| Session Title: Moving Beyond Fragmentation: Building a Set of Participatory Principles for Evaluation |
| Think Tank Session 354 to be held in California B on Thursday, Nov 3, 1:35 PM to 2:20 PM |
| Sponsored by the Collaborative, Participatory & Empowerment Evaluation TIG |
| Presenter(s): |
| Elizabeth Whitmore, Carleton University, elizabeth_whitmore@carleton.ca |
| Lyn Shulha, Queen's University, lyn.shulha@queensu.ca |
| J Bradley Cousins, University of Ottawa, bcousins@uottawa.ca |
| Discussant(s): |
| Lyn Shulha, Queen's University, lyn.shulha@queensu.ca |
| Elizabeth Whitmore, Carleton University, elizabeth_whitmore@carleton.ca |
| Michael Harnar, Claremont Graduate University, michaelharnar@gmail.com |
| Abstract: The last 25 years has seen increasing purposeful engagement of stakeholders in evaluation. Given recent efforts to make definitive distinctions among different approaches to this work, now seems like an appropriate time to consider whether there may be any merit in moving beyond the refinement of unique collaborative models. In this session, we propose to explore with participants the potential of a coherent overarching set of principles that would encompass the wide range of existing participatory and collaborative approaches. Initially working in small, facilitated groups, participants will be asked to draw on their own experiences, and to record their ideas on the wide variety of decisions points embedded in collaborative/participatory work. The session will conclude with a review of responses and a discussion of whether there is value in identifying a set of principles about the nature of collaborative evaluative inquiry to be tested out in future discussions. |