Visualizing Evaluation Theory: Current Reflections and Future Projections

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DOI:

https://doi.org/10.56645/jmde.v20i48.1043

Keywords:

evaluation theory, visual representations

Abstract

Background: Among other potential benefits, evaluation theories are intended to serve as a guide to evaluation practice. Scholars have offered alternative visual representations of multiple evaluation theories, their contents and/or interrelationships.

Purpose: I offer brief commentary on the evaluation theory visualizations in other articles in this special section of the Journal of Multidisciplinary Evaluation (JMDE). I suggest evaluators should be familiar with multiple representations. I also speculate about a future generation of visual representations which might be interactive, allowing evaluators to select the level of detail most useful to them.

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References

Alkin, M. C. (2004a). An evaluation theory tree. In M. C. Alkin (Ed.), Evaluation roots: Tracing theorists' views and influences (pp. 373-380). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage https://doi.org/10.4135/9781412984157.n25

Alkin, M. C. & Christie, C. A. (2004a). An evaluation theory tree. In M. C. Alkin (Ed.), Evaluation roots: Tracing theorists' views and influences (pp. 12-65). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage. https://doi.org/10.4135/9781412984157.n2

Alkin, M. C. & Christie, C. A. (2004b). Evaluation theory tree revisited. In M. C. Alkin (Ed.), Evaluation roots: Tracing theorists' views and influences (pp. 381-392). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage. https://doi.org/10.4135/9781412984157.n2

Christie, C. A. & Alkin, M. C. (2023). An evaluation theory tree. In M. C. Alkin & C.A. Christie (Eds.), Evaluation roots: Theory influencing practice. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

Mark, M. M. (in press). Evaluation theories: Guidance to evaluating in various circumstances. In L. Bickman & D. Rog, (Eds), The Evaluation Handbook: An Evaluator's Companion. New York : Guilford.

Shadish, W. R. (1998). Evaluation theory is who we are. American Journal of Evaluation, 19(1), 1-19. https://doi.org/10.1177/109821409801900102

Shadish, W. R., Jr., Cook, T. D., & Leviton, L. C. (1991). Foundations of program evaluation: Theories of practice. Sage.

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Published

16-Aug-24

How to Cite

Mark, M. (2024). Visualizing Evaluation Theory: Current Reflections and Future Projections. Journal of MultiDisciplinary Evaluation, 20(48), 59–63. https://doi.org/10.56645/jmde.v20i48.1043

Issue

Section

Special Issue on Visualizing Evaluation Theory