A Schema for Generating and Analyzing Objectives: The Evaluation Cube
Building on a concept developed by Hammond (1973), The Evaluation Center at Western Michigan University developed a three-dimensional framework for analyzing the objects of community-based youth programs. This approach can easily be modified to incorporate relevant dimensions for any objectives-oriented program. The cube (Dodson, 1994, p. 61) is reproduced as Figure 6.1.
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The three dimensions of the cube are as follows:
1. Needs of youth (the client): categories developed by Stufflebeam (1977) and expanded by Nowakowski et al. (1985) are • intellectual • physical recreation • vocational • social • moral • aesthetic/cultural • emotional
2. Age of youth (this dimension could be any relevant characteristic of the client): prenatal through young adult
3. Source of service to youth, such as • housing • social services • health services • economic/business • public works • justice • education • religious organizations
In any category along any of the three dimensions, those planning a community- based youth program may choose to establish relevant objectives. Few, if any, stakeholders in community-based programs will be interested in every cell of the cube, but the categories contained in each of the three dimensions will provide a good checklist for making certain that important areas or categories of objectives are not overlooked. Obviously, use of the cube is not limited to community-based programs but could extend to other types of programs as well.