaluation approach, developed by Michael Scriven, involves evaluating the effectiveness of a program without predetermined goals. This approach focuses on identifying the actual outcomes of a program instead of comparing them to a pre-established set of goals. It allows for a more comprehensive assessment of a program's effectiveness and increases the objectivity of the evaluation process.
Q: What is formative evaluation?
A: Formative evaluation, developed by Michael Scriven, involves evaluating a program during its development to improve its effectiveness. It aims to provide feedback and recommendations for program improvement before the program is fully implemented. This type of evaluation helps identify potential issues and areas for improvement, allowing for adjustments to be made before the program is finalized.