Abstract
Participatory evaluation (PE) turns out to be a variably used and ill-defined approach to evaluation that, juxtaposed to more conventional forms and approaches, has generated much controversy in educational and social and human services evaluation. Despite a relatively wide array of evaluation and evaluation-related activities subsumed by the term, evaluation scholars and practitioners continue to use it freely often with only passing mention of their own conception of it. There exists much confusion in the literature as to the meaning, nature, and form of PE and therefore the conditions under which it is most appropriate and the consequences to which it might be expected to lead. In spite of this confusion, interest in collaborative, empowerment, and participatory approaches to evaluation has escalated quite dramatically over the past decade as evidenced in a bourgeoning literature on such topics. This interest, in my view, is testament to the promise such collaborative approaches hold for enhancing evaluation utilization and bringing about planned sustainable change.
Endnotes
I wish to thank Paul Brandon, Jean King and LynShulha for helpful comments on a prior draft of this chapter. Critiques by Marvin Alkin and an anonymous reviewer were also helpful in shaping the arguments herein. lassume full responsibility for any lingering shortcomings.
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Bradley Cousins, J. (2003). Utilization Effects of Participatory Evaluation. In: Kellaghan, T., Stufflebeam, D.L. (eds) International Handbook of Educational Evaluation. Kluwer International Handbooks of Education, vol 9. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-010-0309-4_16
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