After reviewing this post, compare and contrast the first approach with the second approach. What do you think are some challenges that can occur in utilizing the second approach? Please reference according to APA.
Fist Approach
In my opinion of the 5 evaluation approaches, I feel Assessment of Program Outcome/Impact is the most useful in social work, especially in program evaluation, because the data from the evaluation is the evidence of the program achieving its goals by doing what it stated it would do. What short-term or immediate effect did the program have? How did the program affect the health/problem issue that was the ultimate target? (Process, Outcome, and Impact Evaluation: The Questions, 2015)It would show how well the program is working, whether the program is accessible and acceptable to its target population behavior, and if the program is having an effect on the target populations behavior, in addition to providing early warning signs for any problems that may occur, with allowing programs to monitor how well their program plans and activities are working. (Types of Evaluation) I believe that the ultimate goal is to serve the individual or target population with evidence-based knowledge so that it would be a beneficial impact on them as one of the many stakeholders.
The strengths (the desired outcome; cost-savings; a duplication of effective program development) and challenges (measuring outcomes; external influences and stakeholders personal agendas) of my selected approach.
Second Approach
Best Evaluation Approach in Social Work
Assessment of Needs is the best approach to social work and more so in program evaluation. Needs Assessment is the most useful as it looks beyond the needs of an organization. The Needs Assessment is able to find out the requirements of an organization (Queeney, 2020). There is also searching for gap analysis where it becomes easy to close the gap that exists between the state of an organization and the direction it desires to take. The Needs Assessment is important as it helps in the program planning process by extension.
Strengths
A major advantage of the Needs Assessment is that it is able to offer an established proposal development. Having the right proposal helps in making a given program to be established according to the right ways. Needs Assessment also works within the time constraints that have been set up (Queenly, 2020). There is no buying more time since the evaluation takes place accordingly. Finding information also becomes easy as a result of the questions that need to be asked. Besides, questionnaires that are filled help to give information as to how an organization looks like.
Weaknesses
When it comes to data collection, there are times when it may be difficult to get the right data. Respondents may not offer the right information that is required and they may also be biased in some instances. In certain situations, it may also be difficult to develop a tool that would help in the collection of data (Queeney, 2020). The other misgiving is the analysis of the collected and preliminary data that may require expertise. In certain situations, it may be difficult to get the right experts. Besides; the experts may be biased rendering the results null.
