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"Friend or Frenemy:" Positioning the Evaluator in First and Second Party Evaluations
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| Presenter(s):
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| Girija Kaimal, Temple University, gkaimal@temple.edu
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| Abstract:
Differences in the perception of evaluation can impact how partnerships develop and how a study is implemented. This paper examines the usefulness of the theoretical tool of 'positioning' to better enable evaluators and program partners to work together effectively. Positioning implies that when an individual is placed in an interpersonal dynamic they inevitably view the world from the vantage point of that position and in terms of particular images, metaphors, story lines and concepts which are made relevant within that particular discursive practice. Experiences from four different evaluation projects constitute the data. Results indicate that stakeholders' understanding and perceptions of evaluator positioning and the associated unique interactional dynamics can impact the process, outcomes and usefulness of the evaluation for the program. This framework is mapped using representative terms to help future evaluators negotiate the relationship with stakeholders more effectively.
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Findings on Stakeholder Involvement: A Review of Empirical Studies of Stakeholder Involvement in Evaluation
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| Presenter(s):
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| Landry L Fukunaga, University of Hawaii, lfukunag@hawaii.edu
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| Paul R Brandon, University of Hawaii, brandon@hawaii.edu
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| Abstract:
A multitude of articles about the benefits of involving stakeholders in the design and conduct of evaluations exist in the literature on evaluation. Proponents of stakeholder involvement in evaluation report enhanced credibility, validity, and utilization of evaluation findings as well as increased stakeholder evaluation capacity, skill, and empowerment. Summaries of this literature have not focused on empirical studies of stakeholder involvement to justify the results, conclusions and recommendations for evaluation practice. This paper addresses this issue through systematic review of 43 empirical studies identified through a comprehensive search for research on stakeholder involvement in evaluation published between 1985 and May 2010. Previously, we presented a paper on the disciplines, types of stakeholders involved, evaluation activities, and methods for collecting data about stakeholder involvement. In this paper we present a summary of the purpose and effects of involving stakeholders in evaluation based on empirical literature.
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The Value of Relationships in Evaluation
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| Presenter(s):
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| A Rae Clementz, University of Illinois, clementz@illinois.edu
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| Abstract:
This presentation presents preliminary results from an ethnographic study into relational dynamics between evaluators, clients and stakeholders during the design phase of an evaluation. Relationships are both cognitive (between ideas and actions) and also interpersonal (between the people who hold the ideas and act as interdependent agents). The research describes in rich detail client and stakeholder conceptions of educational program evaluation and examines the relationships between these conceptions and practical decisions made about the design of an evaluation study. These practical decisions about evaluation questions, data collection, and analysis impact the quality and helpfulness of the evaluation as a whole. Although just a small edition to the growing body of empirical research on evaluation as a practice and would address a significant lack of client and stakeholder voice within the field of evaluation.
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Resistance to Engagement in Evaluations: A Theory of Planned Behaviour Perspective
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| Presenter(s):
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| Andy Thompson, Carleton University, arocznik@connect.carleton.ca
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| Bernadette Campbell, Carleton University, bernadette_campbell@carleton.ca
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| Abstract:
It is generally recognized that for any evaluation to be successful there needs to be a significant amount of involvement from program stakeholders who are invested in the program. Ideally, these individuals would be highly engaged in the evaluation process; however, in practice the evaluation of social programs is often met with resistance. Application of the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB; Ajzen, 1991) may be useful in the identification and assessment of important determinants of resistance and engagement. This paper describes the steps undertaken to create a TPB measure of evaluation resistance. In Phase 1 behavioural, normative and control beliefs about evaluations were assessed. In Phase 2 these beliefs were transformed into corresponding attitudes, subjective norms and perceptions of behavioural control for the prediction intentions and subsequent behaviour. Preliminary data from these efforts will be presented and applications for use within evaluation settings will be discussed.
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