Post on 13-Jan-2016
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Participatory Evaluation
Presented by: : Lauren Kofchak EPS 654- Program Evaluation
What is Participatory Evaluation?
“ Applied social research that involves a partnership between trained evaluation personnel and practice-based decision makers, organization members with program responsibilities, or individuals with a vital interest in the program.” (Cousins & Whitmore, 1998).
Historical Context
In the 1960s: Growing concern about the mechanistic and insensitive approaches of evaluation.
Mid-1970s : The National Institute of Education developed the practice of stakeholder evaluation.
This model stressed the importance of involving stakeholders with first hand experience with the evaluand in the evaluation process.
Participatory Evaluation is viewed as an extension to the conventional stakeholder evaluation model.
Two Forms of Participatory Evaluation
Two forms of Participatory Evaluation which are differentiated by the rationale behind them.
Practical Participatory Evaluation
Transformative Participatory Evaluation
Practical Participatory Evaluation
Engages stakeholders in the “Nuts and Bolts”
Relatively small number of primary users
Evaluator’s role: technical support, training, and quality control
Ideally, organizations develop technical knowledge and skills to take on coordinating role in the future. Evaluator serves strictly as a consultant.
Characteristics of Methods(Cousins & Whitmore, 1998)
Stakeholder Practical Transformative
Principal Authors
Bryk, Mark & Shotland
Ayers, Cousins & Earl
Tardon & Fernandes, Fals-Borda, Gaventa
Primary Goals Evaluation utilization; some emphasis on political aspects
Program decision making and problem solving, evaluation utilization
Empowerment, emancipation, social justice
Decision Makers
Evaluator: coordinator of activities and technical aspects
Partnership between evaluator and participants
Partnership but ultimately participants control decisions
Participants All legitimate groups
Primary Users: sponsors, managers, developers
All legitimate groups especially beneficiaries
Depth of Participation
Limited- consulted for planning and interpretation
Extensive– involved in all phases of evaluation
Extensive- involved in all phases of evaluation
Transformative Participatory Evaluation
Emerged primarily in the developing world in the 1970s
Philosophical foundations derived from Paolo Freire
Empowers staff through participation
Encourages continuous collective critical thinking
Evaluator guards against self-serving interests
Challenge: risk of lack of consensus on program goals
When Should Participatory Evaluation Be Used?
Best suited for formative evaluation
To build internal evaluation capacity
To increase utility of evaluation findings
To obtain “buy-in” and involvement of stakeholders
Organizational Requirements for Participatory Evaluation
Value evaluation
Provide the necessary time and resources
Organizational learning as a route to improvement
Motivated to engage in the evaluation
Ability to learn given the appropriate training
Evaluator Requirements for Participatory Evaluation
Training and expertise concerning technical skills
Accessible to organizations
Provide resources for the research process
Pedagogical role
Motivated to participate in the evaluation
Tolerance for imperfection
Benefits of Stakeholder Involvement
Enhances social discourse
Individual and group reflection
Enhances organizational learning
Better informed decision-making
Builds confidence and pride in organization
Challenges to Participatory Evaluation
Power struggle Who is in charge? How do individuals with varying degrees of authority/power
collaborate on an “even playing field” in the evaluation process?
How much should the evaluator mediate these situations?
Ethics Who owns findings? Who decides what data will be included and to what extent? Is the data being manipulated?
Participation Who identifies primary stakeholders and determines who will
participate?
References Cousins, J. B. & Earl, L. M. (1992, Winter). The Case for Participatory Evaluation.
Educational Evaluation and Policy Analysis, 14(4), 397-418. doi: 10.3102/01623737014004397
Cousins, J. B. & Earl, L. M. (1995). Participatory evaluation: enhancing evaluation use and organizational learning capacity. The Evaluation Exchange. 1(3/4). Harvard Family Research Project.
Cousins, J. B. & Whitmore, E. (1998, Winter). Framing participatory evaluation. New Directions for Evaluation, 1998(80), 5-23. doi: 10.1002/ev.1114.
Russ-Eft, D.(2009). Evaluation in organizations: A systematic approach to enhancing learning, performance, and change (2nd Ed.). New York, NY: Basic Books.
Upshur, C. C. & Barreto-Cortez, E. (1995). What is participatory evaluation? What are its roots?. The Evaluation Exchange. 1(3/4). Harvard Family Research Project.
Zukoski, A. & Luluquisen, M. (2002, Apr.). Participatory evaluation. What is it? Why do it? What are the challenges? Community based public health policy & practice., 5, The California Endowment and Public Health Institute.