As a form of social enquiry, all appropriate data collection options are available to the evaluator. As such, methods used to collect information about Assessing the Context for the education programme will be as appropriate for evaluation of the programme.
Methods include open-ended, structured group or individual interviews, focus groups, surveys, contact with interlocutors and intermediaries, consultative meetings with stakeholders, and the use of existing information (see Voter Background and Using Existing Data ).
Amongst this existing information, there is the client survey or post-meeting reaction forms, which should be used in all face-to-face and service-related educational programme elements. In addition, evaluators should have access to other documents prepared by the programme and investigations done by others.
The relationship between planning and evaluation should now become transparent. Much of the data required for programme development is collected during an extensive evaluation of the previous programme cycle. Linking programme development with previous evaluations is essential if efficient use is to be made of resources. Indeed, an evaluation might have amongst its terms of reference (see Terms Of Reference) the requirement that an assessment is made in preparation for a future programme.
