Date: Wednesday, February 11, 2026
Hi! My name is Megan C. Sharkey. I am a doctoral candidate at George Mason University and an emerging evaluator with a background in K-12 education. This spring, I had the opportunity to share an evaluation project at the virtual DC Consortium Student Conference on Evaluation and Policy, now known as the DC Emerging Evaluators Exchange (DCE3). Did you know there are conferences for evaluations? This was my first time presenting at one!
My project focused on understanding the experiences of instructional coaches within a STEM professional development program called SPACE-IT. Sharing this project with an audience of local student evaluators helped me reflect on the process.
One of the biggest takeaways from this project was that I gained a deeper understanding of the evaluator’s role, not just as someone who collects and analyzes data but as someone who listens, interprets, collaborates, and ensures the process is thoughtful and respectful. I found this perspective aligned well with the conference theme, Ways of Knowing in Evaluation, which invited presenters to consider how different contexts and approaches shape our understanding and practice as evaluators.
Because this evaluation was designed using a responsive approach, I prioritized collaboration and co-construction of meaning throughout. After analyzing the data, I facilitated an ORID (Objective, Reflective, Interpretive, Decisional) discussion with the participants to review findings, reflect on their experiences, and collaboratively generate recommendations. As a newer evaluator, ORID gave me the structure and confidence to guide a complex conversation with clarity. It also aligned with the values of responsive evaluation by making space for shared reflection and contextually grounded next steps.
Sharing this process at the conference helped me reflect on how responsive evaluation can elevate participant voice. I hope the presentation sparked interest among fellow evaluators, especially those early in their careers who are learning to adapt tools and strategies that reflect the many “ways of knowing in evaluation.”
Two key resources guided my approach to this evaluation.
Interested in seeing more work like this? Join us live for the 2026 DC Emerging Evaluators Exchange conference on Friday, April 24th! Students, new evaluators, or seasoned professionals are all invited to register for this virtual conference or in-person networking event.
If you are a graduate student or recent alumni of a university within the DC region, you are also eligible to submit a proposal to present. See the Call for Proposals for full details.
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