EVALUATIVE THINKING
How does one “think like an evaluator”? How can program implementers learn to think like evaluators? Recent years have witnessed an increased use of the term “evaluative thinking”, yet this particular way of thinking, reflecting, and reasoning is not always well understood. Patton warns that, as attention to evaluative thinking has increased, the term risks becoming vacuous through sheer repetition and lip service. This workshop can help avoid that pitfall. Drawing from his ten years of experience with research and practice in evaluation capacity building, Dr. Archibald will use discussion and hands-on activities in this workshop to help attendees learn: (1) What evaluative thinking (ET) is and how it pertains to their context; (2) How to promote and strengthen ET among individuals and organizations with whom they work; and (3) How to use ET to identify assumptions, articulate program theory, and conduct evaluation with an emphasis on learning and adaptive management.
No prior knowledge is required; it is open to beginners and more advanced evaluators alike.
Præsentation
Oplægsholder
Tom Archibald, Assistant Professor/Extension Specialist, Virginia Tech.