Your task: Critical Debates in Evaluation

The YouTube video from Abt Associates presentsseveral debates and emerging themesin the evaluation space.

Choose one of the themes and use the course content and debates (conceptual framework) to identify and critically engage with the key elements of the theme.

Your critical commentary should be anchored in the context of evaluation in South Africa or another country that you are familiar with.

Theme: Purpose and use of evaluation

Guidance

Your response should:

• Argue the value of results orientation in planning, monitoring and evaluation
• Describe the similarities and differences between evaluation and related concepts
• Critique the purpose of evaluation
• Locate evaluation within development paradigms
• Understand public sector evaluation systems
• Describe values and epistemologies in evaluation theory and practice
• Interrogate the value base of various components within different evaluation products
• Describe ethical considerations for evaluation stakeholders

Your final submission should draw on thereading material and lectures offeredacross all units, as well as the learning and insights gained in your first three assignments.