When a Class Assignment Gains Significance: The Journey of Two Emerging Evaluators Navigating a Multicontental E-Learning Initiative

Abstract Information: This presentation shares our experience as an emergent evaluation team, consisting of two graduate students at Arizona State University in our second year of doctoral studies, while we evaluated an e-learning initiative designed to empower educators in higher education institutions across the Global South during the COVID-19 pandemic. Our team includes one member from a traditional Ghanaian ethnic group, dedicated to advancing educational equity and improving opportunities for disadvantaged students. The other member, a first-generation college graduate and military veteran, is focused on broadening educational access for students with diverse needs. In this presentation, we will recount our experiences collaborating with seasoned evaluators and the opportunities and challenges we encountered throughout our evaluation process. This includes developing an evaluation plan, crafting data collection instruments, gathering and analyzing data, and delivering the final report to our clients.
We will discuss the guidance we received from experienced evaluators, including our class instructor and the evaluation team for the e-Learning Initiative. We will underscore the crucial insights gained as we undertook an evaluation that holds considerable importance for future efforts to address inequities stemming from technological disparities and global shifts.
We will share our approach, which was anchored in a culturally responsive framework, helping us embrace and affirm diverse perspectives. This ensured a thorough understanding of the program's intricacies, its beneficiaries, and the broader environmental setting (Hood, 2009). We also adopted the Concerns-Based Adoption Model (CBAM), traditionally used in educational settings, to delve into the concerns, behaviors, and usage patterns of educators, students, parents, and policymakers around the implementation of educational innovations and programs (Hall & Hord, 2020). Using these methodologies, we examine critical questions relevant to the Global South: (1) What are the primary challenges faced by participants in the program? (2) How do participants discern the unique opportunities offered by the program? (3) To what extent do participants feel better equipped for e-learning post-program? (4) How have participants’ attitudes, behaviors, and skills evolved after the program?
In conclusion, we will share key highlights from our evaluation, the impactful mentorship that fueled our professional growth, and the "lessons learned" that offer essential insights for up-and-coming evaluators.