Review and Assessment of Capacity Building in Evaluation through Broadening Participation

Cosmos Corporation, Bethesda MD

Investigators

Abstract

This proposal is to conduct a mixed-methods evaluation research study that will assess the reach, depth, and products generated through a collection of National Science Foundation awards supporting broadening participation through capacity building in evaluation with a focus on cultural competence. The proposed research will examine the activities and associated accomplishments of a collection of up to 25 awards at the frontier of evaluative theory and practice. It will produce a timely synthesis of the portfolio's potential contributions to capacity building and broadening participation in the context of current shifts in evaluation theory and practice. The aim is to reach professional organizations, public service agencies, and communities concerned with improving science, technology, engineering, and mathematics education with findings they may use in the promotion of fair evaluative practices and to further build capacity in the field of evaluation. In 2004, the American Evaluation Association's (AEA's) guiding principles articulated the salience of cultural competence (i.e., the appropriate education, abilities, skills, and experiences) for conducting evaluations of different groups and stakeholders. The portfolio of projects provides an ideal opportunity to examine efforts to more clearly define the requirements and responsibilities of evaluators, while critically assessing evaluation standards and strategies for achieving culturally appropriate evaluations. Synthesizing the contributions of this NSF-supported line of inquiry will serve to inform policy planners, help practitioners take stock of the current state of evaluation practice, and stimulate dialogues about the direction in which evaluation is evolving. This study provides an opportunity to inform the field of practitioners, academicians, and the public and private sectors of the progress being made in: 1) more clearly defining what constitutes competent evaluation and 2) recruiting and training culturally competent evaluators. The findings of this study will be shared with those institutions and individuals in a position to attract, support, or produce culturally competent evaluators, including professional organizations and minority serving institutions such as historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs), the American Indian Higher Education Consortium (AIHEC), the American Indian Science and Engineering Society (AISES), and Hispanic serving institutions (HSIs).