Further considerations of evaluation competencies in Taiwan

Area of Science:

• Evaluation Practice
• Cross-Cultural Adaptation
• Needs Assessment

Background:

• Existing evaluator competencies (Stevahn et al., 2005) were previously adapted for the Taiwanese context (Lee et al., 2012).
• The generalizability of these modified competencies to a large, diverse sample within Taiwan remained to be empirically studied.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine the country-wide applicability of modified evaluator competencies in Taiwan.
• To identify potential training needs for evaluators within the Taiwanese context.
• To assess the convergent validity between Likert and Fuzzy survey formats for needs assessment.

Main Methods:

• A large-scale survey employing random assignment to two groups.
• Utilized Likert and Fuzzy survey formats assessing both importance and competence.
• Administered needs assessment questionnaires to participants across Taiwan.

Main Results:

• The modified evaluator competencies demonstrated a strong fit within the Taiwanese context.
• Convergent validity was observed between the Likert and Fuzzy survey instruments.
• No significant or widespread evaluator competency training needs were identified.

Conclusions:

• The adapted evaluator competencies are contextually relevant for Taiwan.
• The study provides evidence for the convergent validity of different assessment formats.
• Further investigation is needed to understand the lack of identified training needs.