Extension Education Evaluation
Mary Emery, PhD
Director, Rural Prosperity Nebraska
University of Nebraska, Lincoln
Lincoln, Nebraska, United States
Mary Emery, PhD
Director, Rural Prosperity Nebraska
University of Nebraska, Lincoln
Lincoln, Nebraska, United States
Mary Emery, PhD
Director, Rural Prosperity Nebraska
University of Nebraska, Lincoln
Lincoln, Nebraska, United States
Michael Stout, PhD
Associate Professor Human Development & Family Science
Oklahoma State University at Tulsa
Tulsa, Oklahoma, United States
Nicole Breazeale, PhD
Associate Extension Professor Department of Community & Leadership Development
University of Kentucky
Lexington, Kentucky, United States
Jennifer Aranda, EdD (she/her/hers)
Extension Educator, Leadership and Civic Engagement
University of Minnesota Extension
Moorhead, Minnesota, United States
Location: Room 204
Abstract Information: DEI programming is one area where story-based evaluation allows us to see the humanity that underlies positive change. Yet research and practice related to DEI work is complicated by the fact that the implementation of DEI policies, as witnessed by the recent challenges in military academies, often appears relatively unsuccessful and backlashes have been reported.
This multi-paper session will focus on how evaluation can illuminate the success stories in DEI work in ways that can contribute to more effective policies and more useful practices. Using actual case studies of formal evaluation processes, presenters will demonstrate the power of integrating reflexive story telling into evaluative processes designed to facilitate co-learning among evaluators and participants with the intention of not only creating new knowledge of both implicit and explicit avenues for change but also generating energy to continue to move the work forward. These papers highlight examples of evaluations conducted with DEI efforts that strive to add energy through storytelling, listening, and group reflection, and sometimes with some carefully chosen numbers. The papers also employ a version of Ripple Effects Mapping (REM). REM is uniquely applicable to uncovering how programming can initiate systems level change.
Relevance Statement: A few years ago at the AEA conference, Shiree Teng presented her paper “Measuring Love in the Journey for Justice.” As she noted eloquently: “When love is present in our justice work, it’s not about numbers, case files, or management… counting widgets. While those requirements are real, they rob us of our humanity and ability to connect with people’s stories of resistance, resilience, rise, and rebirth. Those stories are why we’re still here, in spite of all that dominant culture has done to erase and not see us" (Teng & Nuñez, 2019) .
DEI programming is one area where story-based evaluation allows us to see the humanity that underlies positive change. Yet research and practice related to DEI work is complicated by the fact that the implementation of DEI policies, as witnessed by the recent challenges in military academies, often appears relatively unsuccessful and backlashes have been reported.
This multi-paper session will focus on how evaluation can illuminate the success stories in DEI work in ways that can contribute to more effective policies and more useful practices that value our humanity. The papers in this session all use narrative and storytelling to encourage or initiate changes in thinking, doing, and connecting within Extension as well as beyond.
As one participant said, “there is no way to evaluate DEI work without listening.” Each paper in the session includes strategies for engaging participants in ways that facilitate evaluators’ opportunities to listen and harvest insights and learning from stories. Presenters will also describe how the evaluation process was able to feed energy back into the work, rather than be extractive of data or evidence from program participants. These papers highlight examples of evaluations conducted with DEI efforts that strive to add energy through storytelling, listening, and group reflection, and sometimes with some carefully chosen numbers.
The papers also employ a version of Ripple Effects Mapping (REM). REM is uniquely applicable to uncovering how programming can initiate systems level change. The theory-of-change underlying these efforts posits that through interactions with others in trusted space, participants can realign their mental models of how race has functioned in their own lives in comparison with the experiences of others. As participants report on changes in their own thinking leading to changes in their own behaviors and interactions with others, these changes can ripple out to influence everyday practices within institutions and communities with the potential of actually making change in policy and the culture of the institution or community.
*Teng, Shiree & Sammy Nuñez. (2019). Measuring love in the journey for justice: A brown paper. https://latinocf.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/Shiree-Teng-Measuring-Love.pdf.
Presenter: Nicole Breazeale, PhD – University of Kentucky
Presenter: Ramona Madhosingh-Hector, MPA – University of Florida / IFAS Extension
Presenter: Mary Emery, PhD – University of Nebraska, Lincoln
Presenter: Michael Stout, PhD – Oklahoma State University at Tulsa
Presenter: Michael Stout, PhD – Oklahoma State University at Tulsa
Presenter: Jennifer Aranda, EdD (she/her/hers) – University of Minnesota Extension
Presenter: Scott Chazdon, PhD – University of Minnesota Extension