Applying an educative approach to engage stakeholder values in evaluations of STEM research and education programmes

Abstract

Stakeholder values regarding a programme’s worth and their own principles or standards can aid or impede an evaluation. The evaluator’s challenge and responsibility is to successfully engage multiple stakeholder value orientations in the evaluation process. Stakeholder engagement is essential within evaluations of programmes aimed at broadening participation of underrepresented individuals and institutions in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). This article describes an educative approach to engage stakeholder values within evaluations of STEM research and education programmes funded by the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF). Reflections and implications for evaluation theory and practice applicable to any STEM evaluation context, and more broadly to the field of evaluation, are discussed.

Keywords

broadening participation educative federally funded stakeholders STEM values

Get full access to this article

View all access options for this article.

References

Boyce

A. S.

(2017). Lessons learned using a values-engaged approach to attend to culture, diversity, and equity in a STEM program evaluation. Evaluation and Program Planning, 64, 33–43.

Gonzalez

H. B.

(2012). An analysis of STEM education funding at the NSF: Trends and policy discussion. Congressional Research Service.

Granovskiy

(2018). Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education: An overview (CRS Report R45223, Version 4). Congressional Research Service.

Greene

J. C.

Boyce

A. S.

Ahn

(2011). Values-engaged, educative evaluation approach guidebook. University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign (Created and produced with funds from the National Science Foundation. AEA eLibrary).

Greene

J. C.

DeStefano

Burgon

Hall

(2006). An educative values-engaged approach to evaluating STEM educational programs. In Huffman

Lawrenz

(Eds.), Critical issues in STEM evaluation, new directions for evaluation (Vol. 109, pp. 53–71). Jossey–Bass.

Hopson

R. K.

(2009). Reclaiming knowledge at the margins: Culturally responsive evaluation in the current evaluation moment. In Ryan

K. E.

Cousins

J. B.

(Eds.), The SAGE international handbook of educational evaluation (pp. 429–446). Information Age Publishing.

National Science Foundation. (2019, December 30). https://www.nsf.gov/about/what.jsp

Noonan

(2017). STEM Jobs: 2017 update (ESA Issue Brief# 02-17). U.S. Department of Commerce.

Orr

S. K.

(2010). Exploring stakeholder values and interests in evaluation. American Journal of Evaluation, 31(4), 557–569.

10.

Thomas

V. G.

(2004). Building a contextually responsive evaluation framework: Lessons from working with urban school interventions. New Directions for Evaluation, 2004(101), 3–23.