Building an Indigenous Framework for Evaluation: The American Indian STEM Evaluation Resource Center

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The goal of the project would be for evaluation to "become a vital tool for high quality and sustained STEM learning and improvement in Indian Country." That is, the project will provide a model for the design and evaluation of culturally responsive educational interventions. The proposer explains "... as American Indian communities develop and implement new strategies for improving the educational attainment of their youth that draw from traditional values and culture, an equally compelling need exist to establish new evaluation processes that are robust enough to accommodate and value different "ways of knowing", build ownership and a sense of community within groups of Indian educators; and efficiently contribute to the development of high quality and sustainable STEM education programs. These goals would be accomplished through the development of four specific products, all stemming from the (1) development of an indigenous framework for the evaluation of STEM education. Related products include (2) the development of the American Indian STEM Evaluation Resource Center, which will provide technical assistance and support resources to tribal college staff and faculty and administrators and teachers in K-12 tribal schools; development of an Evaluation Institute to include (3) a four-day regional evaluation seminar for Indian educators and (4) a graduate level evaluation practicum on-line for graduate credit. The PI also plans to work with the University of Michigan to develop an on-line portal to support distance learning and collaborative work. The project portal will be designed to facilitate the delivery of training and other support services, to disseminate resource materials, to establish a forum for an on-going dialogue re: evaluation theory practice and standards and to provide access to related websites.