Evaluation as Reflective Practice
Evaluation as Reflective Practice

Summary/Abstract: Reflective practice has become an influential concept in the evaluation field. A greater use of reflectivepractice is advocated in reference to both evaluators’ own professional development, and as a meansto enhance dialogue, stakeholders’ involvement and organisational learning in the evaluation process.The aim of the paper is to examine the evaluation endeavour from the latter perspective, i.e. to presentevaluation approaches which offer the opportunity for collaborative reflective practice. To this end,evaluation as reflective practice is discussed at three levels: (1) the organisational level – the model ofsingle, double and triple-loop learning is discussed in reference to formative, summative and developmentalevaluation, (2) the evaluator’s level – different roles performed by the evaluator are considered fromthe point of view of promoting collaborative reflective practice, and (3) the broader socio-political level,in relation to the concept of civil society, as evaluation can contribute not only to a greater rigour andeffectiveness of public spending but to social empowerment, to appreciating diversity or building trust(improving democratic policy-making).

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