Explore resources by clicking on the principle below

+ Artistic Expression

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+ Co-creation

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+ Connectedness

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+ Community Facing

New Directions in Evaluation: Evaluation and Facilitation, (American Evaluation Association, ed. by Sinorita Fierro, Schwartz, & Hanson Smart, 2016)

+ Complexity Concepts

Theory-Based Evaluation Meets Ambiguity: The Role of Janus Variables (Dahler-Larsen, 2017)

Dahler-Larsen explores the ambiguous aspects of theory-based evaluation, including Janus variables (which work in two ways), as well as ways to identify and deal with ambiguity.

+ Cultural Responsiveness

New Directions for Evaluation: Building a new generation of culturally responsive evaluators through AEA's Graduate Education Diversity Internship Program (American Evaluation Association, ed. by Collins & Hopson, 2014)

A special issue of AEA's publication outlining the necessity for and accomplishments of the GEDI program and culturally responsive evaluation and evaluation education. Increased diversity is critical if developmental evaluation is truly to promote social justice.

+ Evaluation Rigour

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+ Generosity of Spirit

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+ Innovation Niche

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+ Loving Relationships

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+ Social Justice

On the Life and Death Importance of Thinking (Minnich, 2017; Reviewed by Quinn-Patton, 2018)

Michael Quinn-Patton reviews Elizabeth Minnich's book on what can be done to prevent genocide. Quinn-Patton connects the concepts rigour, evaluative thinking, and speaking truth to power to actions for which evaluators must question the outcomes. Doing so is a matter of utmost urgency- of life and death.

Evaluation Frameworks for Social Justice Philanthropy: A Review of Available Resources (Niedzwiecki, Daylight Consulting Group) A report cataloguing tools from various organizations used for evaluation in social justice contexts.

+ Systems Thinking

How evaluators can use a complex systems lens to get "untrapped" from limiting beliefs and assumptions (Moore, Parsons, & Jessup, 2018) We work in a world that is complicated, with dynamic relationships, entangled processes, and many unknowns. This article identifies four traps that can limit the usefulness of program evaluations when the instability and uncertainty of systems are not acknowledged and how using a complex systems lens can improve the efficacy and significance of evaluation work.

Going Beyond Mixed Methods to Mixed Approaches: A Systems Perspective for Asking the Right Questions (Garcia & Zazueta, 2015) This article explains how syste]7ms thinking should be used first to help frame appropriate evaluation questions, which will in turn determine the methods and approaches used and ensure the evaluation is understanding a theory of change within the complexity and context in which it exists.

+ Undivided Selves

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+ Utilization-Focused Evaluation

Essentials of Utilization-Focused Evalution (Quinn Patton, 2011)

A primer on the overall framework and steps for evaluations to actually be used.

Read a brief overview and introduction of the steps of UFE at BetterEvaluation.