Briefly Explain Cousins's Practical Participatory Theory of Evaluation

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The Answer is Cousins's practical participatory theory of evaluation provides a conceptual framework for engaging diverse stakeholders to develop and implement an evaluation. A "participatory" approach to evaluation means that practitioners need to be directly involved in the planning and execution of the evaluation and, to that end, Cousins outlines three dimensions of that involvement. First, with respect to stakeholder selection, evaluators and their community partners need to decide who will be involved in the planning and execution of the project. Some participatory models mandate inclusion of a broad range of stakeholder groups (e.g., community members at-large), but practical participatory evaluation projects tend to limit involvement to program staff and other immediate users, as this will often (though not always) promote use of the evaluation findings. If, however, utilization will require the buy-in and involvement of more diverse groups, then the project should include more stakeholders. Second, with respect to the control of the evaluation process, practical participatory evaluation projects vary as to whether the evaluators or practitioners hold more control over the process. Cousins's theory does not stipulate whether one group should have more (or less) control, but rather emphasizes the importance of open communication about control of the project and finding ways to ensure participation from all groups. Finally, practical participatory evaluations vary in depth of participation, such that stakeholder involvement ranges from a consultant-type role (e.g., no decision-making responsibility) to deep participation (e.g., involvement in all aspects of the evaluation, including dissemination and utilization). In some projects, program staff might be quite hands-on and actually conduct much of the evaluation themselves and, in other contexts, it might be more useful for program staff to advise evaluators on these tasks and focus their attention elsewhere. Cousins's theory does not prescribe what mode of participation is "right"; instead, stakeholder engagement should be tailored to the specific project to promote local use of the evaluation findings.

Briefly Explain Cousins's Practical Participatory Theory of Evaluation

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