Participatory evaluation: 12 useful online resources

My students this semester have been interested in participatory evaluation. This sub-set of evaluation isn’t a major topic in our course this semester, but because so many of them are interested, I have pulled together a bit of a reading list for them on the topic so those who are interested can explore it further.

Here’s a list of 12 online articles, e-books and other resources on participatory evaluation:

Bragin, M. (2005). The community participatory evaluation tool for psychosocial programs: A guide to implementation. Intervention Journal, 3(1), 3-24. Retrieved from http://www.interventionjournal.com/downloads/31pdf/03_24%20bragin%20.pdf

Campilan, D. (2000). Participatory evaluation of participatory research. Paper presented at the Forum on Evaluation of International Cooperation Projects: Centering on Development of Human Resources in the Field of Agriculture. Retrieved from http://ir.nul.nagoya-u.ac.jp/jspui/bitstream/2237/8890/1/39-56.pdf

Canadian International Development Agency. (2001). How to perform evaluations: Participatory evaluations. Performance Review Branch Guides, (3). Retrieved from http://www.acdi-cida.gc.ca/INET/IMAGES.NSF/vLUImages/Performancereview4/$file/participatory_Evl.pdf

Checkoway, B., & Richards-Schuster, K.  Facilitator’s guide for participatory evaluation with young people. Available from http://ssw.umich.edu/public/currentprojects/youthAndCommunity/pubs/guidebook.pdf

Checkoway, B., & Richards-Schuster, K. (n.d.). Participatory evaluation with young people. Available from http://ssw.umich.edu/public/currentprojects/youthAndCommunity/pubs/youthbook.pdf

Cousins, J. B., & Earl, L. M. (1995). Participatory evaluation: Enhancing evaluation use and organizational learning capacity. The Evaluation Exchange: A Periodical on Emerging Strategies in Evaluation, 1(3-4). Retrieved from http://www.hfrp.org/evaluation/the-evaluation-exchange/issue-archive/participatory-evaluation/participatory-evaluation-enhancing-evaluation-use-and-organizational-learning-capacity

Guijt, I., & Gaventa, J. (1998). Participatory monitoring and evaluation: Learning from change. IDS Policy Briefing, (12). Retrieved from http://www.ids.ac.uk/files/dmfile/PB12.pdf

Lefevre, P., Kolsteren, P., De Wael, M.-P., Byekwaso, F., & Beghin, I. (2000). Comprehensive participatory planning and evaluation. Available from http://www.ifad.org/pub/bsf/cppe/cppe.pdf

Pant, M.  (n.d.) Participatory evaluation (PE). Available from http://www.unesco.org/education/aladin/paldin/pdf/course01/unit_09.pdf

Pastor, J., & Roberts, R., A. (1995). Participatory evaluation research as a catalyst for reform: An example from an urban middle school. The Evaluation Exchange: A Periodical on Emerging Strategies in Evaluation, 1(3-4). Retrieved from http://www.hfrp.org/evaluation/the-evaluation-exchange/issue-archive/participatory-evaluation/participatory-evaluation-research-as-catalyst-for-reform-an-example-from-an-urban-middle-school

Upshur, C. C., Barretto-Cortez, E., & Gaston Institute, M. (1995). What is participatory evaluation (PE)? What are its roots? The Evaluation Exchange: A Periodical on Emerging Strategies in Evaluation, 1(3-4). Retrieved from http://www.hfrp.org/evaluation/the-evaluation-exchange/issue-archive/participatory-evaluation/what-is-participatory-evaluation-pe-what-are-its-roots

Zukoski, A., & Luluquisen, M. (2002). Participatory evaluation: What is it? Why do it? What are the challenges. Community -Based Public Health Policy and Practice, (5). Retrieved from http://depts.washington.edu/ccph/pdf_files/Evaluation.pdf

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21st Century Leadership: How Collaboration is Transforming Business Leadership (Webinar)

I’m gearing up for a brand new webinar this week that will be offered through Chinook Learning Services.

Although the core principles of leadership are timeless, the skills needed in today’s fast-paced world are different than in decades past. This webinar looks at what it means to be a leader in the 21st century. Reconsider traditional paradigms of leadership and learn why they don’t work today. Find out why collaboration is the hot new trend in leadership and how to use collaboration to mobilize others to take responsibility and take action.

Participant Outcomes

• Understand emerging trends in 21^st century leadership.
• Understand how collaboration is an effective motivator.
• Learn key strategies for integrating collaboration into your leadership practice.

Course Content

1. Trends in 21st century leadership.
2. Why traditional models of leadership are becoming ineffective.
3. The role of collaboration in leadership.
4. Key strategies for collaborative leadership practice.

Find out more about the webinar here.

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If you are interested in booking me (Sarah Eaton) for a presentation, keynote or workshop (either live or via webinar) contact me at sarahelaineeaton (at) gmail.com. Please visit my speaking page, too.

Program and Practice Evaluation

I am excited to be teaching a new course this spring semester. It’s a research course for the Master’s of Education program at the University of Calgary.

Course description

The purpose of this course is to provide an understanding of evaluation – as a discipline, as a profession, as a process and a product in a wide range of educational and social contexts. The primary focus of the course is holistic, large-scale program evaluation rather than the assessment of individuals (for example, the measurement of student achievement or personnel review).

This course focuses on developing an understanding of the logic of evaluative thinking, the nature of evaluation as a profession and discipline, the knowledge and skills needed to be expert consumers of program evaluation and novice evaluators in contexts relevant to individual career contexts.

Topics include:

• the logic of evaluation
• central concepts in evaluation
• approaches to evaluation
• standards in evaluation
• the social and political nature of evaluation.

Learner outcomes

Upon completion of this course, students will be able to:

• Describe the logic of evaluation and explain its role in improving practice in teaching and learning
• Understand, analyze, synthesize and apply the central concepts in evaluation
• Be aware of and apply appropriate standards in evaluation, including ethical practices for evaluators
• Understand, discuss, and critique the social and political nature of evaluation
• Be familiar be with and critically analyze major approaches to evaluation and their designs, then synthesize into an appropriate evaluation plan that fits the needs of the particular evaluation task.

Here’s a copy of the course outline:

View this document on Scribd

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If you are interested in booking me (Sarah Eaton) for a presentation, keynote or workshop (either live or via webinar) contact me at sarahelaineeaton (at) gmail.com. Please visit my speaking page, too.

3 Key Elements of Self-Directed Learning

Last week I had the privilege of attending the Collaborating for Learning Conference (May 15 & 16, 2013) at the University of Calgary.

The keynote speaker, Dr. Gary Poole, from the University of British Columbia, gave a talk on a self-directed learning program at UBC.

Dr. Poole highlighted three key elements of self-directed learning that differentiate it from traditional learning:

1. The learner identifies the goals of their project and their learning process.
2. The learner designs the means for attaining those goals.
3. The learner defines the criteria to determine if the goals were met.

In order for learning to be truly self-directed, teachers and advisors must surrender the need to control the learning process, program design and even the assessment. Faculty and program coordinators become guides, helping students find their way if they get lost, helping them to cultivate self-managment and self-monitoring skills and — at all costs — resisting the urge to prescribe how learning should happen.

Self-directed learning teaches students to take control of their own path and then take full responsiblity for their own success or failure, being reflective and aware every step of the way.

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If you are interested in booking me (Sarah Eaton) for a presentation, keynote or workshop (either live or via webinar) contact me at sarahelaineeaton (at) gmail.com. Please visit my speaking page, too.

Why “as cited in” should be avoided in academic writing

For my graduate students… and other readers:

When you are referencing others’ work in our course, whehter it is on the discussion board, in your presentation or in your final paper, I urge you to find the primary sources for your citations.

I will be upfront about this and say that I am not at all a fan of citing a work that somone else has cited. Please find the original reference yourself and cite that instead.

The reason for this is three-fold:

1. You want to be sure that the “original” author actually exists. As heinous as it may seem, people have been known to fabricate references.
2. More common is that a researcher will mis-quote an author or take someone’s work out of context. By going back to the original source, you have the opportunity to verify for yourself what the original author was trying to say.
3. “As cited in…” can be an indicator of either a lazy or disinterested scholar who does not care enough to find and cite original authors. I do not think this is the case with anyone in our course, but it is not uncommon for other scholars to dismiss the credibility of a researcher who does not take the time to find primary sources.

Earlier this year, I conducted an informal in-class experiment with a Master’s level class at the U of C. I challenged them to find the original version of Maslow’s “Hierarchy of Needs”. To their surprise, they found that the pyramid that has become an iconic representation of Maslow’s hierarchy is nowhere to be found in his original work. (You can read about it here: Maslow’s hierarchy of needs: Is the pyramid a hoax?  http://wp.me/pNAh3-1rU)

I tell my students, “My point to you is this: Please cite only primary sources in our course. Avoid using ‘as cited in…’ or similar strategies. If you can’t find an original source, don’t cite it.”

The only exception to this would be original works of extreme rarity which are almost impossible to source without physically visiting historical archives.

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Creating Space for Strength – Interim Final Report

In October, 2012, I began working with two other consultants, Lee Tunstall and Vilma Dawson, on a project called “Creating Space for Strength” for Calgary’s North Central Communities. We started with an asset-based community development (ABCD) approach and started researching:

• What makes these communities good and strong?
• What could be better?
• How do we get there?

Our project involved interviewing residents from nine Calgary communities, conducting group community consultations and analyzing demographic data to help us understand who lives in these communities.

We are pleased to share our interim final report:

View this document on Scribd

Related posts:

• Community Conversation – Creating Space for Strength in Calgary’s North Central Communities http://wp.me/pNAh3-1yX
• How to Host a World Cafe: Great Resources to Help You Host a Community Conversation that Matters http://wp.me/pNAh3-1zO
• How Community Conversations Create Powerful Possibilities http://wp.me/pNAh3-1z7
• An Introductory Public Webinar: Creating Space for Strength An Asset-Based Community Development and Research Project Focussed on Calgary’s North Central Communities http://wp.me/pNAh3-1wq
• 5 Great resources on asset-based community development (ABCD) http://wp.me/pNAh3-1xJ
•  Webinar recording: Creating Space for Strength http://wp.me/pNAh3-1wI

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If you are interested in booking me (Sarah Eaton) for a presentation, keynote or workshop (either live or via webinar) contact me at sarahelaineeaton (at) gmail.com. Please visit my speaking page, too.

A Phoenix rises as a new school opens

Last week I was honoured to be invited to the official opening of the Captain Nichola Goddard School in Calgary. Located in the North Central community of Panorama Hills, the school is currently home to 560 students, with the capacity for up to 1000.

The children of the school voted on the phoenix as the animal to represent their school. The school opening event began with a student performance about the symbol of the phoenix: a proud, honest animal who rises from the ashes. The ashes represent the school’s namesake, Captain Nichola Goddard, the first female Canadian soldier who was killed in combat. She was killed in Afghanistan on May 17, 2006.

Nichola’s father, Dr. J. Tim Goddard,was my Ph.D. supervisor. Like his daughter, and the rest of the family, Tim is an inspirational leader. With both feet firmly grounded in reality, Tim’s jovial personality is complemented with wit, hope and a no-nonsense approach to life. Even though he has worked in various high-level administrative positions at different universities, such as Dean and Vice-Provost International, Tim is just as comfortable kicking back and watching a game of rugby. He wears his suits with ease, but whenever he sits down, you can see his trademark quirk  — brightly colored socks with a pattern. (On the day of the school opening he was wearing yellow polka dot socks.) Tim’s socks serve a reminder not to take life (or ourselves) too seriously.

After Nichola was killed, her parents and sisters set out to do what they do best… use the resources they have to make the world a better place. They began the Nichola Goddard Foundation, from which they do international work, as well as support scholarships for university students. One of the elements of Tim’s leadership that I have always admired is his ability to leverage resources that he can’t control. Through the foundation, he partners with the Light Up the World foundation on the collaborative Light Up Papua New Guinea project. The project aims to bring solar-powered LED lights to medical aid stations throughout Papua New Guinea. The project makes medical treatment possible during the hours of darkness in regions where there is no electricity. This has a particularly powerful impact on women giving birth during the night hours, as it means that the medical workers can ensure the safety of both mother and baby during the birthing process. The location of the project is significant. It is where Tim and his wife Sally met and where Nichola was born.

During Tim’s speech at the school opening, he shared that the Light Up Papua New Guinea project has now helped two million people in that country.

The students of the Captain Nichola Goddard school are highly aware of their school’s namesake. Her photo is posted in the school and the students know her story. They also know about the good work being done by the foundation that the family has set up. One of the most touching moments of the school opening was the presentation of the cheque from the school to the foundation for over $4000. The students raised the funds themselves through the sale of baked and hand-made goods, as well as a donation campaign they called “nickels for Nichola”.

The school has been open since last August and its inaugural students are about to finish up their first year of studies at the school. The official school opening date was symbolic. The school had its official opening ceremonies on the Nichola would have celebrated her 33rd birthday. A Phoenix rises.

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If you are interested in booking me (Sarah Eaton) for a presentation, keynote or workshop (either live or via webinar) contact me at sarahelaineeaton (at) gmail.com. Please visit my speaking page, too.