Producing Competent Evaluators: A Self-Study of a Graduate Evaluation Program
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| Title: | Producing Competent Evaluators: A Self-Study of a Graduate Evaluation Program |
|---|---|
| Language: | English |
| Authors: | Sandra Nyashaddai Ayoo (ORCID |
| Source: | American Journal of Evaluation. 2026 47(2):191-217. |
| Availability: | SAGE Publications. 2455 Teller Road, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320. Tel: 800-818-7243; Tel: 805-499-9774; Fax: 800-583-2665; e-mail: journals@sagepub.com; Web site: https://sagepub.com |
| Peer Reviewed: | Y |
| Page Count: | 27 |
| Publication Date: | 2026 |
| Document Type: | Journal Articles Reports - Research |
| Education Level: | Higher Education Postsecondary Education |
| Descriptors: | Graduate Study, Evaluation, Evaluators, Skill Development, Job Skills, Minority Serving Institutions, Graduate Students, Alumni, College Curriculum, Student Experience, Competency Based Education, Reflection, Authentic Learning, Standards, Social Justice, Cultural Relevance |
| Geographic Terms: | North Carolina (Greensboro) |
| DOI: | 10.1177/10982140261425204 |
| ISSN: | 1098-2140 1557-0878 |
| Abstract: | Preparing evaluators requires more than technical training. It requires cultivating the judgment to navigate uncertainty, complexity, and equity concerns. This study examines how evaluator competencies are developed through a collaborative, reflective self-study of a graduate evaluation program at a Minority Serving Institution in the southeastern United States. Twenty-two students and alumni participated in interviews exploring how evaluator competencies were enacted through coursework, assistantships, and applied projects. Findings indicate strengths in Context and Methodology competencies, while Planning and Management and Interpersonal competencies require greater attention. Participants emphasized the importance of safe and brave spaces and identified reflection as essential for linking technical skills with professional judgment, cultural responsiveness, and professional identity. The study introduces the ARC Framework--Action, Reflection, and Competency--as a model for evaluator preparation. Implications extend to embedding authentic practice, making reflection intentional, cultivating dispositions, and integrating justice throughout curricula to prepare evaluators to act wisely and responsibly. |
| Abstractor: | As Provided |
| Entry Date: | 2026 |
| Accession Number: | EJ1504246 |
| Database: | ERIC |
| Abstract: | Preparing evaluators requires more than technical training. It requires cultivating the judgment to navigate uncertainty, complexity, and equity concerns. This study examines how evaluator competencies are developed through a collaborative, reflective self-study of a graduate evaluation program at a Minority Serving Institution in the southeastern United States. Twenty-two students and alumni participated in interviews exploring how evaluator competencies were enacted through coursework, assistantships, and applied projects. Findings indicate strengths in Context and Methodology competencies, while Planning and Management and Interpersonal competencies require greater attention. Participants emphasized the importance of safe and brave spaces and identified reflection as essential for linking technical skills with professional judgment, cultural responsiveness, and professional identity. The study introduces the ARC Framework--Action, Reflection, and Competency--as a model for evaluator preparation. Implications extend to embedding authentic practice, making reflection intentional, cultivating dispositions, and integrating justice throughout curricula to prepare evaluators to act wisely and responsibly. |
|---|---|
| ISSN: | 1098-2140 1557-0878 |
| DOI: | 10.1177/10982140261425204 |
