Developing and Implementing an MS Access 2000 Database for Baccalaureate Program Assessment and Continuous Improvement
Strong program evaluation is a hallmark of quality social work education. All social work programs applying for candidacy, accreditation, or reaffirmation of accreditation are required to assess and evaluate their effectiveness according to the guidelines set forth by the Council on Social Work Education. The role of technology in program evaluation is growing in interest to social work educators, and new trends in strengthening program evaluation are emerging. In today's academic climate, the degree to which a program monitors its effectiveness will impact its ability to effectively educate future social work practitioners. In this article, the authors discuss the steps for developing and implementing an MS Access 2000 database for program assessment and continuous improvement in a baccalaureate social work program. Examples include data entry forms and copy-ready reports for reaffirmation generated from the database. Strengths and limitations of the database are explored, and issues of validity and reliability are discussed.