Theories of Evaluation

Best of aea365: Carolyn Cohen on Appreciative Inquiry: Small Scale Use

Hello, I am Carolyn Cohen, owner of Cohen Research & Evaluation, LLC, based in Seattle Washington. I specialize in program evaluation and strategic learning related to innovations in the social change and education arenas.  I have been infusing elements of Appreciative Inquiry into my work for many years.  Appreciative Inquiry is an asset-based approach, developed …

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OPEN Week: Elizabeth O’Neill on When not to evaluate

I am Elizabeth O’Neill, Program Evaluator for Oregon’s State Unit on Aging and President-Elect for the Oregon Program Evaluators Network. I found myself on this unlikely route as an evaluator starting as a nonprofit program manager. As I witnessed the amazing dedication for producing community-based work, I wanted to know that the effort was substantiated. …

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Abhik Roy, Kristin Hobson, and Chris Coryn on the Scriven Number

Hi, we’re Abhik Roy and Kristin A. Hobson, students and Doctoral Associates (we know what you’re thinking…wow…they must be rich) in the Interdisciplinary Ph.D. in Evaluation (IDPE) at Western Michigan University (WMU), and Dr. Chris L. S. Coryn, Professor of Evaluation, Measurement, and Research and Director of the IDPE (our boss…please tell him to pay …

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Maxine Gilling on Lessons Learned from a Study of How Politics Influence Evaluation Policy

Hello, I am Maxine Gilling, Research Associate for Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs (GEAR UP). I recently completed my dissertation entitled How Politics, Economics, and Technology Influence Evaluation Requirements for Federally Funded Projects: A Historical Study of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act from 1965 to 2005. In this study, I examined …

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Carolyn Cohen on Appreciative Inquiry: Small Scale Use

Hello, I am Carolyn Cohen, owner of Cohen Research & Evaluation, LLC, based in Seattle Washington. I specialize in program evaluation and strategic learning related to innovations in the social change and education arenas.  I have been infusing elements of Appreciative Inquiry into my work for many years.  Appreciative Inquiry is an asset-based approach, developed …

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Bloggers Series: Jane Davidson and Patricia Rogers on Genuine Evaluation

Hello. We are Jane Davidson, Director of Real Evaluation Ltd, and Patricia Rogers, Professor of Public Sector Evaluation at RMIT University, and together we write the Genuine Evaluation blog. We’d spent years discussing evaluation offline and found that we shared some strong views and values (and a sense of humor) that we could have some …

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Catherine (Brehm) Rain on Grasshopper Moments: The Kung-Fu Masters of Process Evaluation

I’m Catherine (Brehm) Rain of Rain and Brehm Consulting Group, Inc., an independent research and evaluation firm in Rockledge, Florida. I specialize in Process Evaluation, which answers the questions Who, What, When, Where and How in support of the Outcome Evaluation. Field evaluations occur in chaotic environments where change is a constant. Documenting and managing …

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Susan Kistler on Plexus Institute’s Free Developmental Evaluation Virtual Book Club

I’m Susan Kistler, the American Evaluation Association’s Executive Director, who is happily enjoying a long holiday weekend and preparing for the new year. This week I learned about a great opportunity that I wanted to share. Hot Tip – Free Developmental Evaluation Virtual Book Club: The Plexus Institute is hosting a book club reading of …

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Viola, Patterson, Gray, and Boal on Reflecting on Students’ Self-Assessments of Knowledge Gained through a Program Evaluation Graduate Seminar

Our names are Wendy Viola, Lindsey Patterson, Mary Gray, and Ashley Boal and we are doctoral students in the Applied Social and Community Psychology program at Portland State University.  This winter, we took a course in Program Evaluation from Dr. Katherine McDonald.  We’d like to share three aspects of the seminar that we felt made …

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