Using the Context, Input, Process, and Product Evaluation Model (CIPP) as a Comprehensive Framework to Guide the Planning, Implementation, and Assessment of Service-learning Programs

Abstract

Planning, implementing, and assessing a service-learning projectcan be a complex task because service-learning projects ofteninvolve multiple constituencies and aim to meet both the needsof service providers and community partners. In this article,Stufflebeam’s Context, Input, Process, and Product (CIPP) evaluationmodel is recommended as a framework to systematicallyguide the conception, design, implementation, and assessmentof service-learning projects, and provide feedback and judgmentof the project’s effectiveness for continuous improvement. Thisarticle (1) explores the CIPP evaluation model’s theoretical rootsand applications, (2) delineates its four components, (3) analyzeseach component’s role in a service-learning project’s success,and (4) discusses how the model effectively addresses Service-Learning Standards for Quality Practice. This article illustratesthe application and evaluation of the model in a teacher-educationservice-learning tutoring project.