Events
Public Oral PhD Defense: Paidamoyo Chikate
Beyond Good Intentions: An Empirical Study of Evaluators’ Ethics and Values
Advisor: Dr. John LaVelle and Dr. Joan DeJaeghere
Abstract:
Evaluation, although still young compared to other social sciences, is a field growing rapidly in all sectors of our social infrastructure including government, non profit and private sectors. This has led to increased interest in and thoughtful discussions about what evaluation is and is not, and how it can help institutions grow and improve their work. Rapid growth in a field necessitates implementing concrete, data-driven ethical and values aligned guidelines to promote positive evaluator practices and to prevent misconduct. Although the American Evaluation Association (AEA) Guiding Principles recommended ways for practicing evaluators to do their work ethically, these principles sometimes fall short in practice. Other practice-oriented professions, such as medicine and social work, have established empirical research ethical standards, values and regulatory mechanisms outlining the consequences of the breaches of those standards. The field of evaluation has not yet created profession-wide practical ethics and values standards or outlined consequences for when these standards are violated. The research revealed that there is indeed a clear empirically measured connection between evaluator ethics and values and their practice. This research explored how theory- and data-based ethics and values frameworks can be used to understand evaluators, support evaluation practice, and ultimately promote the ethics and values of the field itself.
Online via Zoom or Burton Hall Room 205
Photographs taken at the event may be used in University of Minnesota print and online publications, promotions, or shared with the CEHD community.
The University of Minnesota shall provide equal access to and opportunity in its programs, facilities, and employment without regard to race, color, creed, religion, national origin, gender, age, marital status, familial status, disability, public assistance status, membership or activity in a local commission created for the purpose of dealing with discrimination, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression. All are welcome.
The University of Minnesota campuses were built on the traditional homelands of the Dakota and Ojibwe, and scores of other Indigenous peoples who have walked on these lands from time immemorial. It is important to acknowledge the peoples on whose land we live, learn, and work as we seek to improve and strengthen our relations with our tribal nations. We also acknowledge that words are not enough. We must ensure that our institution provides support, resources, and programs that increase access to all aspects of higher education for our American Indian students, staff, faculty, and community members.