Praxis makes perfect? Transcending textbooks to learning evaluation experientially and in cultural contexts

Abstract

The theory-to-practice loop is riddled with gaps, incongruencies, and, at times, trauma when it comes to the professional development and practice of evaluators. Our current system of professional development for evaluators systemically and institutionally reinforces racism, white privilege, and misogyny, thus re-creating harm and the barriers that so many BIPOC and LGBTQ2S evaluators are working hard to overcome. This article provides the reader with an alternative to the field's valuing and learning evaluation within “institutions of higher education” and other “formal” and “scholarly” learning spaces. Rather, it provides for a balanced approach of experiential learning in the field and within cultural contexts as a much-needed professional design component for developing responsive, effective, and transformative evaluators. Praxis and experience should have at least equal value, merit, and worth for developing current and upcoming evaluators. When done correctly, wisdom to evaluative thinking, development, and practice happens, and not simply reinforcing and generating the same evaluative voices, constructs, and behaviours of the privileged evaluation patriarchy.