Interactive Evaluations: Processes for Improving Special Education Leadership Training

Abstract

This article describes the interactive evaluation procedures used for improving special education leadership training in the Interactive Leadership Program (ILP) at the University of Vermont (UVM). The term “interactive evaluation” was used in the ILP to convey a spirit of mutual respect in the exchange of evaluative information. The faculty continually modeled the use of evaluation feedback to inform their decisions about program improvements. The participants, settings, preprogram planning, recruitment and selection, as well as the training and evaluation procedures are described because of the uniqueness of this program. Examples of both narrative and numerical evaluation data are illustrated in the results section. Finally, the implications of the interactive evaluations for special education leadership training and for facilitating overall improvements in similar teaching/learning situations are discussed.