Book Review: Evaluation Advisory Groups (New Directions for Evaluation, No. 136)
| DOI | 10.1177/1035719X1301300111 |
| Published date | 01 March 2013 |
| Author | Karen Block |
| Date | 01 March 2013 |
| Subject Matter | Book Review |
B O O K R E V I E W S
implementation of a context-
sensitive evaluation. The
Reviewed by:
description framework and the
application through three case
studies on environmental and
Lyn Alderman
geographical context, indigenous
Manager
context and political context
Academic Quality and Standards
provide an opportunity to review
Chancellery
the advantages and limitations of
Learning and Teaching Unit
this model. It is interesting then
Queensland University of Technology
to review the three phase process
Brisbane
whereby the context assessment
Email:
allows evaluators to anchor and
then re-anchor the context and
thereby strengthen the evaluation
outcomes and use. The three tables
associated with each phase of
evaluations offer sample guiding
questions to prompt evaluators to
address particular issues during the
implementation.
Reference
Kovach, M 2009, Indigenous
methodologies: characteristics,
conversations, and contexts,
University of Toronto Press,
Toronto, Ontario.
Title:
Evaluation Advisory Groups (New Directions for Evaluation, No. 136)
Editors:
Ross VeLure Roholt and Michael L Baizerman
Publisher/year:
Jossey-Bass, San Francisco and the American Evaluation Association, 2012
Extent/type:
134 pages, paperback
Price:
A$34.95/NZ$39.99 from Wiley Australia which offers a 15% discount to AES members, phone 1800 777 474
(within Australia), 0800 448 200 (from NZ only), +61 7 3354 8444 (from overseas),
ISBN:
978-1-118-53706-0 (ISSN: 1097-6736 for printed subscription version)
This collection calls attention
be used to enhance the practice
turn in this review in the following
to the important role played in
of evaluation. The ultimate aim
order, moving from the general to
evaluation by evaluation advisory
of the volume is to equip readers
the specific. The second chapter
groups (EAGs). As the editors
with a deeper appreciation of how
provides a useful overview of
suggest, while soliciting and acting
to organise, manage and utilise an
the use of advisory committees
on both formal and informal advice
EAG.
in contract and grant-funded
is a mundane practice within
The first chapter lays the
evaluation projects. Chapters 3
evaluation work, the value of good
groundwork for the remainder
and 8 are discussed next. These
advice is anything but ordinary
of the volume by reviewing
are concerned with evaluations
(pp. 1–3). Arguing, however, that
evaluation and related literature on
involving particular population
the practice of using formal EAGs
advisory structures and processes,
groups with characteristics
remains under-theorised and
offering us orienting questions
where the use of EAGs is likely
under-analysed, they have brought
and definitions of EAGs. The
to be particularly useful: namely,
together contributors to consider
next seven
To continue reading
Request your trial