Partnerships for Transformative Change in Challenging Political Contexts

Washington Evaluators, Seminar, January 2017

•  FulbrightSpecialistProgramhasrecentlyundergoneachangeinimplementerfromtheIns9tuteofInterna9onalEduca9on–CouncilofInterna9onalExchangeofScholars(IIE-CIES)toWorldLearning

• https://fulbrightspecialist.worldlearning.org/•  2to6weekproject-basedexchangeforacademicsandprofessionalsacrosstheglobe

• Hostinstitution(UniversityofSantiago)•  Fulbrightspecialist

• Delivering a seminar or workshop • Consulting on faculty or workforce development • Developing academic or training curricula and materials • Lecturing at the graduate or undergraduate level • Conducting needs assessments or evaluations for a program

or institution

• AmericanEvaluationAssociationInternationalPartnershipProgramhttp://www.eval.org/p/cm/ld/fid=287

• Voluntary Organizations for Professional Evaluation (VOPEs)

• Washington Evaluators and RELAC

AndreaPeroni,DonnaMertens,ClaudiaOlavarria,FabiolaAmariles,GerardoSánchez

ClaudiaOlavarria

AndreaPeroni

• Historicallegacyofoppression•  “Thepurposehereistodiscuss/showstudentshowevaluationcancontributetosocialchangetowardssocialjustice.Ibelievethisisthemostinterestingsubjectyoucouldaddress,maybeshowingsomeexamples.

• Myhopeistomotivatethemtoseethatevaluationisafieldinwhichtheycouldworkanduseittotransformsociety.”

•  ClaudiaOlavarria,September2016,personalcommunication

Curso de Evaluación Transformadora • 4daycourseSeptember2016•  35evaluatorsfromChile,Paraguay,Mexico,Colombia,andArgentina

• Structure:SimultaneoustranslationoflectureanddiscussionintheAM;applicationtosmallgroupprojectsinthePM

• Theme:Howcanevaluatorscontributetotheimprovementofsocialjusticeandhumanrightsthroughthedesignandimplementationoftheirwork?

Assumptions Beliefs

Axiology Cultural respect; promote social justice & human rights; address inequities; reciprocity

Ontology Multi-faceted; consequences of privilege

Epistemology Interactive; trust

Methodology Transformative, dialogic, mixed methods

TRANSFORMATIVE PARADIGM

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QUESTIONS ABOUT TRANSFORMATIVE EVALUATION • DO WE HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY TO TRY TO

CHANGE THINGS WHEN WE BEAR WITNESS TO RACISM, ABLEISM, AUDISM, SEXISM OR OTHER ISMS?

• HOW CAN WE INCORPORATE PLANS FOR USE INTO THE DESIGN OF THE EVALUATION TO FACILITATE SOCIAL CHANGE?

• HOW CAN WE ADDRESS POWER DIFFERENTIALS IN USE?

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SOLUTIONS •  POWER IN THE HANDS OF MEMBERS OF MARGINALIZED

COMMUNITIES

•  FORMATION OF TEAMS OF EVALUATORS THAT REPRESENT DIVERSITY

•  CAPACITY BUILDING OF EVALUATION TEAMS BY COMMUNITY MEMBERS RE: CULTURAL ISSUES

•  CAPACITY BUILDING OF COMMUNITY MEMBERS RE: EVALUATION STRATEGIES

•  USE OF TRANSFORMATIVE CYCLICAL DESIGNS THAT ALLOW FOR USE OF INFORMATION THROUGHOUT THE EVALUATION

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BEING FLEXIBLE AND RESPONSIVE •  TRANSFORMATIVE COURSE FOR RELAC

•  UNIVERSIDAD CENTRAL – SOCIAL WORK

•  UNIVERSIDAD DE ALBERTO HURTADO – UG SOCIOLOGY

•  PONTIFICA UNIVERSITY – GRADUATE PUBLIC POLICY

•  UNIVERSITY OF SANTIAGO – INCLUSION OF PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES

•  MINISTRY OF EDUCATION

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RESOURCES •  MERTENS, D. M. & WILSON, A. (2012).

PROGRAM EVALUATION THEORY AND PRACTICE: A COMPREHENSIVE GUIDE. NY: GUILFORD.

•  MERTENS, D. M. (2015). RESEARCH AND EVALUATION IN EDUCATION AND PSYCHOLOGY: INTEGRATING DIVERSITY WITH QUAL, QUANT AND MIXED METHODS. 4TH ED. THOUSAND OAKS, CA: SAGE.

•  MERTENS, D. M. (2009). TRANSFORMATIVE RESEARCH & EVALUATION. NY: GUILFORD.

•  MERTENS, D. M. & GINSBERG, P. (2009).(EDS.) HANDBOOK OF SOCIAL RESEARCH ETHICS. THOUSAND OAKS, CA: SAGE.

•  MERTENS, D.M., CRAM, F., & CHILISA, B. (EDS.) (2013). INDIGENOUS PATHWAYS. WALNUT CREEK, CA: LEFT COAST PRESS.

Mertens MM Santiago Chile

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CONTACT INFORMATION

DONNA M. MERTENS, PHD

INDEPENDENT CONSULTANT

DONNA.MERTENS@GALLAUDET.EDU

Mertens MM Santiago Chile 16 September 2016