OPEN will be hosting a virtual presentation titled "Empowerment Evaluation: A Community Engagement Approach" by Dr. David Fetterman.
Empowerment evaluation is a community involvement approach to evaluation. It is aimed at learning and improvement. Empowerment evaluations help people learn how to help themselves and become more self-determined by learning how to evaluate their own programs and initiatives. Key concepts include a critical friend (evaluator helping to guide community evaluations), cycles of reflection and action, and a community of learners. Principles guiding empowerment evaluation range from improvement to capacity building and accountability. The basic steps of empowerment evaluation include: 1) mission: establishing a unifying purpose; 2) taking stock: measuring growth and improvement; and 3) planning for the future: establishing goals and strategies to achieve objectives, as well as credible evidence to monitor change. An evaluation dashboard is used to compare actual performance with quarterly milestones and annual goals. The role of the evaluator is that of a coach or facilitator in an empowerment evaluation since the group is in charge of the evaluation itself. Empowerment evaluation produces measurable outcomes. Social justice-oriented case examples are presented, ranging from eliminating tuberculosis in India to fighting for food justice throughout the United States. Additional examples include empowerment evaluations conducted with high-tech companies such as Google and Hewlett-Packard, as well as work conducted in rural Arkansas and squatter settlements in South Africa.
More about our presenter:
Dr. David Fetterman has been honored with the prestigious Visionary Award for his transformative contributions to artificial intelligence and social justice. A true trailblazer, he possesses the unique ability to foresee and harness both human and digital potential, unlocking pathways for the greater good that others have yet to envision. His pioneering work in integrating advanced technologies—including videoconferencing, wearable devices, voice recognition, and artificial intelligence—has set a new standard for innovation.
As the founder of empowerment evaluation, Dr. Fetterman has empowered countless individuals around the globe to turn their aspirations into reality. His influential initiatives have revitalized struggling academic institutions, bridged the digital divide in marginalized communities, curbed the spread of tuberculosis in India, and championed food justice in the United States. Dr. Fetterman’s unwavering commitment to social equity highlights the profound impact of visionary thinking, inspiring future generations to continue the vital work of addressing systemic injustices through the lens of technology.
Dr. Fetterman is a distinguished global leader in the field of evaluation and consultation, serving as the president of Fetterman & Associates, an internationally renowned firm that operates in over 18 countries across diverse sectors. From townships in South Africa to cutting-edge technology firms like Google and Hewlett-Packard, his firm has made a profound impact worldwide. With 25 years of distinguished service at Stanford University, Dr. Fetterman has held pivotal roles, including faculty member at the School of Education, Director of Evaluation at the School of Medicine, and senior administrator. He is a past president of both the American Evaluation Association and the American Anthropological Association’s Council on Anthropology and Education.
Dr. Fetterman also shares his expertise as a faculty member at Pacifica Graduate Institute. He previously served on the faculty of Claremont Graduate University and the California Institute of Integral Studies. Fetterman was also a Principal Research Scientist at the American Institutes for Research, contributing groundbreaking work in the evaluation field. Throughout his illustrious career, Dr. Fetterman has received numerous prestigious honors from academic associations, reflecting his exceptional contributions to both scholarship and practice.
His TED Talk on self-determination has garnered global attention, amplifying his influence as a thought leader. A prolific author and editor, Dr. Fetterman has penned nearly 20 seminal books, including Empowerment Evaluation and Social Justice, Empowerment Evaluation and the Digital Villages: Hewlett-Packard’s $15 Million Race Toward Social Justice, Qualitative Approaches to Evaluation in Education: The Silent Scientific Revolution, Excellence in Ethnography: Step by Step (4th Edition), and Equality: A Qualitatively Different Perspective on Gifted and Talented Education. His work continues to shape the landscape of social justice, evaluation, and education.
Recent Books:
Honors:
*OPEN online events are typically not recorded. However, we encourage presenters to share information and resources from their session after the event to everyone who registered in case you were not able to attend.
