To provide guidance to evaluators and stakeholders, evaluation scholars (i.e., those conducting research on program evaluation) have conducted numerous studies on the feasibility and effectiveness of using participatory and collaborative evaluation approaches in various contexts. While some participatory and collaborative evaluation approaches may involve youth in the evaluation of programs and interventions, few evaluations in this area have been formally documented and/or widely published. As a result, there remains a dearth of empirical research on participatory and collaborative evaluations involving youth. One such collaborative evaluation approach, empowerment evaluation (EE), appears to be well suited for engaging youth in program evaluation, as participants are co-evaluators. Using qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods, EE aims to teach program stakeholders, including beneficiaries, how to conduct their own evaluations. In this two-part mixed methods research project I sought to investigate and formally document: (a) the use of EE for programs targeting youth; and/or (b) the involvement of youth in EE of such programs. By investigating and documenting these areas, this study builds on the very limited body of empirical research on EE. As such, it provides important information to evaluators who are embarking on evaluations of programs targeting youth, so that they can make informed decisions about the use of EE and the involvement of youth in their evaluation activities. To address these goals, this study used a mixed methods case study approach and included two parts and multiple phases. Part 1 Phase 1 involved a survey of evaluators associated with particular Targeted Interest Groups (TIGs) of the American Evaluation Association (AEA) who are involved in evaluating programs that target youth. It determined the extent to which: (a) evaluators report using EE to evaluate youth programs; and (b) how evaluators report involving youth in EE of youth programs. Part 1 Phase 2 involved interviews with a select group of these evaluators and explored what factor(s) facilitate and hinder: (a) the use of EE to evaluate programs involving youth; and (b) the involvement of youth in EE of programs targeting youth. Part 2 then used observations from an EE with youth of their science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) focused educational outreach program to explore: (a) what an EE of a youth program might look like in practice; (b) how youth can be involved in an EE. Youth also took part in follow-up interviews to allow an examination of: (c) the strengths and limitations of using an EE to evaluate a program targeting youth; and (d) the strengths and limitations of involving youth in an EE of a program targeting youth. Overall, the findings show that the use of EE to evaluate programs involving youth may be limited, however, there are factors that can facilitate and hinder the use of EE and the involvement of youth in EE. The findings also demonstrate that an EE can be carried out in practice with youth acting as co-evaluators and that through EE youth may experience both positive and negative outcomes of using EE and of being involved in EE. In light of these findings, ways to improve the involvement of youth in the evaluation of programs that target youth using EE are discussed.

Recent policy change allows states to spend federal dollars directly on teen-led driver safety efforts and requires regular evaluations of effectiveness. There are currently no standardized instruments to measure change in teen driving behavior relevant to teen leaders. This study serves the Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security, Tennessee Highway Safety Office and their network of teen leaders to empirically test and refine the I Drive Smart survey developed by partners and grounded in the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB). The survey is designed to be administered by teen leaders to their peers and produce data relevant for use in improving planning as well as tracking changes occurring from their work. The survey measures attitudes, perceptions of social norms (peer, family, and law enforcement), perceptions of behavior control, and both driving and passenger behavior intentions. The I Drive Smart web survey was administered by a group of teen leaders to 175 of their peers. Findings were used to inform local planning and in this quasi-confirmatory study aimed at optimizing the survey. An exploratory factor analysis revealed a four factor model aligned with TPB that explained 61.618% of variation. Item reliability analysis demonstrated high internal consistency for the behavior intention scale with a Cronbach’s alpha of .884. An ordinary least squares regression test found the predictive validity of the identified components to be strong, explaining 64.5% of variation in the model and identifying perceptions of behavior control as the best predictor of behavior intentions, followed by family and peer norms. The behavior control component retained so much variation that the optimized survey assesses both volitional and non-volitional control concepts. Further, teen leaders were able to successfully administer the survey and found data helpful in supporting their planning. This study demonstrates that teen leaders are capable of directing evaluation activities and that the refined version of the I Drive Smart survey has appropriate psychometric properties for teen leaders in highway safety to use. Standard procedures for using the survey are discussed along with recommendations for analysis that includes triangulation with other local data points.

ABSTRACT In this study the question of how to address corruption in Tanzanian society is considered from the view point of learning positive values to contribute to reducing corruption now and in the future. It is argued that by strengthening the teaching of positive values to provide a foundation in values as alternatives for students to consider, may impact their decisions while still at school and later in life as adults and leaders for them to resist corruption when encountered. The study arises from Transparency International surveys consistently ranking Tanzania early in the new millennium amongst the 10 most corrupt countries internationally. Given the failure of national commissions in Tanzania, legal institutions such as the Prevention of Corruption Bureau, initiatives emanating from the office of the Presidency, amongst others, to stem corruption, here it is argued for the use of education as state institution to strengthen values teaching in 3 programmes in the state curriculum through evaluation to address the problem. Adopting an approach to evaluation which draws teachers into the process for them to drive it in part, developed by Fetterman and Wandersman, capacity can be built within schools to do so, an approach which is somewhat different to the norm where this capacity more frequently may be driven from outside, coercive, and be disempowering of agents of change within schools. Using the stepped procedure as well as the ‘facets’ of this participatory approach to evaluating the 3 positive values curricula, and with coaching by the evaluator, a measure of self-determination seemed experienced by teachers to teach values like honesty and self-respect, self-reliance and personal integrity, amongst others, to assist students resist corrupt practices when encountered. Multiple self-administered instruments developed with teachers helped gauge teachers progress towards goals they set themselves to achieve in one academic year and assisted to build confidence in addressing this issues through schooling, the sample of schools in the study being purposefully selected as they educate between them more than half the professional and political leaders in the nation. The study aimed to find what positive values are taught in 3 curricula [Civics, Islamic Knowledge, Bible Knowledge], and how these are taught, as well as to find out if this teaching was strengthened through using the tools of empowerment evaluation. The data indicates firstly, shared values across these curricula and values specific to each are taught, to provide alternatives for learners to consider prior to action. This foundational guide for students seemed strengthened if secular values are allied to religious values to provide value-informed choices for students, and that this foundation may be further strengthened with self-directed changes to the curriculum being made by teachers. Secondly, traditional pedagogical methods seem to be less effective where values teaching is not linked to exemplarily teacher behaviour, parables and storytelling, and moral actions of role models emulating how to act morally. Thirdly, teaching positive values was found to be strengthened through self-evaluation, as teachers seemed to experience a measure of empowerment or self-determination in the evaluation, and to aim at self-improving effective teaching of values. Finally, data indicates that where teachers are drawn into the evaluation process, trained in these techniques facilitated by an evaluator, that refinements to values teaching may be sustained in the short to medium term, following the withdrawal of the evaluator from the field. Findings were corroborated in part through triangulating the data, here with data from naturalistic observations and questionnaires particularly. Amongst recommendations made in the light of the study, one is the importance of the state employing religious teachers, as opposed to these being functionaries of the mosque and church as at present, a second being that positive values be made part of the compulsory core curriculum in all schools in the system.

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