| Session Title: Avoiding Evaluator Role Confusion: The Case of Evaluating a Complex National and Multi-state, Multi-partner Policy-Change Effort to Improve The Productivity of Higher Education |
| Think Tank Session 871 to be held in BOWIE C on Saturday, Nov 13, 2:50 PM to 4:20 PM |
| Sponsored by the Advocacy and Policy Change TIG |
| Presenter(s): |
| Melanie Hwalek, SPEC Associates, mhwalek@specassociates.org |
| Mary Grcich Williams, Lumina Foundation, |
| Discussant(s): |
| Julia Coffman, Center for Evaluation Innovation, jcoffman@evaluationexchange.org |
| Gerri Spilka, OMG Center for Collaborative Learning, gerri@omgcenter.org |
| Patricia Patrizi, Evaluation Roundtable, patti@patriziassociates.com |
| Abstract: Recently, Lumina Foundation for Education began a large, multi-state and national effort to support policy change to improve productivity in higher education at several different levels and in many different ways. The foundation engaged many national partners to provide fiscal and programmatic oversight, technical assistance, a communications campaign, topic relevant research, a Web portal for information sharing, and a national evaluation. Each of seven funded implementation states also has its own evaluator. Conducting a national evaluation of this work, with its many levels, layers, complexities, potential redundancies and tensions can challenge even the experts. This think tank will engage the audience in discussions with three seasoned policy change evaluators about what would be considered “best practice” for how the evaluation of this complex endeavor could be designed and managed so that it truly adds value and distinguishes the role of the evaluator from other data providers. |