EAGER: Creating a STEM Evaluation Community of Practice to use Culturally Responsive Evaluation (CRE) in Broadening participation (BP) Programs and Projects

University Of Illinois At Urbana-Champaign, Urbana IL

Investigators

Abstract

Purpose. The purpose of this project is to conduct exploratory research to gauge the interdisciplinary and transformative potential of using culturally responsive evaluation (CRE) methods to inform the general development of shared accountability mechanisms for broadening participation in the STEM workforce. In addition, the research will add to the evaluation knowledge/practice base, specifically on the efficacy of internship experiences in the creation of more effective recruitment strategies, education/training, and career pathways for evaluation professionals of color. This project builds on a need expressed by the American Evaluation Association?s national competitive pre-doctoral Graduate Education Diversity Internship (GEDI) program to introduce and advance the utilization of CRE in Federal STEM evaluation. Community of Practice. This project will create a community of practice that places two GEDI interns annually at the National Science Foundation to engage in both the application of CRE to ongoing contracted Federal STEM education and research evaluation projects, but also to contribute to research conducted by the Center for Culturally Responsive Evaluation and Assessment (CREA) at the University of Illinois- Champaign-Urbana on the use of CRE in STEM education and research evaluation based on their experience. Research Activities. The research will discover the factors that drive the successful development of sustainable, intergenerational evaluation pathways to promote broadening participation in STEM evaluation. Data collection methods include literature review, participant observation, secondary analysis of administrative records and other data, surveys, and interviews. These data will be used to strengthen the existing GEDI theory of change framework and curricula by infusing findings and lessons learned from the internship experience about the use of CRE and broadening participation in STEM evaluation. Dissemination. A symposium held during the second year of the project will convene experts in CRE, STEM BP, and evaluation to review the research findings and derive implications for to advancing the science and practice of evaluating investments in broadening participation across the STEM research workforce. Dissemination activities and products such as journal articles, conference presentations, and professional development workshops are planned for both years. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.