ERIC Number: EJ979292
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2012
Pages: 18
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1097-6736
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Available Date: N/A
An Introduction to Context and Its Role in Evaluation Practice
Fitzpatrick, Jody L.
New Directions for Evaluation, n135 p7-24 Fall 2012
Evaluators have written about the need to consider context in conducting evaluations, but most such admonitions are broad. Context is not developed fully. This chapter reviews the evaluation literature on context and discusses the two areas in which context has been more carefully considered by evaluators: the culture of program participants when their culture is different from the predominant one and the cultural norms of program participants in countries outside the West. We have learned much about how the culture of participants or communities can affect evaluation and should continue our learning there. Evaluators also need to expand their consideration of context to consider the program itself and its setting and the political norms of audiences, decision makers, and other stakeholders of the program.
Descriptors: Program Evaluation, Culture, Context Effect, Cross Cultural Studies, Cultural Differences, Evaluation Research, Foreign Countries
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Descriptive
Education Level: N/A
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Language: English
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