query: participatory evaluation

[colist-admin at comm-org.utoledo.edu]

[ed:  here is James' participatory evaluation query, which I separated out 
from his election discussion.  Some thoughts from me below.]

From: James Whelan <James.Whelan at mailbox.gu.edu.au>

Hi Comm-Org'ers

Can you help me?

I'm looking for some stimulus material on participative evaluation. I'm 
chairing a panel discussion next month and would love to be able to throw 
in some curly quotes, interesting anecdotes or stimulating theory. In a 
casual chat with the panel members last week, I was struck by the dramatic 
assumptions made in the language people use to describe participate 
evaluation as applied on community arts and cultural development work. 
participants are "empowered" (I've pretty much stopped using the word - 
it's about as precise as "nice" or "good"). Project workers become 
'co-participants'. Evaluation provides an opportunity to tell the story of 
what has worked for participants - to ascribe personal meaning and value 
(not appease a funding body). Evaluation is an important process at teh 
beginning, middle and end of a project.

Are there good websites to visit? Legendary texts? What is your favourite 
model to explain or describe the participative evaluation processes you use?

James Whelan
Brisbane, Australia

*****************

[ed:  I have been doing a lot of participatory evaluation these days, and 
have been starting to build a model that seems to work well in both 
community organizing/development and university-community partnership 
settings.  You can read a paper draft at 
http://comm-org.utoledo.edu/drafts/evalppranon.htm ]