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Participatory Evaluation and its Impact on College Course Culture and Student Attitudes Toward Providing Feedback
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| Presenter(s):
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| Nancy Rogers, University of Cincinnati, nancy.rogers@uc.edu
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| Janice Noga, Pathfinder Evaluation and Consulting, jan.noga@stanfordalumni.org
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| Abstract:
Institutions of higher education rely heavily on course evaluations to assess the quality of their faculty and the effectiveness of their courses in terms of student satisfaction and learning. Rather than use student feedback to improve courses, course evaluations are a summative assessments used primarily as a tool for considering issues of reappointment, promotion, and tenure. As a result, students are skeptical that course evaluations are valued by instructors for improving course content or teaching quality and consequently have little interest in providing meaningful suggestions for improvement. A formative, participatory evaluation approach to course evaluation provides an opportunity to empower students to be active creators of their academic experiences resulting in meaningful course evaluations for both students and teachers. This presentation will address how participatory evaluation using an action research cycle can contribute to changes in professor-student interactions and increase active engagement of students as co-creators of their college courses.
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Assessing Vital Signs: Participatory Evaluation of a Nursing College's Programs and Improvements
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| Presenter(s):
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| Susan Connors, University of Colorado Denver, susan.connors@ucdenver.edu
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| Kathy Magilvy, University of Colorado Denver, kathy.magilvy@ucdenver.edu
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| Abstract:
A participatory evaluation jointly conducted by faculty and administrators from the University of Colorado Denver College of Nursing and external evaluators from The Evaluation Center is described. Factors contributing to this successful stakeholder/evaluator partnership are examined including discussion of the higher education context, especially as related to current efforts to track the effectiveness of program improvements in the areas of student advisement, distance learning, and academic support for increasingly diverse student populations. Evaluator behaviors will be examined in relation to the building of trust and delineating shared responsibility with a faculty-governed evaluation committee. Congruence of the ongoing evaluation with a theoretical model of practical participatory evaluation (Smits & Champagne, 2008) will also be presented.
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Using Participatory Methods to Develop an Evaluation Framework: State-and Federal-Level Examples
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| Presenter(s):
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| Watson Scott Swail, Educational Policy Institute, wswail@educationalpolicy.org
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| Patricia Moore Shaffer, Educational Policy Institute, pshaffer@educationalpolicy.org
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| Abstract:
Participatory evaluation provides for the active involvement of stakeholders in the evaluation process, including program providers, partners, and recipients. During this presentation, we examine how participatory methods were applied to the planning and design of evaluation frameworks for two large-scale educational initiatives at the state and federal levels. Using methods including a stakeholder advisory group, interviews, and collaborative logic model development, the evaluation team facilitated a process through which program stakeholders played an active role in developing these evaluation frameworks.
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What About Context and Theory? What's Practical? Lessons Learned From Choosing and Using Participatory-Action-Research and Participatory Evaluation
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| Presenter(s):
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| Becky Melzer, Evaluation Edge LLC, becky@evaluationedge.com
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| Gwen Martin, The Center for Women's Business Research, gwen.martin1@gmail.com
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| Abstract:
In 2006, the Center for Women's Business Research's began a national participatory-action-research (PAR) initiative focused on business growth and public policy: Accelerating the Growth of Businesses Owned by Women of Color (WOC). The research addressed the fact that firms owned by WOC are growing in number yet substantial disparities exist in revenues and number of employees. A series of regional research and educational forums were held across the US. As both a research and programmatic endeavor, a participatory evaluation (PE) was conducted. PAR and PE proved an expensive endeavor for this initiative but provided valuable insights. The presenters will discuss the following questions: What dimensions of context would influence your choice to use PAR and PE? What are the theoretical and practical challenges and benefits? Furthermore, the presenters will discuss the challenge of determining what are research findings and what are evaluation findings.
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Hearing Our Voices: A Participatory Approach to Engaging Youth in the Development and Evaluation of a Youth Radio Program
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| Presenter(s):
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| Kristi Lekies, The Ohio State University, lekies.1@osu.edu
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| Abstract:
This case study focuses on the evaluation of a new youth radio program during its first year of implementation. The program was created by a university professor and produced by high school and university students. Both the professor/evaluator and students needed to learn new roles and approaches. The professor/evaluator, who traditionally viewed youth as evaluation and research subjects, needed to transition to a new perspective of youth as partners. The youth needed to learn new responsibilities and develop greater ownership of the program. Successful strategies included a review of case studies of youth participatory evaluation, consultation with others who involve youth, the use of peer facilitators, field trip evaluation meetings at the university, discussions with media consultants, and engaging youth in a study of youth radio programs across the country. Obstacles and difficulties will be discussed, along with ways case studies can help improve theory and practice on participatory practices.
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