Producing Competent Evaluators: A Self-Study of a Graduate Evaluation Program

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.