In Search of Cultural Competence in Evaluation Toward Principles and Practices

Melva Thompson-Robinson is an assistant professor of behavioral science and health education in the Institute of Public Health in the College of Pharmacy and Pharmaceurical Sciences at Florida A&M University in Tallahassee. Rodney Hopson is an associate professor and interim chair of the Department of Foundations and Leadership in the School of Education and a faculty member in the Center for Interpretive and Qualitative Research at Duquesne University in Pittsburgh. Saumitra SenGupta is a research scientist at the Behavioral Health Research Center of the Southwest in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

Editors' Notes (Melva -Thompson-Robinson, Rodney Hopson, Saumitra SenGupta).1. Cultural Competence in Evaluation: An Overview (Saumitra SenGupta, Rodney Hopson, Melva -Thompson-Robinson). In laying the groundwork for the entire volume, the authors define culture, cultural competence, and culturally competent evaluation.2. A Journey to Understand the Role of Culture in Program Evaluation: Snapshots and Personal Reflections of One African American Evaluator (Stafford Hood). An African American evaluator examines and builds a case for incorporating culture into evaluation theory and practice.3. Culturally Competent Evaluation in Indian Country (Joan LaFrance). A case study of culturally competent evaluation in Indian Country and the particular nuances of working in Indian Country, as well as advice for evaluators, are presented.4. Developing and Implementing Culturally Competent Evaluation: A Discussion of Multicultural Validity in Two HIV Prevention Programs for Latinos (Ross F. Conner). Multicultural validity, used to make evaluations more culturally competent, is defined and explored in the light of two case studies from evaluations of HIV prevention programs with Latinos.5. Lessons for Culturally Competent Evaluation from the Study of a Multicultural Initiative (Jean A. King, Julie E. Nielsen, Jeanette Colby). This chapter presents lessons learned and guiding principles that are the result of conducting a culturally competent evaluation for a multicultural education initiative.6. A Focus on Cultural Variables in Evaluating an Upward Bound Program (Rebecca A. Zulli, Henry T. Frierson). Cultural factors are often not addressed in program planning. This chapter suggests factors that facilitate not only program planning but also evaluation.7. Walking Pathways Toward Becoming a Culturally Competent Evaluator: Boundaries, Borderlands, and Border Crossings (Hazel Symonette). The journey of one evaluator toward implementing more culturally responsive evaluations is explored.Index.