Unpacking the Topic, Problem, Purpose and Research Questions

Evaluation is a critical process at the start of any large project to a) ensure all relevant parties agree on goals, b) how they will achieve it and importantly, c) how they will monitor progress. It is the 5000ft view of a project that sees many moving parts and how they influence each other.

My research topic focuses on evaluation capacity building

Evaluation capacity building is multi-dimensional and has captured researchers for decades. Evaluative thinking is a cornerstone of the profession itself (Patton, 2018; Preskill & Boyle, 2008) and the emphasis leaders make on evidence-based decision making may have signaled that evaluative thinking is more of a widely practiced skill. Unfortunately, this is not the case as evaluators note that many of their evaluation findings point to shortcomings at the pivotal design phase of a project when evaluative thinking skills are intended to be applied.

  • My research problem is that evaluative thinking skills are not well-developed, applied or applied well among many project leaders and decision makers.

Realizing a gap in practice and a lack of exploration amongst scholars on evaluative thinking, there are several studies that could be pursued. Recognizing evaluative thinking as an important life skill that can facilitate decision making during personal and professional transitions, it bears wondering to whether and to what degree evaluative thinking is prevalent in the education system.

  • The purpose of my study is to identify and measure the factors that influence teaching and learning of evaluative thinking in Canadian High Schools

The questions to be asked in my research focus on the following questions:

  1. How do educators understand evaluative thinking and integrate it into their instructional design?
  2. How can evaluative thinking be measured to reflect the experiences of Canadian youth?
  3. Do high school students thinking evaluatively in their decision-making process in preparation for their future?
  4. What supports would help increase student evaluative thinking skills and confidence in student choices as they prepare for future transitions – to post-secondary education, employment and entrepreneurship?