Transformative Paradigm EDLP 711 Antonio McLaren Bill Caten Decardra Jackson Donna Jackson Dee Intro topic Intro group

What’s your lens? Donna video introduce itself Focuses on “underdog” viewpoints and interrogates power structures that inhibit equity, access, achievement; uses mixed methods (uses all types of data as long as it reveals lack of justice and furthers human rights causes) http://youtu.be/z754lhcX6qw

Social accountability, fiscal control, and social inquiry use values methods social justice Bill Values branch [constructivist] – used to support social justice evaluations NOT EQUAL to Social Justice branch [transformative] – which holds social justice as the primary guiding principle for evaluator’s work pg. 40-41 Social accountability, fiscal control, and social inquiry

Definition of Transformative Paradigm Antonio definition: focuses primarily on viewpoints of marginalized groups and interrogating systemic power structures through mixed methods to further social justice and human rights. Four primary principles: being culturally respectful, promotion of social justice, furtherance of human rights, and addressing inequities. Set up 4 belief systems: axiology, ontology, epistemology, & methodology

Axiology - Importance of Cultural Respect/Cultural Norms - Promotion of Social Justice - Furtherance of human rights - Addressing inequities; Reciprocity is necessary Dee Not only are transformatist cognizant of their positionality and the influence of their values on the inquiry process but they also expect that their values in regard to social just and human rights will influence the process and the outcomes of their work Validating a cultural perspective: 1. Interpersonal - Quality of interactions between and among participants in the evaluation process 2. Consequential - Social consequences of understandings and judgments and the actions taken based upon them 3. Experiential - Congruence with the lived experience of participants in the program and in the evaluation process 4. Theoretical - Cultural congruence of theoretical perspectives underlying the program, the evaluation and assumption of validity 5. Methodological – Cultural appropriateness of measurement tools and cultural congruence of design configurations

- World is multifaceted - Rejects cultural relativism Ontology - World is multifaceted - Rejects cultural relativism - Versions of reality are based on social positioning - Conscious recognition of consequences of privileging versions of reality Bill Ontology (Reality and Truth) · What does a person using the lens of ______ say about reality? Do they believe there is only one reality to discover? · What does a person using the lens of ______ say about Truth? Do they believe there is only one true answer to a research question? Or are there multiple realities that exist and can be discovered with the right techniques?

Epistemology - Knowledge constructed within a context of power & privilege - Knowledge neither absolute nor relative - Interactive link between evaluator and participant/stakeholders - Knowledge is socially and historically situated - need to address issues of power and trust Donna

- Qualitative (dialogic) but quantitative Methodology - Qualitative (dialogic) but quantitative and mixed methods can be used - Contextual, cyclical, consideration of historical factors, especially as they related to oppression Antonio This belief/philosophical assumption is derived from the three prior assumptions. Methodological decisions at aimed at determining the approach that will best facilitate use of the process and findings to enhance social justice. Under this assumption, evaluators are encouraged to rethink all of their methodological decisions in order to bring them into alignment with the transformative assumptions.

Theory to Practice: Evaluation Methods Deliberative Democratic Evaluation Country-Led Evaluation Critical Race Theory Evaluation Indigenous Self- Determination Evaluation Ernest House, Kenneth Howe, Jennifer Greene Marco Segone, Karen Kirkhart Asa Hilliard, Leander Boykin Cheryl Crazy Bull, Fiona Cram Dee Deliberative Democratic Evaluation: 1. Cultural acceptability 2. Cultural diversity 3. Faithful representation 4. Authentic processes 5. Structured interaction 6. A focus on issues 7. Rules and principles 8. Collaboration 9. Balance of power 10. Constraints on self-interest *Limitations – pg. 186 Dee Country-Led Evaluation: Countries can lead evaluations and thus feel more ownership for the program and the evaluation finding (a result of the international development community’s desire to approach evaluation from a human rights perspective). *Limitations – pg. 189 Bill Critical Race Theory Evaluation: Provides a means to make visible inequities related to differences of power in social, educational and political systems. Bill Indigenous Self-Determination Evaluation: Respects, recognized and values the inherent worth of Indian culture; responsive to the communities’ needs; builds evaluation designs and processes around Indian assets and resources and employs Indians in every part of the process.

Theory to Practice: Evaluation Methods Culturally Responsive Evaluation Disability – & Deaf- Rights-Based Evaluation Feminist Evaluation Transformative Participatory Evaluation Rebecca Zulli, Henry Frierson Donna Mertens, Martin Sullivan Kathryn Sielbeck-Bowen, Cynthia Dillard Ineke Buskens, Sarah Earl Donna Culturally Responsive Evaluation: Focus determined with a conscious awareness of various dimensions of diversity. Donna Disability – and Deaf-Rights-Based Evaluation: Paramount concern that evaluations are designed to address issues of social justice. Antonio Feminist Evaluation: Principles derived from Western research literature – 1. Central focus is on gender inequities that lead to social injustice; 2. Discrimination or inequality based on gender is systemic and structural 3. Evaluation is a political activity; 4. The evaluation process can lead to significant negative or positive effects on the people involved in the evaluation 5. The evaluation must recognize and explore the unique conditions and characteristics of the issue under study. 6. There are multiple ways of knowing; some ways are privileged over others 7. Transformative knowledge that emanates from an experiential base is valued. Antonio Transformative Participatory Evaluation: Similar to practicipatory approaches. Conducted with the intent to stimulate action that is directly related to the furtherance of social justice. Specifically, the evaluator seeks to include people who are marginalized in order to address the power inequities. Time and resources are needed to nurture relationships and build capacity, such as buy-in from stakeholders.

Life is like a card game … Everyone gets a set of cards … While you can’t control the cards you get … You can decide how to play them … Patterns, Realities, Rules, Resources, and Relationships Bill ruby payne poverty quiz •Poverty is relative, and so is wealth. •Would you be wealthy, middle class, or poor if you earned your current salary in New York City? •A lot of people will say to you, "We were poor growing up. Everybody was poor. We didn't think a thing about it." It really is relative to what you know. •Many people in wealth will say to you, "You know, it's all on paper anyway." Or they'll cite someone who has more than they do. It's really relative to your situation. •One woman said that growing up in poverty, her mother used to tell her children, “We may be poor, but we’re good-lookin’.” Individuals in poverty have a variety of resources and strengths, and that’s another reason that poverty will always be relative. •In the U.S., poverty is relative; in the developing world it can be absolute. In developing countries, 30,000 people die every day from absolute poverty. •All economic classes like to buy “things,” and the consumer culture of the United States is a strong influence across the board. •In middle class, there is ownership of property, cars, homes, furniture. These are considered possessions. •In poverty, your home and furniture may be rented, but you own people. •The fact that relationships are a driving force in poverty—and that one needs people to survive—is the key to understanding this. •In wealth, you have incredible buying power. A true possession is a one-of-a- kind object, such as an original work of art or an object with a pedigree. In wealth, your antiques have a pedigree (called a provenance), your dog has a pedigree, even your spouse has a “pedigree.” J It would be breaking a hidden rule in wealth to say, “Oh, what a lovely painting … looks like a Picasso! (Of course, it’s an original Picasso.) This is like saying to someone in middle class, “Oh, what a lovely engagement ring … is the diamond real?” •In middle class, the environment is stable, people don’t fear for today. The time horizon is two to four years. The future is the primary focus. The present does not take all of your energy. It isn’t about survival but planning and decision making to increase stability. Middle class needs to take yoga to remember there’s a present. J Another piece is that, in middle class, your future depends on your being on time for work and appointments. Once you’re there, it’s expected that business will begin at once … get to the point. This is accepted and expected. •In poverty, the environment is unstable and unpredictable, so it forces people into what Paulo Freire calls the tyranny of the moment; the time horizon is today. It’s a struggle to just survive today. Decisions are made for today. Getting down to business without allowing time to check out what’s happening in your personal life is considered an insult. This is the No. 1 middle-class hidden rule that people in poverty break. They are often late to appointments and work. It’s important that we help people in poverty develop a future story. •One of the worst things about poverty in the U.S. is that people lose their future stories. To end poverty we must help people develop their future stories. •In wealth, the environment is so stable that people don’t fear for today or the future—the time horizon can be one or two decades. The past is a strong focus. There’s a strong sense of continuity, which emphasizes the past. You have been given a legacy from the past, and you will be passing along that legacy to the next generation.

Antonio: As we can see on the slide, there are a number of “isms” that are barriers to addressing social justice through the transformative paradigm. In order to pursue true transformation, we (as leaders) must facilitate the “unlearning” process of certain barriers so that we can be catalysts for change. In doing so, we can support a community of learning ways to overcome barriers and build a platform of social justice. Donna, Dee & Bill flip word cards (3 sets)