Using the science of positive psychology in the formative evaluation of social justice interventions: A case example

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Meg Aum Warren ◽  
Stewart Donaldson ◽  
Nicole Galport
Keyword(s):  
Social Justice ◽  
Positive Psychology ◽  
Culturally Responsive ◽  
Formative Evaluation ◽  
Great Promise ◽  
Halfway House ◽  
Psychological Phenomena ◽  
Evaluation Approach ◽  
Evaluation Community ◽  
Strengths Approach

The pursuit of culturally responsive approaches for designing and evaluating programs to promote social justice has become of the utmost importance to the evaluation community in the past decade. A strengths-focused evaluation approach has great promise for empowering individuals, groups, communities, and organizations, and identifying program strengths to build upon in addition to illuminating program deficits. However, there is a dearth of literature on using a strengths approach to evaluate interventions and programs to promote social justice. Drawing from the two disciplines of positive psychology and evaluation, this article illustrates a strengths-focused approach to formative evaluation using a case example of a halfway house for previously incarcerated women. The findings exemplify the positive psychological phenomena that emerge as a result of focusing the evaluation on program strengths. The case demonstrates that the application of a strengths-focused approach to evaluating social justice interventions can be empowering for institutions and the communities they serve.

Developing a mind–body exercise programme for stressed children

2016 ◽  
Vol 76 (2) ◽  
pp. 131-144 ◽  
Author(s):  
Claudia Wang ◽  
Dong-Chul Seo ◽  
Roy W Geib
Keyword(s):  
Formative Evaluation ◽  
Evaluation Method ◽  
Expert Panel ◽  
Exercise Programme ◽  
School Settings ◽  
Evaluation Approach ◽  
Pine Trees ◽  
Age Appropriate ◽  
Programme Content ◽  
Reducing Stress

Objective: To describe the process of developing a Health Qigong programme for stressed children using a formative evaluation approach. Methods: A multi-step formative evaluation method was utilised. These steps included (1) identifying programme content and drafting the curriculum, (2) synthesising effective and age-appropriate pedagogies, (3) consulting an expert panel, (4) teaching pilot lessons and soliciting feedback from students and (5) revising and finalising the programme. Results: A total of 16 theme-based lessons were generated in order to help children manage stress by imitating interesting plants and animals, such as sunflowers, pine trees, white cranes, tigers, sleeping lions and deer. Five age-appropriate teaching strategies were synthesised to make the programme fun and enjoyable for children. These included (1) using theme-based lesson plans, (2) building mind–body connections, (3) balancing repetition and creativity, (4) interweaving pictures, stories, volunteers and teamwork and (5) involving parents and school teachers. Modifications based on feedback from the expert panel and students were incorporated to make the programme relevant to elementary school settings. Conclusion: This Health Qigong for Stressed Children programme appears effective in reducing stress over a 16-week period. Future studies should explore the efficacy and wider applicability of the programme with a larger and more diverse population of children.

Developing a Community of Learners From Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Backgrounds With Social Justice and Inclusive Critical Literacy Practices

2021 ◽  
pp. 60-78
Author(s):  
Shadrack Gabriel Msengi
Keyword(s):  
Social Justice ◽  
Critical Literacy ◽  
Teacher Candidates ◽  
Culturally Responsive ◽  
Literacy Practices ◽  
Linguistically Diverse ◽  
Community Of Learners ◽  
Children And Parents ◽  
Diverse Backgrounds

This case study is an investigation of cultural and linguistic diverse perspectives among parents, children, teachers, and teacher candidates. Survey and interview data were collected and analyzed to determine how these diverse perspectives affect teachers' application of culturally responsive literacy practices to develop a community of learners. Findings suggest that teachers and teacher candidates knew little about their students' diverse backgrounds. Their participation in the study and initial discussions among teachers, teacher candidates, children, and parents had a positive effect on experienced and novice teachers' knowledge of students. This knowledge included the ability to begin planning and managing instruction, as well as determining appropriate assessments and instructional strategies. Findings also suggest ways these teachers could engage students, families, and teachers in social justice practices.

The Role of Culturally Responsive Teacher to Ensure Social Justice in Education

2021 ◽  
pp. 830-851
Author(s):  
Kasım Karataş ◽  
Tuncay Ardıç
Keyword(s):  
Social Justice ◽  
Culturally Responsive Teaching ◽  
Culturally Responsive ◽  
Social Institution ◽  
Teacher Education Programs ◽  
Responsive Teaching ◽  
Teaching Competencies ◽  
Roles And Responsibilities ◽  
The Social

In this chapter, the importance of having culturally responsive teacher competencies to carry out the education process in accordance with the social justice is discussed within the context of teacher roles and responsibilities. Indeed, education as a social institution is an important institution that provides individuals with an understanding of justice, equality, freedom, and solidarity in a way that enables individuals to live harmoniously within society. In this respect, education system components should be designed with culturally responsive pedagogy on the basis of social justice principles. Besides implementing a culturally responsive teaching in classrooms can be achieved with teachers who have culturally responsive teaching competencies. With these roles and responsibilities, teachers should develop their individual and professional competencies for culturally responsive teaching at teacher education programs.

Being Culturally Responsive in a Formative Evaluation of a Professional Development School: Successes and Missed Opportunities of an Educative, Values-Engaged Evaluation

2020 ◽  
Vol 41 (3) ◽  
pp. 384-403
Author(s):  
Jori N. Hall ◽  
Melissa Freeman ◽  
Soria E. Colomer
Keyword(s):  
Professional Development ◽  
Culturally Responsive ◽  
Formative Evaluation ◽  
Professional Development School ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
First Year ◽  
Cultural Characteristics ◽  
Missed Opportunities ◽  
Responsive Evaluation ◽  
University Partnership

While evaluators have explored the implementation of culturally responsive evaluation (CRE), the failures of applying CRE are less often told. In this article, we use a reflective case narrative to explore our successes and failures in implementing our CRE approach, including an educative stance. We draw on a formative evaluation of a district–university partnership during its first year. Our analysis of the reflective case narrative makes transparent how our culturally responsive, educative approach was sufficient to employ culturally responsive methods. Yet, our culturally responsive, educative stance failed to provide critical midcourse feedback, which worked against the development of the district–university partnership. The lessons learned from the formative evaluation are important to draw attention to the intersections between the cultural characteristics of the evaluand and how the evaluation contributes to educative insights.

Healing Alex's Wound

2020 ◽  
pp. 1-26
Author(s):  
Szu-Yu Chen
Keyword(s):  
Social Justice ◽  
Play Therapy ◽  
Culturally Responsive ◽  
Counseling Competencies ◽  
Childhood Experiences ◽  
Behavioral Issues ◽  
Adverse Childhood ◽  
Diverse Backgrounds ◽  
Unique Approach ◽  
High Level

Multicultural and Social Justice Counseling Competencies (MSJCC) has emphasized the need to consider multicultural and social justice factors into all aspects of the counseling profession. Consistent with the MSJCC guideline, it is essential that counselors provide developmentally and culturally responsive interventions when working with children from diverse backgrounds. Adlerian play therapy is a unique approach in which counselors incorporate basic tenets of individual psychology and premise of play therapy to help children work through different types of emotional or behavioral issues. This chapter provides an overview of the effects of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) on children's mental health, particularly the multitude of effects on Hispanic children. The author then illustrates the application of Adlerian play therapy from MSJCC's perspective to work with a Hispanic boy exposed to a high level of ACEs.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document