A Planning Grant for a Culturally Relevant Math and Science Summer Evaluation Training Institute for Mid-Level Experienced Evaluators

本提案的提交是为了确认项目和计划评估对于那些强调数学，科学，技术和工作人员的机构和组织是不可或缺的，并且资助者提供有价值的信息，以便对项目或计划的实施，进展和成功做出明智的决定。 因此，必须对负责规划、收集和分析评估数据的评估人员进行培训，使其在工作中既具备技术能力，又对项目或方案所处的文化背景敏感。 这一规划赠款将提供一个结构，以发展一个暑期培训机构，使参与者扩大他们对评价模式、方法和标准的了解，并提高他们对评价的一个非常重要的方面-其文化背景-的认识和理解。 也就是说，贯穿学院所有培训活动的一个基本方面将注意到这样一个现实，即评估不是在真空中发生的，而是有背景的，因为项目或方案运作的种族、文化、社会经济和其他环境各不相同。 因此，迫切需要制定一个框架，以确定许多“隐藏”变量（例如，定型观念，态度，期望），这些因素构成了评价的文化背景。 该规划补助金的一个主要重点是开发一个与文化相关的评估培训模型，并计划在夏季培训机构中使用该模型，以便中层评估人员能够欣赏和理解数学教育评估文化背景的必要性和科学和其他项目。 研究所完成后，参与者将能够有效地将学到的理论知识转化为程序知识，然后在反应灵敏和相关的背景下进行实际评价实践。

This proposal is submitted with the acknowledgement that project and program evaluations are indispensable to those agencies and organizations that emphasize mathematics, science, technology and staff and funders with valuable information to make informed decisions about the implementation, progress and success of a project or program. Therefore, it is imperative that the evaluators responsible for planning, collecting and analyzing evaluation data are trained to be both technically competent in their work efforts and sensitive to the cultural context in which the project or program takes place. This planning grant would provide the structure for the development of a summer training institute for participants to broaden thier knowledge of evaluation models, methods, and standards, as well as raise both their awareness and understanding of a very important aspect of evaluation - its cultural context. That is, a fundamental aspect integrated throughout all the institute's training activities will attend to the reality that evaluations do not occur in a vacuum but instead are contextual because of the variety of racial, cultural, socio-economic, and other settings in which the project or program is operating. As such, there is a pressing need to develop a framework for identifying the many "hidden" variables (e.g., stereotypes, attitudes, ecpectations) that frame the cultural contex of evaluation. A major focus of this planning grant would be to develop a culturally relevant evaluation training model and plan for its utilization at a summer training institute so that mid-level evaluators will appreciate and understand the need for a cultural context of educational evaluation of math and science and other projects. Upon completion of the Institute, the participants will be able to effectively transfer theoretical knowledge learned to procedural knowledge, and then to actual evaluation practice within a responsive and relevant context.