EvaluATE: The Evaluation Hub for Advanced Technological Education

Recognizing the value of systematic and effective evaluation and current and emerging issues in the education of the skilled technical workforce, the Evaluation Hub for Advanced Technological Education: EvaluATE supports a comprehensive effort to provide evaluation support services and materials/resources for the NSF Advanced Technological Education (ATE) program and its community of PIs, evaluators, project staff, and other stakeholders. The EvaluATE Hub seeks to advance and sustain a community in which evaluation is driven by principles; is valued, systematic, and effective; and is used to improve the education of technicians in advanced technological fields. In conjunction with programmatic evaluation activities, EvaluATE will also conduct a series of studies to advance knowledge about evaluation and evaluation practice, which focus on diversity, equity, and inclusion in education and evaluative activities; and the use of evaluation for improvement and accountability. The project aims to address documented needs of the ATE community for current and emerging evaluation of the ATE program and technician education, more broadly. In addition, it seeks to build on, enhance, and advance the activities and impact of EvaluATE through its programming, resources/services, and research. Four goals guide the execution of this effort. First, is to enhance the number, diversity, proficiency, and visibility of potential ATE evaluators through increasing the pool and diversity of qualified evaluators for ATE. Second, is to increase awareness and use of evaluation by ATE project and centers. Third, is to enhance the empirical understanding of the ATE program’s activities, achievements, and other ATE-related activities. Fourth, and finally, is to advance innovation in evaluation methods and develop an empirical knowledge base about ATE evaluation. EvaluATE activities include: 1) administration of the ATE Annual PI Survey; 2) investigation of diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts across the ATE community; 3) creation of an ATE Outcomes Bank and supportive resources; 4) establishment of an ATE Evaluation Ambassadors/Champions program; 5) establishment of a badging or credentialing process associated with qualifications for ATE evaluators and professional development for current and future evaluators; and 6) creation and dissemination of evaluation resources, materials, and support services for current and future PIs and their activities. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced technology fields that drive the nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.