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Session Title: Valuing Evaluation Intersections: Building a Stronger Transdiscipline
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Panel Session 705 to be held in Pacific A on Friday, Nov 4, 2:50 PM to 4:20 PM
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Sponsored by the Theories of Evaluation TIG
and the Presidential Strand
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| Chair(s): |
| Stewart Donaldson, Claremont Graduate University, stewart.donaldson@cgu.edu
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| Discussant(s):
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| Robin Lin Miller, Michigan State University, mill1493@msu.edu
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| Abstract:
Evaluation has been characterized as a transdiscipline with a clear definition, subject matter, logical structure, and multiple fields of application. Its transdisciplinary nature is notable because it provides essential tools for other disciplines, while retaining an autonomous structure and research effort of its own. The purpose of this panel is to explore the importance and value that evaluation contributes to related disciplines, and the potential value that disciplines such as sociology, law, social psychology, economics, policy analysis, and organizational behavior can add to the improvement of evaluation theory and practice. It will be argued that valuing and expanding the intersections of evaluation with related disciplines holds great promise for building a stronger transdiscipline and evaluation profession.
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The Intersection of Program Evaluation With Sibling and Ancestral Disciplines
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| Michael Scriven, Claremont Graduate University, mjscriv1@gmail.com
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Michael Scriven will discuss the ‘sibling links’ between program evaluation and: (i) the other subdisciplines of evaluation— product evaluation, personnel evaluation, performance evaluation, etc.; and (ii) the ‘ancestor links’ to the two Elder Disciplines of evaluation—Ethics and Logic, each of which, like the siblings—consists largely of a particular application field of evaluation (normative ethics evaluates human behavior and attitudes in terms of an ethical framework, and logic evaluates arguments for validity, in everyday talk or technical fields e.g., law and much of pure and applied science). The emphasis will be on the ways in which understanding of the shared core—the ‘logic of evaluation’—which has been dev¬elop¬ed largely by people working in program evaluation, can help the other areas—and the ways in which the other sub-disciplines, and the Elders, can inform each other about useful tools for evaluation, e.g., as product evaluation taught program evaluation that knowledge of designer or funder goals is not essential for doing evaluation (though [degree of] goal achievement should usually be noted in a comprehensive evaluation report).
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Social Psychology and Evaluation
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| Melvin Mark, Pennsylvania State University, m5m@psu.edu
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Social Psychology has an interesting and important linkage to evaluation. In the Great Society growth spurt in evaluation, psychological and sociological social psychologists, such as Donald Campbell and Peter Rossi, respectively, were among the thought leaders in field. This presentation, after a brief historical review, examines the current status of the relationship between social psychology and evaluation. Social psychology is a major source of program theory, and the occasional source of guidance for the practice challenges that evaluators' face. The potential future of the social psychology-evaluation relationship is also addressed, including suggestions for more mutually beneficial linkages. Among the potential future directions noted is the possibility of social psychology providing a richer set of alternative value bases for evaluation theory and practice.
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Versions 1.0 and 2.0 of Policy Analysis and Evaluation
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| Robert Klitgaard, Claremont Graduate University, robert.klitgaard@cgu.edu
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Evaluation shares with policy analysis the use of tools from economics, statistics, and mathematical modeling. They share something else: disappointment with use and impact. Decision makers and institutions don't use evaluation or policy analysis as often as practitioners would like. But examples of high-impact evaluation and policy analysis suggest that we must supplement the economics, statistics, and modeling with what we might call "convening." This paper hypothesizes some shared, key features of versions 2.0 of evaluation and policy analysis.
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Organizational Behavior and Evaluation
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| Stewart Donaldson, Claremont Graduate University, stewart.donaldson@cgu.edu
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The multidisciplinary field of organizational behavior (OB) draws on disciplines such as sociology, psychology, communication and management to understand organizational dynamics and performance at multiple levels of analysis. The application of OB knowledge to improve organizational effectiveness and quality work life, known as organizational development, shares common interests and values with contemporary evaluation practice. For example, they share the desire to pursue the rigorous and systematic development of theory-driven and evidence based programs and policies to prevent and ameliorate a wide variety of social and organizational problems. This presentation will examine the current intersection of OB and evaluation, and suggest strategies to expand this intersection in a way that improves OB and evaluation theory, research, and application.
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