Reflection on My Growth as an Evaluator: A Follow-Up

At the beginning of the LDT506 course, I rated myself a 2 on a scale of 1 to 6, with 6 being an expert evaluator. While I recognized that many of the core competencies necessary for effective evaluation aligned with the skills I had developed throughout my career as a Social Studies teacher, I acknowledged that I lacked formal experience in key areas such as data collection, analysis, and reporting. As a Social Studies teacher, I was confident in my ability to communicate, collaborate, and make ethical decisions, which are essential for evaluation. However, I realized that I lacked hands-on experience in the more technical aspects of evaluation, including interpreting data and creating structured evaluation reports. In my initial reflection, I identified that my main goal for the course was to gain practical experience, especially in applying evaluation principles to real-world scenarios, and to build confidence in using formal evaluation methods. Now, after completing the course, I would rate myself a 4 on the same scale. The course, particularly the simulated evaluation project, has provided me with a solid understanding of the evaluation process. I am now more confident in my ability to analyze an RFP from primary stakeholders, create an evaluation proposal that aligns with the specified requirements, and conduct the entire evaluation process from start to finish. My familiarity with creating Likert scale survey questions and designing semi-structured interview protocols has significantly improved. I feel comfortable analyzing both quantitative and qualitative data and generating actionable recommendations based on these results. In addition, I have grown more confident in working collaboratively within a team to write an evaluation report and present findings to stakeholders. These skills are essential to my continued growth as an evaluator and to my future aspirations to contribute to educational design and program evaluation. One area in which I feel particularly confident is in engaging with diverse stakeholders. Throughout my career as an educator, I have worked with students, parents, and colleagues from various backgrounds, which has allowed me to develop strong communication skills. These experiences are beneficial as I think about future evaluation roles, particularly in considering multiple perspectives and ensuring that evaluations are inclusive. Although I initially felt confident in stakeholder engagement, through this course, I now understand that these skills go beyond simply communicating findings. They are crucial to establishing trust and transparency during the evaluation process. Moving forward, I view these competencies as essential for building productive relationships with stakeholders, fostering cooperation, and ensuring the success of future evaluations (American Evaluation Association [AEA], 2018). Despite the progress I’ve made, I recognize that my experience in formal evaluation has been limited to the simulated project conducted with my peers, all of whom are novice evaluators. While I now feel confident applying evaluation principles in my current role as an educator and Learning Designer, I acknowledge that I still have much to learn in order to be an independent, expert evaluator. Although I am confident in my ability to conduct evaluations within a team, I realize that I need more hands-on experience to lead evaluations on my own in professional settings. I am eager to continue gaining real-world evaluation experience to strengthen my skills further and deepen my understanding of how to implement evaluations in diverse contexts. Reflecting on the competencies outlined in the AEA (2018) and IBSTPI (2006) frameworks, I was initially surprised by the emphasis on cultural sensitivity in evaluation. At first, I thought that prioritizing cultural considerations might result in findings that were overly softened or influenced by non-objective perspectives. However, through the course, I came to understand that cultural sensitivity is not only an ethical responsibility but also a critical component of ensuring the relevance and integrity of an evaluation. By acknowledging the diverse backgrounds and experiences of stakeholders, cultural sensitivity enhances the evaluative process by making findings more meaningful and actionable. It ensures that the evaluation resonates with all involved and that the final recommendations are truly applicable across varied contexts (AEA, 2018). Moreover, it helps to mitigate evaluator bias, allowing for more accurate data interpretation by recognizing the influences of different lived experiences (IBSTPI, 2006). As I move forward in my career, I plan to continue building on the evaluation skills I have developed. In my role as an educator and aspiring Learning Designer, I can apply what I’ve learned by evaluating the effectiveness of instructional strategies and curricula. I also plan to seek out opportunities to collaborate on evaluation projects with colleagues in different contexts to further refine my skills. Reviewing published evaluation reports will help me better understand the structure and presentation of findings, and working on real-world evaluations will provide me with opportunities to apply evaluation techniques to more complex scenarios. By continuing to engage in these learning opportunities, I aim to enhance my evaluation skills, deepen my understanding of best practices in evaluation, and contribute meaningfully to the development and improvement of educational programs. In conclusion, the LDT506 course has significantly strengthened my skills as an evaluator. While I still have much to learn, particularly in independent evaluation, I feel more confident in my ability to apply evaluation principles. I have gained a deeper understanding of the evaluation process, including data collection, analysis, and collaboration. While I now feel comfortable applying these skills in my role as an educator, I recognize that becoming an expert evaluator will require further hands-on experience. Moving forward, I will continue to build on these foundational skills and seek out opportunities to deepen my expertise in evaluation.

References

American Evaluation Association (AEA). (2018). AEA evaluator competencies. Retrieved from www.eval.org

International Board of Standards for Training, Performance, and Instruction (IBSTPI). (2006). IBSTPI evaluator competencies. Retrieved from www.ibstpi.org