Principles-Focused Evaluation: A Promising Practice in the Evaluation of Continuing Professional Development

Area of Science:

• Continuing Professional Development
• Program Evaluation
• Public Health

Background:

• Outcome-based evaluations are prevalent in Continuing Professional Development (CPD), often overlooking program complexity and human elements.
• There's a need for evaluation methods that acknowledge program maturity and context for strategic decision-making.

Purpose of the Study:

• To advocate for complementary evaluation approaches in CPD.
• To describe the adoption of principles-focused evaluation in a CPD program addressing opioid-related harms.
• To explore how principles-focused evaluation informs program iteration and transportability.

Main Methods:

• Describing the process of developing actionable values (principles) for a CPD program.
• Utilizing principles-focused evaluation to guide program development and adaptation.
• Analyzing the implications of this approach for the broader field of CPD evaluation.

Main Results:

• Principles-focused evaluation offers a valuable complement to traditional outcome-based methods.
• The developed principles guided the iterative improvement of the CPD program.
• The principles also informed the program's adaptability and potential for wider implementation.

Conclusions:

• CPD evaluation should integrate principles-focused approaches to better address complexity and context.
• This evaluation model provides actionable insights for program enhancement and strategic planning.
• Adopting principles-focused evaluation supports the evolution and effective dissemination of CPD initiatives.