Racial, ethnic, linguistic, and cultural diversity has become of
global importance in places where many never would have imagined.
Increasing diversity in the U.S., Europe, Africa, New Zealand, and
Asia strongly suggests that a homogeneity-based focus is rapidly
becoming an historical artifact. Therefore, culturally responsive
evaluation (CRE)should no longer be viewed as a luxury or an option
in our work as evaluators. The continued amplification of racial,
ethnic, linguistic, and cultural diversity and awareness among the
populations of the U.S. and other western nations insists that
social science researchers and evaluators inextricably engage
culturally responsive approaches in their work. It is unacceptable
for most mainstream university evaluation programs, philanthropic
agencies, training institutes sponsored by federal agencies,
professional associations, and other entities to promote
professional evaluation practices that do not attend to CRE. Our
global demographics are a reality that can be appropriately
described and studied within the context of complexity theory and
theory of change (e.g., Stewart, 1991; Battram, 1999). And this
perspective requires a distinct shift from "simple" linear
cause-effect models and reductionist thinking to include more
holistic and culturally responsive approaches. The development of
policy that is meaningfully responsive to the needs of
traditionally disenfranchised stakeholders and that also optimizes
the use of limited resources (human, natural, and financial) is an
extremely complex process. Fortunately, we are presently witnessing
developments in methods, instruments, and statistical techniques
that are mixed methods in their paradigm/designs and likely to be
more effective in informing policymaking and decision-making.
Culturally responsive evaluation is one such phenomenon that
positions itself to be relevant in the context of dynamic
international and national settings where policy and program
decisions take place. One example of a response to address this
dynamic and need is the newly established Center for Culturally
Responsive Evaluation and Assessment (CREA) in the College of
Education at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. CREA
is an outgrowth of the collective work and commitments of a global
community of scholars and practitioners who have contributed
chapters to this edited volume. It is an international and
interdisciplinary evaluation center that is grounded in the need
for designing and conducting evaluations and assessments that
embody cognitive, cultural, and interdisciplinary diversity so as
to be actively responsive to culturally diverse communities and
their aspirations. The Center's purpose is to address questions,
issues, theories, and practices related to CRE and culturally
responsive educational assessment. Therefore, CREA can serve as a
vehicle for our continuing discourse on culture and cultural
context in evaluation and also as a point of dissemination for not
only the work that is included in this edited volume, but for the
subsequent work it will encourage.
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