The overall aim of this thesis is to explore how evaluation can support higher education development. The thesis addresses the current use of evaluation machines (Dahler-Larsen, 2012b) in relation to the distinctive features of higher education development. Evaluation and educational change are discussed from a social constructivist perspective. Key concepts are: evaluation as a context sensitive process with the purpose of understanding and assessing the value of education (Elliott & Kushner, 2007), participation (Whitmore, 1998) and deliberation (Gutman & Thompson, 2004). The thesis rests on a collection of four articles, three of them based on data originating from a longitudinal case study. This case study explores a participative stakeholder evaluation that was employed as a strategy to support the development of an undergraduate medical programme at a Swedish university. Empirical data were gathered through a literature review, interviews with ten stakeholders, logbook notes from the evaluation and development process and lastly evaluations conducted of the study programme. By highlighting the complexity of educational work and the expectations of the medical profession, the evaluation strategy studied contributed to the creation of a qualified and nuanced development process. It also illuminated an evaluation process that is more associated with learning than with quality enhancement. The practice-near and language sensitive process supported the creation of a community of practice promoting dialogue, critical enquiry, educational conversations and enlightenment. The commitment to cooperation, dialogue and enlightenment was, however, constantly threatened by a higher education culture that is increasingly characterized by productivity and efficiency. The analysis suggests that the complex context of higher education calls for more varied evaluation strategies characterized by holistic perspectives, enlightenment and local ownership. Evaluations that provide answers to crucial questions are a prerequisite for change in higher education. Giving teachers responsibility for the process should develop both their ability to conduct educational evaluations, to work with educational development and ultimately facilitate definitions of educational quality specific to education.

In this empirical study I have investigated how preschool teachers relate to the free play at the preschool. At the same time I have investigated how the free play is adapted into everyday practice in the preschool. Previous research shows that children process what they experienced in the free play. The child retrieves content to play with through things they have experienced, such as family life, preschool and so on. To play, grow and continue, it is important that free play may take place and space in the daily activities at the preschool. To do so the preschool teachers must organize time so that the free play can have the space that it requires at the preschool. The method I have chosen for this study is two interviews with two preschool teachers and four observations at a preschool. In the interviews I found out that the preschool teachers believes that participation and the presence of an adult in the free play is of great importance. If you as a preschool teacher are involved in the free play at the preschool, you have to make sure that the free play continues to develop and survives. However, both interview preschool teachers believe that free play is often suffers, as a result of the daily routines at the preschool. In the four observations I have carried out, I have compared the interview responses with what happened in the observations at the preschool.

The aim of this study was to make an assessment on rural water supply management with particular focus in sub-Saharan African countries because of the water crisis that has plagued them for decades now. Most sub-Sahara African countries lack potable water supply as a result of mismanagement of resource and / or inadequate infrastructure provided by their governments. The last two decades saw the stagnation of rural water supply with long term break down of many infrastructures because of lack of technical personnel and resource. The concept of participation was widely introduce in the early 1970s to address this issue as it is believed that involving people having problem in the problem solving mechanism will provide better results (participatory approach). This paper focus on community involvement in water supply and management, working along side with other stakeholders and seeks to evaluate the level of participation of the stakeholders and to see if participation in reality is working in solving this problem. A case study was done at Bambui – Tubahin Cameroon, assessing the involvement of the various stakeholders in the management of their water scheme. This work was done through literature, interviews, discussion and observations, and from results gotten from field. It was obvious that the success of the scheme which has been running for decades now can be attributed to the collaborative actions of the various stakeholders working together. From the survey it was apparent that participation in reality was instrumental for sustainability of the scheme with decentralization being a key factor in enhancing this phenomenon.

Forced resettlement is an issue of great humanitarian concern. The disruption it brings to the lives of the people it affects cannot be fully expressed. Many of such people lose the ability of restoring their lives, never to regain it till they die. What is more alarming is when forced resettlement is not caused by conflict or natural disaster but rather conscious development projects like dams, where it is expected that great energy will be channelled towards reducing and if possible avoid the adverse impacts of such forceful resettlement as a matter of human and citizenship right. Sadly, in many instances this never happen. The aim of this study is to find out how the lessons learnt from the Akosombo forced resettlement in Ghana has been used in planning and implementing the on-going Bui forced resettlement also in Ghana. This study also tries to investigate the impacts of the planning and implementation process of the resettlement on the affected communities and households. In order to achieve the above goals, qualitative research methods were employed. The study used in-depth interviews, focus group discussions, direct and participatory observation techniques in accessing the experiences and feelings of the people involved. The informants include the institutions and professionals which undertook the forced resettlement and the affected people. The modernisation and alternative development theories were reviewed to determine which of these approaches is in practice. However, since Ghana claims it is using the World Bank Operational Policy (4.12), which is following an alternative development approach, concepts such as participation and rights are used. Additionally, concepts such as compensation and forced resettlement are also reviewed. It is discovered that, although many lessons have been learnt from the Akosombo forced resettlement, these lessons have not been effectively translated into action plans in order to undertake successful forced resettlement in Ghana. The challenges and errors in planning the Bui resettlement have therefore marred its successful implementation. This has resulted in more adverse impacts on the affected people than good ones such as infertile lands, low farm yield, poor housing structures and total ban on fishing in the Black Volta without alternative fishing grounds.

This study investigates the real representation of women in two villages in Orissa, India. Through my own feminist lens I have brought in theory of spaces of participation and power and hence linked this to the concept of real participation. Women from three different ranges within the local social hierarchies have participated in this study by sharing their knowledge, and I have tried to connect their stories and knowledge to political geography by captivating how they are represented in local governance. Representation is an important concept throughout this study, and it concerns how people feel that their interests are being represented and listened to. The study reveals women’s constrains and enabling factors to participate in formal or public spaces of governance. The studied women show that they lack real access to the invited spaces of participation in their local villages and thus they lack access to real representation through public spaces. This study also investigates the links between different spaces of representation, and shows that real representation is vital in women’s lives. When in practice excluded from the local public spaces of governance, these women claim spaces of participation and power by creating their own spaces of representation in the counter-publics.

Communities of practice are groups of people who share a concern, a set of problems or a passion about a topic, and who deepen their knowledge and expertise in this area by interacting on an ongoing basis (Wenger et al, 2002). An understanding of why working, technical professionals participate in knowledge- based communities of practice can provide better opportunities to support individual and organizational knowledge management strategies. Online communities of practice were investigated at two global corporations: Xerox and IBM. At Xerox, Eureka is an internal network service designed to support knowledge sharing and problem solving by a community of practice for field service technicians. It allows the submission of problems from field service technicians and the retrieval of validated solutions for use and adaptation, by all members of the global Eureka community. At IBM Corporation, public network based communities of practice were investigated that focused on db2™ and Websphere™ software technology. Unlike the Xerox Eureka community of practice, knowledge contributions at IBM communities of practice are not validated prior to submission and access is open to public participation globally by IBM employees and by independent users of IBM software technology. The purpose of this case study research was to explore and to describe how and why participants became members of communities of practice – what influenced them to join and to participate. We collected survey data from participants in these communities, to examine the relationships among members’ expectations of purpose, their relationship to the community of practice, their attitudes toward information handling, the costs and benefits of membership, the size of the community of practice and the resulting participation behaviour in these knowledge-based communities of practice at Xerox Corporation and IBM Corporation. As one aspect of exploring user behaviour, we investigated the applicability of two theoretical frameworks for understanding user behaviour in these communities, based on propositions from normative and utility theory and from public goods critical mass theory. The research study provides a test for the explanatory power of public goods, utility and normative theories in a new area; namely, online knowledge-based communities of practice in workplace contexts. This analysis provided support for the applicability of utility theory and for some aspects of public goods-based theory/critical mass theory. The findings of the case study point out some differences in the two communities of practice. A majority of the IBM-based community members reported belonging to multiple communities (6-10) and using access to the community to form online social networks and to meet members outside the community at in-person meetings. They reported their participation as being self-directed and on an ad hoc basis. Most respondents were community members for less than 2 years. In contrast, a majority of Eureka members reported belonging only to the Eureka community and do not report forming online social networks in Eureka. Participation in Eureka is seamlessly integrated into prescribed, standard work practices of the company and supported by company management and with resources. Most respondents were community members for over 5 years. The analysis of members’ contributing behaviour in two online communities of practice reaffirms that the majority of members are passive participants with a core group of regular message contributors. Message composition is a careful and deliberate activity requiring communication discipline, time and effort. Members in both settings reported a strong desire to spend more time in their communities (and more time per visit). Communities of practice are dynamic complex entities that present not only a theoretical challenge but also a practical challenge. This study’s results point to the complexity of facilitating communities of practice: benefits dynamics and flow and permanence dynamics of membership can only be externally managed to a limited extent. The participants’ roles need to be conceptualized in ways that support different types of participation while at the same time highlighting the inherently cooperative nature of self-managed communities of practice.

As our contemporary cities continue to revitalize, redefine, and reassert themselves on an international scale, public spaces provide an opportunity to lend the sense of place which makes cities unique and compelling. Several cities such as Toronto, Chicago, and most notably Bilbao have commissioned world renowned architects to design a project in their signature style. These projects are generally anticipated with great excitement, yet once they are completed and a few years have passed, the initial enthusiasm fades along with the international recognition which originated the object. In the end, these projects, regardless of how well they are liked by the citizens of a city, seem to lack a sense of authenticity. Citizen participation offers an opportunity to develop public spaces in a way that will reintroduce the citizen into its built environment. Rather than merely offering a beautiful space, the participatory design model recognizes the collaborative potential with the citizen, and embraces it. This research-based thesis seeks to understand the growing movement of citizen participation and the role it can play in the design of urban public spaces. Furthermore, it examines the role of the architect and how one can begin to successfully integrate the citizen into the design process. The research is divided into three sections. First, a survey of the literature surrounding the field of participation provides an understanding of different attitudes and methods regarding citizen involvement and why its integration into the design of public spaces is important. Second, a series of case studies with varying levels of citizen participation were examined for the role the architect and his/her relationship with the citizen, as well as the overall effectiveness public participation had on the end result. Finally, the third section illustrates two applications of a participation workshop, originally designed by Proboscis, both located in Winnipeg, Manitoba. This thesis maintains that citizen participation is not only beneficial to the development of urban public spaces but is essential if one wishes to design a space that can empower a neighbourhood and its city. Moreover, public spaces designed through the participatory design model allows for citizens to take ownership for the space and appropriate it as their own, which will lead to its continual development, transforming the space into a locus for the city.

The aim of this study was to examine young people’s experiences of participation within the intervention Contact Person. Three questions were asked concerning young people’s experience of participation, aspects that promoted/limited the young people’s experience and the significance they attached to the intervention. The findings in this study are based on phenomenological interviews with five teenagers within the intervention Contact Person. The results were analyzed by using Hart’s Ladder of participation and Habermas’ perspective of life world and system. The main findings of this study suggest that a good relationship with their contact person is essential for the teenagers’ experience of participation whereas a bad relationship limits their experience. The relationship can be seen as a prerequisite for participation. Ingredients deemed important in relationships promoting participation were for instance trust, honesty and involvement. The intervention seemed to promote psychological processes and behavioral patterns. The theoretical analysis showed that all the participants, except one, had experiences of the highest rung on Hart’s Ladder of participation. The participants experienced high levels of participation when communication was based on a communicative rationality corresponding to their life world perspective. Conversely, the participants experienced low participation when confronted with the system and its instrumental rationality.

Issues involving the use of human subjects converge at the intersection of research in engineering, science, ethics, medicine, and technology and society. Questions arise about risks and benefits to research participants and society and the governance of science. By law a group of individuals known as the institutional review board (IRB) must be established by research organizations to decide whether to approve research protocols with human participants. Approximately 6600 IRBs exist in the U.S. Previous research on IRBs, mostly quantitative, has not studied the relationship between member characteristics (such as role and gender) and member perceptions of the IRB process. In this research I draw primarily on participatory democratic theory to frame the central research questions and the resulting analysis. I examine IRB members roles, participation, and expertise on the IRB and how these relate to their perception of the IRB decision-making processes at seven leading U.S. research universities. Policymakers and researchers alike increasingly are focusing on the adequacy of the existing system that oversees research studies involving human participants. As tension continues to mount over the applicability of the current guidelines to all research involving human participants, federally funded or not, it is timely to examine this oversight system to increase our understanding of how these committees actually decide whether to approve or disapprove human subjects research in their organizations. In this study, data are collected from personal interviews with scientist, nonscientist and nonaffiliated members serving on IRBs at each of the participating universities and from observation of an IRB meeting in session at each site. The findings of this research provide a scientific assessment of the relationship between IRB member composition and members perceptions of the IRB process. This research contributes to our understanding of the decision-making process that takes place within IRBs. Furthermore it utilizes the IRB as a mechanism for expanding our understanding of larger questions about the interfaces of science and policy and science and society. By questioning who are the experts and how do different members attribute value to a research protocol on an IRB, we can begin to address broader issues of expertise and public understanding of science and research.

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