EvaluATE: Evaluation Learning and Resource Hub for Advanced Technological Education

评估是NSF高级技术教育(ATE)计划的评估学习和资源中心。该奖项将支持EVALITE的研究、教育和网络建设活动，旨在提高ATE劳动力发展项目的质量和影响。预计更高质量的评价将增加评价结果的潜力，为STEM劳动力发展的实践提供信息。该项目的目标是：为有效的科学、技术、工程和数学教育评估实践扩大证据基础；提高ATE评估者在评估中的知识和技能；提高ATE项目人员有效使用评估的能力(例如，改善、理解和问责联邦资助的侧重于劳动力发展的项目)；以及增加专业交流和加强ATE评估利益相关者之间的联系。本项目将进行四项研究研究，总体目标是改善联邦支持的项目的评估。研究1检验ATE评估任务框架的有效性，以指导严格的项目评估的设计和执行。研究2调查了评价服务的采购情况。研究3探讨在ATE背景下衡量公平、多样性和包容性的可行性。研究4考察决策过程中的评价问题。根据成人学习原则，该项目将帮助项目评估者和人员在他们的项目中设计、实施、管理和使用评估。在网络研讨会和工作辅助等现有战略和资源的基础上，项目小组计划整合和调查评价能力建设方面的研究金和一对一技术援助。评价将与其他ATE社区和能力建设努力合作，促进可持续ATE评价网络的发展，其中包括评价人员和ATE从业者。这个网络有可能进一步加强ATE社区的评估能力，并能够对联邦资助的专注于劳动力发展的项目进行严格的评估。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

EvaluATE is the evaluation learning and resource hub for NSF's Advanced Technological Education (ATE) program. This award will support EvaluATE's research, education, and network building activities, with the goal of enhancing the quality and impact of ATE workforce development projects. It is expected that higher quality evaluations will increase the potential of the evaluation results to inform practices in STEM workforce development. The goals of this project are to: Expand the evidence base for effective science, technology, engineering and mathematics education evaluation practices; Improve ATE evaluators' knowledge and skills in evaluation; Improve the ability of ATE project personnel to use evaluation effectively (e.g., for improvement, understanding, and accountability of federally funded projects focused on workforce development); and increase professional exchange and strengthen connections among ATE evaluation stakeholders.This project will conduct four research studies with the overarching goal of improving the evaluation of federally supported projects. Study 1 examines the validity of the ATE Evaluation Task Framework to guide the design and execution of rigorous project evaluation. Study 2 investigates the procurement of evaluation services. Study 3 explores the feasibility of measuring equity, diversity, and inclusion in the ATE context. Study 4 examines evaluation in decision-making. Drawing on adult learning principles, the project will help ATE project evaluators and personnel to design conduct, manage, and use evaluation in their projects. Building on existing strategies and resources, such as webinars and job aids, the project team plans to integrate and investigate fellowships and one-on-one technical assistance in evaluation capacity building. Working with other ATE community and capacity building efforts, EvaluATE will facilitate development of a sustainable ATE evaluation network that includes evaluators and ATE practitioners. This network has the potential to further strengthen the evaluation capacity of the ATE community and to enable rigorous evaluation of federally funded projects focused on workforce development.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.