Lessons learned using a values-engaged approach to attend to culture, diversity, and equity in a STEM program...

Area of Science:

• Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) Education
• Program Evaluation
• Educational Equity

Background:

• Effective evaluation of STEM educational programming requires attention to culture, diversity, power, and equity.
• Broadening participation is a key agenda in STEM education, necessitating culturally responsive evaluation methods.

Purpose of the Study:

• To report lessons learned from implementing a values-engaged, educative evaluation in a multi-year STEM program.
• To explore the challenges and successes in integrating equity considerations into STEM program evaluation.

Main Methods:

• A meta-evaluation using a case study design.
• Data collected through evaluator reflections, artifact review, stakeholder interviews, and peer assessment.

Main Results:

• Explicit attention to culture, diversity, and equity initially faced challenges due to organizational culture and underdeveloped relationships.
• Successful engagement with culture, diversity, and equity was evidenced in formal evaluation documents and informal stakeholder dialogue.

Conclusions:

• Lessons learned emphasize the importance of addressing organizational culture and relationships for effective equity-focused evaluation.
• Implications for practice include strategies for embedding diversity and equity into STEM evaluation frameworks and processes.