|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Message from the Executive Director - Negotiating the Right Space for AEA's Conferences
|
 From Denise Roosendaal, AEA Executive Director, and Sydney Vranna, AEA Events Services ManagerThe following is the final part of a two-part series on how the AEA Management Team finds and negotiates the conference space for our annual conference.
The AEA Management Team enjoys serving AEA's members and the conference attendees. In conversations with members over the past several years, we have noticed a real interest in how the conference sites are chosen and how arrangements with the hotels are negotiated or managed. I have teamed up with AEA's events services manager, Sydney Vranna, to outline the factors that are considered when negotiating with a conference venue for the AEA conference. In the December 2015 article, we discussed the many factors that go into identifying an acceptable space for the AEA annual conference (size, location, local amenities, etc.). This article focuses on the factors that go into negotiating the space costs with the identified hotel. Once a host venue is chosen, the staff begins the process of negotiating the overall contract commitment.
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
Call for Nominations for the AEA Board of Directors
|
Show your commitment to the value of the American Evaluation Association and help to shape its future! You may nominate yourself or a committed AEA colleague. This year we will elect three board members-at-large, a treasurer, and a president-elect. Nominating candidates for office is a valuable service to the association and your thoughtful participation in this process is greatly appreciated.
Only AEA members may serve on the AEA Board of Directors or as officers. The president-elect serves as president-elect in the first year, becomes president in the second year, and serves as past-president and secretary in the third year of his or her term. The president-elect, treasurer, and board members-at-large all will serve three-year terms, beginning Jan. 1, 2017, and will attend three in-person board meetings each year, as well as multiple, approximately monthly, phone-based meetings.
Submit your nominations soon! The deadline for nominations is Thursday, March 31, 2016.
|
|
Diversity - Call for Applications: 2016 AEA International Travel Awards
|
From Zachary Grays, AEA Headquarters
AEA and International and Cross-Cultural Evaluation (ICCE) TIG are pleased to accept applications from international evaluation professionals from emerging countries and countries in transition to participate in this year's round of international travel awards. Thanks to generous donations from attendees at Evaluation 2015 during the annual silent auction and individual contributions, AEA will be able to award five international travel awards this year.
Awarded annually, the international travel awards are given to international evaluators to help curtail the cost of traveling abroad to attend the annual conference and for the opportunity to highlight the evaluation work they conduct in their home countries.
|
Potent Presentations Initiative - #Eval16 Proposal Pointers: Start with the Message!
|
From Sheila B. Robinson, Potent Presentations Initiative Coordinator
Is this the year for your most Potent Presentation? AEA is now accepting proposals for Evaluation 2016 in Atlanta, Georgia. Will your presentation be on the program? Now is the time to revisit the message tools on our p2i Tools page. Message is "the mindful planning of a structured presentation" and where you will spend the majority of your time planning a presentation. Your message should be clear, organized, and memorable to your audience. Our messaging model handout features handy guidelines for the portion of your presentation that should be spent on each of the building blocks of your message - background, bottom line, explanation, the "so what," and call to action. Continue Reading
|
Policy Watch - President's FY 2017 Budget Evaluation Guidance
|
From Cheryl Oros, Consultant to the Evaluation Policy Task Force (EPTF)
 Every year the president sends Congress a proposed budget for the next fiscal year. The president's 2016 budget contains ongoing efforts to better integrate evidence and evaluation into the federal budget as well as management, operational, and policy decisions and to increase access to federal data for such efforts. The president's fiscal year 2017 budget, released February 9, continues the trend set over the past few years to improve efforts to build agency evaluation evidence-building capacity and develop tools to help agencies better communicate what works. Chapter seven of the FY 2017 Budget Analytical Perspectives volume, titled " Building the Capacity to Produce and Use Evidence," discusses the role of evidence in decision-making, articulates important principles and practices of agencies with strong evaluation functions, and highlights efforts to build the capacity to produce and use evidence - particularly through the use of administrative data and the establishment of centralized evaluation functions.
|
Face of AEA - Meet Stuart Henderson
| 
Name: Stuart Henderson
Affiliation: Associate Director, Schools of Health Evaluation Unit, University of California, Davis
Degrees: B.A., Sociology and Economics, University of California, Santa Barbara; PhD, Sociology, University of California, Davis
Years in the Evaluation Field: 7
Joined AEA: 2010
Why do you belong to AEA?
When I officially obtained a position with evaluation in the title, I joined AEA because I had heard it was a clearinghouse for information and resources. Among the resources that I check out daily are the AEA365 blog and EvalTalk. The first places I look when I want to explore a new evaluation idea are the public e-library and the evaluation journals.
Beyond providing resources, being a member of the AEA has provided valuable opportunities for networking and professional development. I have been fortunate to have a leadership role in two Topical Interest Groups (Qualitative Methods and Data Visualization and Reporting) and to participate in initiatives such as the Potent Presentation Initiative (p2i). Although I'm generally not a "joiner" of groups, I have found that the AEA is an open and welcoming organization that offers many ways to participate and engage with other evaluators. Without the AEA, my work and career would be much less developed and rewarding.
Why do you choose to work in the field of evaluation? I didn't exactly choose the field of evaluation as much as I evolved into it. I'm a sociologist by training and had a position as an academic researcher. The fit of academic research never suited me, however, so I did some informational interviews and made some connections with program evaluators and realized that the skills that I had developed over the years overlapped nicely with evaluation. After a combination of planned happenstance and unexpected life changes, I was fortunate to be offered a position as an evaluator. When I started my evaluation position I felt a sense that, career-wise, something "clicked."
Even though I somewhat indirectly ended up in the field of evaluation, I continue to choose to work in it because it allows me to use my research, analytical, and writing skills in an applied way. I can see the work I'm doing has a direct impact on programs and I enjoy working on a variety of projects with a range of stakeholders. Being an evaluator also has allowed me to develop new skills, which has kept the job interesting and has provided opportunities for growth.
What's the most memorable or meaningful evaluation you have been a part of?
I enjoy parts of each evaluation that I work on, but the evaluation that has shaped me most is an ongoing evaluation of the Betty Irene Moore School of Nursing at UC Davis, an innovative nursing program established in 2009. I was able to participate and influence the evaluation from the beginning, which allowed our team to explore work around interactive logic modeling. We also have been able to try out some novel evaluation strategies around impact analysis that we plan to adopt for other programs that we evaluate.
What advice would you give to those new to the field?
I would provide the same advice that they are likely to get from others: get involved, network, ask questions, and listen. Try to grow and expand, however that might be. Find a few good role models. Finally, I would encourage new evaluators to be patient with themselves and patient with building their craft. I recently saw a video of National Public Radio's Ira Glass where he discusses patience in creative pursuits. I think Glass' advice is relevant for new or experienced evaluators because within evaluation we are continuously learning new skills and facing new challenges.
AEA's more than 7,800 members worldwide represent a range of backgrounds, specialties, and interest areas. In select newsletters, we profile a different member via a short question-and-answer exchange. If you would like to be featured in a future Face of AEA profile, send an email to eschmitt@eval.org.
|
Nominees Sought for AEA Representative to the International Organization for Cooperation in Evaluation (IOCE) 2015-2017
| Application deadline: Friday, April 29, 2016
- build evaluation leadership and capacity, especially in developing countries;
- foster the cross-fertilization of evaluation theory and practice around the world;
- address international challenges in evaluation; and
- assist the evaluation profession to take a more global approach to contributing to the identification and solution of world problems.
AEA's representative to the IOCE works with IOCE colleagues while representing a stance in alignment with AEA's mission, vision, and values. She or he acts independently, yet brings questions or concerns back to the AEA Board. The IOCE representative submits a written report to the board on her or his activities and relevant international evaluation issues each fall. The representative will serve a three-year term beginning January 1, 2017 and ending December 31, 2019.
The person serving in this position is likely a senior member of the evaluation profession, dedicated to the field, and with the breadth and depth of knowledge and practice required to speak authoritatively about evaluation issues in the international context. Individuals seeking to serve must have a demonstrated range of relevant experience in evaluation and a commitment to representing the diversity of people and the international perspectives represented in the field and in AEA's membership.
The IOCE Board conducts most of its business through e-mail and periodic Skype conference calls, but also meets face-to-face periodically (once per year or alternating years), usually in conjunction with the conference of one of its member organizations. A virtual annual general meeting takes place once per year. The AEA representative would have her or his expenses paid to attend the annual IOCE meeting and would be expected to attend this meeting and participate regularly in IOCE meetings and conversations.
To learn more about the work of the IOCE, please review the IOCE website. Our current representative, Mike Hendricks, is available for inquiries if you have specific questions regarding the position.
If you are interested in being considered as AEA's representative to the IOCE, please compile the following into a single file and submit it by Friday, April 29, 2016:
- A one-page statement of interest telling us why you would like to serve
- A one-page bio reflecting your evaluation background, experiences in international contexts, and commitment to the mission, vision, and values of the association
- A one-page letter of support for your nomination from another AEA member
- A current curriculum vita or r�sum�
Once the applicant is selected (June), there will be a period of transition with the current representative to help bring the new representative up-to-speed. Please send your submission as a single file via email to the AEA office at info@eval.org. The selection of the next IOCE representative will be made by the AEA president and president-elect, in consultation with the AEA Board.
If you have questions, please do not hesitate to contact AEA President John Gargani at president2016@eval.org. |
Announcing the 2015 AEA Paul F. Lazarsfeld Evaluation Theory Award Winner
| |
The American Evaluation Association honored seven individuals at its 2015 Awards Luncheon in Chicago, Illinois. Honored this year were recipients in six categories who are involved in cutting-edge evaluation/research initiatives that have impacted citizens around the world. We will spotlight each award winner in upcoming issues. In this issue, we extend our congratulations to Stafford Hood.
Stafford Hood, Sheila M. Miller Professor of Education, Professor, Curriculum & Instruction and Educational Psychology, Founding Director, Center for Culturally Responsive Evaluation and Assessment, College of Education, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
2015 AEA Paul F. Lazarsfeld Evaluation Theory Award
 Stafford Hood is the Sheila M. Miller Professor of Education and Founding Director of the Center for Culturally Responsive Evaluation and Assessment in the College of Education at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, where he also holds appointments as Professor of Curriculum and Instruction and Educational Psychology. He has also held appointments as the Associate Dean for Research and Research Education in the College of Education and Head of the Department of Curriculum and Instruction. Dr. Hood was also the founding co-director of the annual national conference on the Relevance of Assessment and Culture in Evaluation that was sponsored by the College of Education at Arizona State University from 2000 to 2007. He has served on many national advisory boards and committees, including the Educational Testing Service's Visiting Panel for Research, the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards Technical Advisory Committee, the American Indian Higher Education Consortium's NSF-funded "Building an Indigenous Framework for STEM Evaluation" project, and the Robert Woods Johnson Foundation's Evaluation Fellowship program, to name a few. His professional service also includes co-editor of the American Educational Research Association (AERA) journal Educational Researcher features section and editorial boards of the AERA journal Review of Educational Research and the American Educational Research Journal. He also currently serves on the editorial boards of the American Evaluation Association's journals American Journal of Evaluation and New Directions for Evaluation. He was selected as a fellow of the American Council on Education in 2001.
Prior to his appointments at the University of Illinois, Dr. Hood served as Associate Dean for Research and Professor of Psychology in Education in the College of Education at Arizona State University, Assistant Professor of Educational Psychology faculty at Northern Illinois University, and as an Assessment Specialist and Program Evaluator for the Illinois State Board of Education in Springfield, Illinois. He holds a bachelor's degree in political science and master's in guidance and counseling from the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, and a Ph.D. in education (emphases administration, policy studies, and evaluation) from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
Dr. Hood's recent scholarly publications have primarily focused on the importance of culture/cultural context in program evaluation, educational assessment, and computer-based instruction and assessment. He recently co-edited a book with Drs. Rodney Hopson (George Mason University) and Henry Frierson (University of Florida-Gainesville) entitled "Continuing the Journey to Reposition Culture and Cultural Context in Evaluation Theory and Practice" (2015, InfoAge Publishing Co.). In 2014 he received an honorary appointment as Adjunct Professor in the School of Education Studies at Dublin City University (Dublin, Ireland).
Dr. Hood had the following to say about accepting the award:
"I am honored and humbled to receive the 2015 AEA Paul F. Lazarsfeld Evaluation Theory Award. I regard this award as a testament to those upon whose shoulders I have stood throughout my journey as an aspiring culturally responsive evaluator; as well as a recognition of my CREA colleagues who have remained steadfast throughout our shared journey."
|
|
New Jobs & RFPs from AEA's Career Center
|
-
Evaluation Consultant at TCC Group (New York, NY)
-
Outcomes and Data Manager at Big Brothers, Big Sisters of Massachusetts Bay (Boston, Massachusetts)
-
PAD Impact Specialist at Peace for Africa and Economic Development (Nairobi, Kenya)
-
Research Associate at Educational Policy Improvement Center (Eugene, Oregon)
-
Statistical Analyst at Colorado Mental Health Institute at Pueblo (Pueblo, Colorado)
-
Grant Writing Consultant at USTA Foundation (White Plains, New York)
-
Assessment Specialist at University of Kentucky (Lexington, Kentucky)
-
Evaluation Consultant at StoryCorps (Brooklyn, New York; Los Angeles, California; Remote)
|
| About Us | |
AEA is an international professional association of evaluators devoted to the application and exploration of evaluation in all its forms.
The association's mission is to:
- Improve evaluation practices and methods.
- Increase evaluation use.
- Promote evaluation as a profession.
- Support the contribution of evaluation to the generation of theory and knowledge about effective human action.
phone: 1-202-367-1166 or 1-888-232-2275 (U.S. and Canada only)
|
| Welcome, New AEA Members! |
Click here to view a list of AEA's newest members.
|
| Important Note |
To ensure this newsletter reaches you every month, add info@eval.org to your email contacts!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
