How to Conduct a Qualitative Program Evaluation in the Light of Eisner’s Educational Connoisseurship and Criticism Model

The quantitative methodologies have been traditionally employed in the educational research so far. However, as long as with the appreciation and widespread use of the qualitative methodologies in many disciplines, many different educational areas have started to be examined in terms of qualitative research aspects. Particularly, the qualitative evaluation of the education programs has received considerable interest and there have been recently some attempts to develop a qualitative methodology for evaluating educational programs based upon the tenets of program evaluation. The evaluators have underlined the benefits of qualitative methods to boost the information shared with decision-makers and policy makers. The most inclusive endeavour has been carried out by Eisner. Eisner’s program evaluation model presents the role of educational connoisseurship and criticism in educational evaluation in terms of qualitative evaluation. This study aims at examining how a qualitative program evaluation is conducted in relation with the Eisner’s evaluation model.