73 - It’s All About the Team: A case study of learning about teamwork as student evaluators

Abstract Information: This study explores how groups of students co-navigate a course-based, real-world student evaluation project. As part of the advanced program evaluation course in a two-course sequence, graduate students are placed in teams to conduct a semester-long, real-world evaluation project and simultaneous research project in evaluation. This single case study addresses the need for further empirical understanding of education in evaluation through three research questions: (1) How do students on an evaluation team develop their concept of teamwork in evaluation? (2) What skills emerge for students from participation on an evaluation team as novice evaluators? and (3) What challenges do student evaluation teams encounter? The data for this research is collected through a duo-ethnography of the authors (two students in the course), focus groups of other student groups, and an interview with the course instructor. Analyses focus on themes of teamwork and learning outcomes. This study has implications for the teaching practices of evaluation, the preparation of professional evaluators, and those interested in training evaluator competencies.

Relevance Statement: This study co-constructs the story of how groups of students engaged in coursework develop and further their evaluation competencies through real-world student evaluation projects. Evaluation requires interpersonal skills, team management, and the savvy negotiation of power and privilege (King & Stevahn, 2020). This research addresses the need for empirical studies on evaluation education, especially studies including student voice (King & Ayoo, 2020). It also investigates how one graduate evaluation program trains students in the identified skill gaps of novice evaluators: interpersonal skills, team management, project coordination with clients, and practical research design (Dewey et al., 2008; Galport & Azzam, 2017). As students in a research and evaluation doctoral program, much of our exposure to program evaluation is rooted in academic literature and second-hand experiences of faculty. In order for the students part of this study to bridge the gap between course content and real-world evaluation, it is necessary to apply those learnings and create their own stories with experiences that are unique and true to them. References Dewey, J. D., Montrosse, B. E., Schröter, D. C., Sullins, C. D., & John, R. (2008). Evaluator competencies: What’s taught versus what’s sought. The American Journal of Evaluation, 404, 268–287. Galport, N. & Azzam, T. (2017). Evaluator training needs and competencies: A gap analysis. American Journal of Evaluation, 38(1) 80-100. King, J. A. & Ayoo, S. (2020). What do we know about evaluator education? A review of peer-reviewed publications (1978-2018). Evaluation and Program Planning, p. 79. King, J. A. & Stevahn, L. (2020). Presenting the 208 AEA Evaluator Competencies. New Directions for Evaluation, 2020, 49-61.