Using developmental evaluation and community-based participatory research to develop a model of supportive housing

Refining nascent interventions through emergent design evaluation

Evaluating nascent educational interventions requires a specific kind of evaluation theory. This paper provides a case example of the emergent design evaluation approach, one theory created for use with developing interventions, but that has limited examples within published literature for practitioners to learn from. The emergent design evaluation theory was used to evaluate the design and implementation of a high school biology unit integrating computational thinking and neural engineering, including teacher professional development and a web-based application. A contribution of this paper, beyond the case example it provides, is that the emergent design evaluation was combined with design-based research, a complementary approach. Consistent with the practices uniquely characteristic of emergent design evaluation, this paper describes critical points or key occasions in which aspects of the intervention influence the evaluation process, or vice versa, including the nature and direction of influence. By demonstrating the process of combining emergent design evaluation and design-based research, this paper adds to discussions within the field about how to intentionally weave together different knowledge generation approaches that both meet evaluation demands and align with the evaluation context.

Developmental evaluation of the healthy futures of Texas' puberty curriculum: On My Way

Background

This paper describes a developmental evaluation (DE) of a pilot of a puberty curriculum that was implemented in grades four to six in San Antonio, Texas. The pilot evaluation assessed the initial feasibility and acceptability of curricular components. The DE framework guided the questions in an ever-changing environment where new tools were created as the situation called for them (10).

Methods

The evaluation team utilized purposive sampling methods, surveys, and facilitator notes to guide the collaborative process. Both Google and Microsoft platforms were used for analysis and collection of findings.

Results

Facilitator notes and surveys revealed that while comfortable leading sessions, there were still issues in timing and student comprehension. From a student's point of view, while many (60%) reported feeling uncomfortable during lessons, a greater majority (80%) reported learning something from the sessions.

Conclusion

DE was a crucial piece of the pilot sessions and revision process despite any limitations. A user-focused and adaptable evaluation generated greater opportunities for positive change within the curriculum and its delivery.

Culturally responsive evaluation: A scoping review of the evaluation literature

Evaluators have become increasingly aware of the influence of culture in evaluation, leading to new evaluation approaches that account for the cultural considerations in which evaluations are situated. This scoping review sought to explore how evaluators understand culturally responsive evaluation and identify promising practices. A search of nine evaluation journals yielded 52 articles that were included in this review. Nearly two-thirds of the articles stated that community involvement was essential to culturally responsive evaluation. Power differentials were discussed in almost half of the articles, and the majority used participatory or collaborative approaches to community engagement. Findings from this review suggest that in culturally responsive evaluation, evaluators prioritize community involvement and have an awareness and attentiveness to power differentials. Yet, gaps exist in how culture and evaluation are defined and interpreted, and consequently, inconsistency in how culturally responsive evaluation is practiced.

Codesigning a Culture-Centered Age-Friendly Community for Māori Kaumātua: Cultural Principles and Practices

OBJECTIVES

This study examined a Māori (Indigenous people of Aotearoa New Zealand) age-friendly housing development. Two Māori community groups worked with multiple stakeholders to codesign a culture-centered, kaumātua (older adults) urban housing community. The purpose was to identify codesign and culture-centered principles in the development.

METHODS

Kaupapa Māori (Māori-centered) and participatory research methodologies guided the culture-centered research design. Data collection included 27 interviews with 19 residents and 12 organizational stakeholders; three focus groups with residents' families, service providers, and nonresident kaumātua (n = 16); and project documents. Data analysis used the framework method.

RESULTS

Three codesign process themes emerged: (a) Kaumātua-centered vision; (b) realizing the vision; and (c) living the shared vision.

DISCUSSION

Accounting for cultural practices in codesigning age-friendly and culture-centered housing for and with Indigenous older adults helps meet their cultural, social, health, and economic needs. The research offers a practical pathway to developing age-friendly housing environments for Māori kaumātua, their communities, wider society, and other Indigenous people.