Empowerment Evaluation

This study tested a parent empowerment framework using a national sample of 9,982 parents from the Parent and Family Involvement Survey (National Center for Education Statistics, 2007) to investigate relationships between parent empowerment and children’s academic performance. A multinomial logistic regression demonstrated significant relationships between parents’ competence, self-determination, community belonging, community participation, and academic performance, which differentiate among parents based on racial/ethnic, language, and socioeconomic backgrounds. Findings highlight the importance of parent empowerment interventions that consider structural barriers in schools.

The present study's objective is to create a Spanish adaptation of the Conditions of Work Effectiveness Questionnaire II (CWEQ-II) by Laschinger, Finegan, Shamian, and Wilk (2004) in order to measure structural empowerment in an organizational context. To do so, this study was conducted in two distinct phases. In the first, a group of experts carried out a back-translation of the questionnaire and in the second phase, we analyzed the questionnaire's internal structure (through exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis) and external validity. The resulting Spanish version of the questionnaire (CWEQ-S) demonstrated/exhibited good factor structure and good psychometric properties as far as reliability and validity are concerned.

This study examined the effects of empowering leadership on employees in a customer service organization, using data from 266 employees and their supervisors from 41 work teams in a division of a large Hong Kong telecommunications corporation. Empowering leadership had acceptable levels of within-group agreement and between-group variability , providing support for its analysis as a group-level construct. Testing a multi-level model in which psychological empowerment was hypothesized to mediate the relationship between both within-group and between-group empowering leadership and individual outcomes, empowering leadership was associated with psychological empowerment at both levels. There was evidence of significant mediation effects at both the individual and group levels. These findings underline the importance of analysing both within-group and between-group differences in empowering leadership and their effects on individual attitudes and behaviours.

The paper describes the research design, the path and the evaluation activities of the research-intervention pro􏱊ject called Mindset carried out in 2017 in the province of Taranto (Italy). The focus of the pro􏱊ject was to explore the cultural representations of the target group (students and local entrepreneurs) in relation to the key competence “sense of initiative” and “entrepreneurship”, aimed at defining a training model to support participants and to develop the territory.
Mapping the cultural dimensions of this key competence means focusing on the relationship between the way in which we read/act/react social contexts and the practices of interaction with the same context. Exploring the system of representations that organizing their actions means interpreting their sense-making processes with reference to the development of competence “Sense of initiative and entrepreneurship”.
Moreover, exploring their cultural representations can guide the planning of the next training activities thanks to the enhancement of the cultural pattern below the different representations and practices of the competence “sense of initiative and entrepreneurship”. It is therefore necessary to consider the evaluation criteria oriented to the European standards/benchmarks (Entrecomp) as cultural criteria that may be contextualized with reference to the different cultural meanings that define “competent” a person who perform “sense of initiative and entrepreneurship” compared to EntreComp framework.
The next research step will explore the presence and type of possible statistical link among the cultural representations and the performance assessment levels related to this competence and/or its components carried out in formal, informal and non-formal contexts.

Evaluation measures whether a policy functioned as intended, providing a “feedback loop to know what is happening to whom, and at what cost” (Cropf, 2007:273). The evaluative state is a transitional stage wherein many issues that later feature as key elements in reforming institutions are first rehearsed (Neave, 2012:36). Evaluation looks at the results produced by policies to shape decision-making and to “learn from mistakes” (Rutter, 2012: 8) where the validity of policy cannot be taken as definite (Hanberger, 2001:59). This paper identifies generative causation and participant alienation as two key problems that can be overcome by Participant Evaluation (PE) and Realistic Evaluation (RE), and compares the approaches in how they do so.

The study aimed at identifying the impact of the delegation of authority on employees' performance at great Irbid municipality. It has constructed on measuring the impact of delegation on efficiency, effectiveness and empowerment. Sample of the study represented by employees in which they are embedded in central and executive management through a random sampling reached to (200) employees from total (1500). The sample was used as a tool for achieving the results. After applying Alpha measurement, it has been shown that validity was (82%). Means, standard deviation, percentages, (T-test), and Cronbach Alpha test were used and applied. The results of the study have shown that there is a statically significant for delegation of authority on efficiency, effectiveness and empowerment of employees' performance at great Irbid municipality.

This paper is concerned with sharing between students and teacher the power to manage a course that engages heterogeneous student populations in a blended learning environment in higher education. Our aim is not just to see how the students can be empowered to act autonomously, but rather to understand how they can fare as full partners of the course management experience. To this end, we engage them in a cultural transformation based on strategies that promote their participation in their own learning and evaluation. This is done with the help of the evaluation star, an ideogram we have developed to support these strategies. Our study draws on principles proposed by Dewey, Freire, Knowles, Mezirow, and Fetterman, and follows a research approach based on two action research cycles that involve different courses, subjects, and students. Our study, which can be seen as a proof of concept, shows that the students have learned to evaluate and accept evaluation, share critical reflections, and take responsibility for their contributions. They have also participated democratically in their learning process and have built change, quality, and competent collective learning.

ارزشیابی حمایت کننده ظرفیت سازمانی برای یادگیری و بازخورد دهی است.  ارزشیابی با خودش خاتمه نمی یابد. ارزشیابی باید بخشی از فرایند ناب مدیریت سازمانی باشد. در این صورت، ارزشیابی می‌تواند به یادگیری مستمر سازمانی یاری نماید. هر تلاش سازمان و هر تلاش ارزشیابی، نیازمند ابزار و روش هایی متناسب با اطلاعاتی که می‌باید جمع آوری و تجزیه و تحلیل شود؛ همچنین متناسب با نیازهای سازمانی می‌باشد. روشی به نام بهترین روش ارشیابی وجود ندارد و روش‌های ارزشیابی از مزایای نسبی برخوردارند.
حتی بهترین برنامه‌های اجرا شده اغلب با موفقیت کامل همراه نیستند. هر برنامه‌ای می‌تواند بهبود یابد. اطلاعاتی که در یک ارزشیابی جمع آوری می‌شود؛ می‌تواندفراهم کننده رهنمود هایی برای بهبود برنامه باشد. به همان نحوی که ارزشیابی با کارهای روزانه شما آمیخته می‌شود؛ شما می‌توانید اطلاعات مفیدی به دست آورده و تبدیل به «سازمان یادگیرنده» ـ واحدی که دائماً در حال جمع آوری اطلاعات،  تغییر دادن و بهبود دادن است- شوید.
ارزشیابی فرایندی جدانشدنی از اثربخشی سازمانی است. ارزشیابی باید شکل دهنده طراحی و اجرای برنامه باشد. تمام کسانی که از پیامدهای ارزشیابی تاثیر می‌پذیرند؛ حق مشارکت در فرایند ارزشیابی را دارند. مشارکت آنها کمک می‌کند تا فرایند و هدف ارزشیابی را بهتر درک نمایند. چنین بالندگی‌هایی احتمالِ کاربرد عملی یافته‌های ارزشیابی را بالا می‌برد. ارزشیابی ملزم به خدمت به جامعه از طریق برنامه است.
تجربه ارزشیابی برنامه اوقات فراغت فرزندان کارکنان وزارت جهادکشاورزی نشان داد که استفاده از روشهای نوین ارزشیابی می­تواند در یادگیری سازمانی مؤثر بوده و با مداخله بهنگام بر روند اجرای برنامه اثر گذاشته و موجبات افزایش اثربخشی برنامه­ها را فراهم آورد.

این گزارش حاصل یک ارزشیابی است که به سفارش معاونت توسعه مدیریت و منابع انسانی ی وزارت جهاد کشاورزی در سال 1388 انجام گردید. مقاله ای حاصل ازاین ارزشیابی به دومین  کنفرانس ملی مدیریت دانش  که در بهمن ماه 1388 برگزار شد؛تقدیم گردید.چکیده فارسی و انگلیسی این مقاله تحت عنوان پنجمین نسل ارزشيابي:  ظرفيت سازی (مرور نقش های ارزشیابی در یادگیری سازمانی و مدیریت دانش) و نیز پوستر مقاله  به صورت پی دای اف قبلاً منتشر شده است.متن کامل مقاله در لوح فشرده کنفرانس به شرکت کنندگان تقدیم شده است.عنوان مقاله در صفحه 6 سومین خبرنامه کنفرانس،فهرست مقالات بخش پوستر - مقاله ماقبل آخر- درج شده است.

Данное исследование было произведено в 2004-2007 гг. в трех репрезентативных областях Кыргызстана.  Одна из целей настоящего исследования – определить поощряет ли законодательство Кыргызской Республики участие сельских сообществ в решении местных проблем. Главное внимание уделяется правовым аспектам этого процесса.  Анализ национального законодательства и предлагаемые модели развития правовой системы, способствующие повышению гражданской активности сельских жителей, опираются на теоретический подход к понятию
"расширение полномочий", в основе которого лежит теория конституционализма.

Другая цель - оценка способности сельских сообществ оптимально использовать существующие правовые условия для удовлетворения своих интересов. Речь идет об оценке институционального развития сельских сообществ, а именно способны ли существующие сельские организации и институты осуществлять коллективные действия и что им может понадобиться для того, чтобы добиваться при этом устойчивых результатов. Подобный анализ институциональной базы сельских сообществ дает представление автора о шансах на успех усилий по
расширению их полномочий в Кыргызстане.

ارزشیابی حمایت کننده ظرفیت سازمانی برای یادگیری و بازخورد دهی است.  ارزشیابی با خودش خاتمه نمی یابد. ارزشیابی باید بخشی از فرایند ناب مدیریت سازمانی باشد. در این صورت، ارزشیابی می‌تواند به یادگیری مستمر سازمانی یاری نماید. هر تلاش سازمان و هر تلاش ارزشیابی، نیازمند ابزار و روش هایی متناسب با اطلاعاتی که می‌باید جمع آوری و تجزیه و تحلیل شود؛ همچنین متناسب با نیازهای سازمانی می‌باشد. روشی به نام بهترین روش ارشیابی وجود ندارد و روش‌های ارزشیابی از مزایای نسبی برخوردارند.
حتی بهترین برنامه‌های اجرا شده اغلب با موفقیت کامل همراه نیستند. هر برنامه‌ای می‌تواند بهبود یابد. اطلاعاتی که در یک ارزشیابی جمع آوری می‌شود؛ می‌تواندفراهم کننده رهنمود هایی برای بهبود برنامه باشد. به همان نحوی که ارزشیابی با کارهای روزانه شما آمیخته می‌شود؛ شما می‌توانید اطلاعات مفیدی به دست آورده و تبدیل به «سازمان یادگیرنده» ـ واحدی که دائماً در حال جمع آوری اطلاعات،  تغییر دادن و بهبود دادن است- شوید.
ارزشیابی فرایندی جدانشدنی از اثربخشی سازمانی است. ارزشیابی باید شکل دهنده طراحی و اجرای برنامه باشد. تمام کسانی که از پیامدهای ارزشیابی تاثیر می‌پذیرند؛ حق مشارکت در فرایند ارزشیابی را دارند. مشارکت آنها کمک می‌کند تا فرایند و هدف ارزشیابی را بهتر درک نمایند. چنین بالندگی‌هایی احتمالِ کاربرد عملی یافته‌های ارزشیابی را بالا می‌برد. ارزشیابی ملزم به خدمت به جامعه از طریق برنامه است.
تجربه ارزشیابی برنامه اوقات فراغت فرزندان کارکنان وزارت جهادکشاورزی نشان داد که استفاده از روشهای نوین ارزشیابی می­تواند در یادگیری سازمانی مؤثر بوده و با مداخله بهنگام بر روند اجرای برنامه اثر گذاشته و موجبات افزایش اثربخشی برنامه­ها را فراهم آورد.

این گزارش حاصل یک ارزشیابی است که به سفارش معاونت توسعه مدیریت و منابع انسانی ی وزارت جهاد کشاورزی در سال 1388 انجام گردید. مقاله ای حاصل ازاین ارزشیابی به دومین  کنفرانس ملی مدیریت دانش  که در بهمن ماه 1388 برگزار شد؛تقدیم گردید.چکیده فارسی و انگلیسی این مقاله تحت عنوان پنجمین نسل ارزشيابي:  ظرفيت سازی (مرور نقش های ارزشیابی در یادگیری سازمانی و مدیریت دانش) و نیز پوستر مقاله  به صورت پی دای اف قبلاً منتشر شده است.متن کامل مقاله در لوح فشرده کنفرانس به شرکت کنندگان تقدیم شده است.عنوان مقاله در صفحه 6 سومین خبرنامه کنفرانس،فهرست مقالات بخش پوستر - مقاله ماقبل آخر- درج شده است.

This thesis analyzes how caring relationships and an emancipatory approach to law related education (LRE) within juvenile justice facilities can cultivate political agency. I focused specifically on Camp Afflerbaugh-Paige, an LA County juvenile probation facility, in La Verne, CA, as a case study. During three months of teaching a law related education class and embedding myself at the facility with an asset-based framework, I encountered a wealth of knowledge that incarcerated juveniles possess, not from formal education or research, but based in their own lived experiences. Los Angeles County Probation spends $233,000 per student per year; assuming best intentions of those in charge and the actors, the students, with a wide array of expertise, should be thriving within these institutions and set up for success upon their release. Unfortunately, though, students’ academic, entrepreneurial, and legal expertise are criminalized rather than cultivated by the juvenile justice system. Through a policy class, the students created reforms to address the challenges of a paramilitary camp that neglects students’ emotional, physical, and mental health. The challenges in the environment complicate the political agency of students within the camp and post-release. I am making the claim that the political agency of the students is visible and the assets are tangibly cultivated by an emancipatory pedagogy, ethic of care, and the law related education curriculum.

This is a collaborative, comprehensive evaluation of the Detroit Connection’s programs. It was completed to
ascertain whether Detroit Connection’s goals for student learning are being met, if the expectations of Detroit
Connections instructors reflect the program’s values and mission, how participation in Detroit Connections
affects college students, and if participation in Detroit Connections affects Detroit students’ knowledge and
appreciation for the art & design process.  Several methods of data collection were used to evaluate the
program.

A wealth of data were gathered and analyzed.  It was found that the Detroit Connections goals for University
student learning are being met. Students reported an overall positive experience with the program, increased
leadership and collaboration/teamwork skills, and demonstrated continuing engagement in their
communities. They also reported an increased understanding of Detroit and awareness of diversity and
increased cultural competence. 

The  Detroit Connections instructors structure their courses purposely to reflect the program’s mission and
values and it was clear that the faculty is passionate about the program.  They showed evidence of all the
outcome indicators that they had set out for the program. 

Finally, it was found that the Detroit students also had positive experiences with the program and grew from
it.  Over the course of the semester, the students showed significant improvements in their art and design
skills and habits, increased self-confidence in their abilities, and engagement in their art projects and
improvement in their craft skills.

Effective health promotion and education practice
should be based on theories emerging from praxis.
In fact, there is an increasing developement of papers
which underline the importance of “lay knowledge”
and support this grounded approach through the
use of narratives and case study. Certainly these
methods can be considered strategies that enhance
meaning making and people participation as
individuals or communities. This paper presents a
framework for case work in the field of health
education and offer a tool for health promotion, in
order to achieve health promotion knowledge
development and evaluation and, at the same time,
quality assurance activities. As a result, Labonte’s
story-dialogue approach is described as an example
of experiantial learning and qualitative evaluation.
Besides, theoretical bases are anchored in authors’
experience on the use of case analysis within the
Italian Master course in Health Promotion and other training activities with groups of professionals in
three Health Local Units about evaluation topics.
Conclusions affirm how case work allows
practitioners’ experience explicit and well structured
and that story dialogue method could be used in
triangulation with other external, more formal and
evidence based evaluation tools. From this
perspective, case work reveals its potential
supporting continuous quality improvement
processes in workplace context.

RIASSUNTO
La pratica in promozione ed educazione alla salute,
come ogni prassi che vuole innescare processi di
cambiamento, dunque di costruzione di nuove conoscenze,
per mostrarsi efficace deve essere illuminata
da una teoria elaborata a partire dalla pratica
stessa. L’articolo presenta il metodo dell’analisi dei
casi-storia e l’uso della tecnica del dialogo strutturato
come due strategie operative a disposizione degli
operatori per sostenere un approccio partecipativo
ed esperienziale alla progettazione e l’intervento in
promozione ed educazione alla salute. Dopo aver
illustrato i principali approcci all’utilizzo dei casi
per sviluppare conoscenze viene esposto il metodo
sviluppato da Labonte nel lavoro di comunità per
progettare, valutare, formare i diversi portatori di
interesse coinvolti. Su questi riferimenti, si sono
sperimentate diverse situazioni applicative in contesti
formativi sia universitari che aziendali i cui risultati
concorrono a proporre l’utilizzazione di que-
sto metodo qualitativo nei processi di miglioramento
continuo della qualità organizzativa dei servizi peas
dove le “teorie informali” prodotte attraverso il dialogo
strutturato su casi storia forniscono indicazioni
utili ad integrare le “norme” contenute nel manuale
di autovalutazione e accreditamento tra pari
destinato a questi servizi.

The paper describes the research design, the path and the evaluation activities of the research-intervention pro􏱊ject called Mindset carried out in 2017 in the province of Taranto (Italy). The focus of the pro􏱊ject was to explore the cultural representations of the target group (students and local entrepreneurs) in relation to the key competence “sense of initiative” and “entrepreneurship”, aimed at defining a training model to support participants and to develop the territory. Mapping the cultural dimensions of this key competence means focusing on the relationship between the way in which we read/act/react social contexts and the practices of interaction with the same context. Exploring the system of representations that organizing their actions means interpreting their sense-making processes with reference to the development of competence “Sense of initiative and entrepreneurship”. Moreover, exploring their cultural representations can guide the planning of the next training activities thanks to the enhancement of the cultural pattern below the different representations and practices of the competence “sense of initiative and entrepreneurship”. It is therefore necessary to consider the evaluation criteria oriented to the European standards/benchmarks (Entrecomp) as cultural criteria that may be contextualized with reference to the different cultural meanings that define “competent” a person who perform “sense of initiative and entrepreneurship” compared to EntreComp framework. The next research step will explore the presence and type of possible statistical link among the cultural representations and the performance assessment levels related to this competence and/or its components carried out in formal, informal and non-formal contexts.

The development of European Community administrative authority has greatly influenced the development of an evaluation culture among the southern and central member states of the European Union. The present case study from Spain provides an example of this diffusion through the use of an empower-ment evaluation approach to build evaluation capacity within the context of rural development. The study focuses on the evaluation process over a 10-year period of three local development programs run by three local partnerships created in the rural areas of the Madrid region through the European LEADER initiative. Critical components of empowerment evaluation are discussed, as well as the impact, limitations, difficulties, and applicability of the approach to rural development in the European Union. Conclusions are presented concerning evaluation capacity building and the development of an evaluation culture.

"There are several perspectives and conceptual approaches to Participatory Evaluation (PE)
and the meanings and senses that it may have. In all cases, it involves a new point of view among assessment models, as it is considered itself as a process of individual and collective learning. In this article we aim to deepen in this topic; and to find out how this learning contributes to the empowerment of individuals and communities who are lead this evaluation. This paper describes the design and testing of an open indicators system to highlight empowerment, which aims to show the learning that EP processes generate in the people who experience it. Variables and indicators of empowerment are identified through literature analysis and discussion with researchers, technicians and community workers... These indicators are tested on three case studies, which allow verifying its utility. In these case studies we used questionnaires,
content analysis of minutes and transcriptions of community sessions and semi-structured interviews to members of EP groups. We present the general list of variables and indicators of empowerment, understood as an open system, as a generator matrix, which can be completed and contrasted from the new contributions arisen during its application. From the literature analysis, most of our proposed indicators were confirmed. The system also includes some unusual indicators in formulations made so far, but that have been validated through our case studies. We consider that this contribution is a good starting point for further research, and a help to greatly enhance the discourse and the value of socio-educational actions and community work."

Os novos públicos adultos trazem para o ensino superior diversidade e experiências que potenciam a construção de contextos de aprendizagem ricos, personalizados e colaborativos. Nesta comunicação descrevemos um trabalho de investigação-acção que promove a participação dos estudantes de vários cursos e turmas.Tendo como ponto de partida um balanço das competências de cada estudante, desenvolvemos projectos pedagógicos, em blended-learning, apoiados no conceito de democracia participativa. Com base nas competências reconhecidas, constitui-se um banco de competências através do qual se organizou um processo de inter-ajuda com vista à aprendizagem mútua. Os estudantes que queriam aprender ou melhorar determinada competência juntaram-se a outros que a dominavam. Os grupos colaborativos juntaram jovens estudantes a tempo inteiro e trabalhadores-estudantes maduros, estudantes ouvintes e estudantes surdos.
Com estratégias que eles próprios definiram, puseram em prática e avaliaram, os processos de aprendizagem e os resultados contribuíram para o desenvolvimento individual e comunitário, no sentido de cidadãos participativos, responsáveis e confiantes. O estudo de caso mostrou que ao mesmo tempo que se alcançavam os objectivos da unidade curricular, foi- se ao encontro das necessidades de formação de cada estudante, envolvendo-o, personalizando o seu caminho formativo traçado no contrato de aprendizagem e retratado e reflectido no portfolio.

The development of European Community administrative authority has greatly influenced the development of an evaluation culture among the southern and central member states of the European Union. The present case study from Spain provides an example of this diffusion through the use of an empowerment evaluation approach to build evaluation capacity within the context of rural development. The study focuses on the evaluation process over a 10-year period of three local development programs run by three local partnerships created in the rural areas of the Madrid region through the European LEADER initiative. Critical components of empowerment evaluation are discussed, as well as the impact, limitations, difficulties, and applicability of the approach to rural development in the European Union. Conclusions are presented concerning evaluation capacity building and the development of an evaluation culture.

As a result of enactment of Law 297/1999, many Italian universities could improve the opportunities in applied research, activating spin-offs and start-ups in conformity with those regulations. This is a new challenge in the universities’ mission: universities are capable (and therefore they are asked) to generate not only new knowledge and competent professional profiles, but also to make a new effort in implementing the “third mission” for promoting social innovation. Considering this background, we present a research project - a training intervention named “Participatory culture, personal branding and organisational wellness” - by Espéro Pvt, a spin-off of the University of Salento, for Geodata Engineering Ltd., located in Turin, Italy. Presented below are the theoretical framework (learning organisation, empowerment evaluation and organisational wellness) and the methodology, as well as the first results.

As a result of enactment of Law 297/1999, many Italian universities could improve the opportunities in applied research, activating spin-offs and start-ups in conformity with those regulations. This is a new challenge in the universities' mission: universities are capable (and therefore they are asked) to generate not only new knowledge and competent professional profiles, but also to make a new effort in implementing the " third mission " for promoting social innovation. Considering this background, we present a research project – a training intervention named " Participatory culture, personal branding and organisational wellness " – by Espéro Pvt, a spin-. Presented below are the theoretical framework (learning organisation, empowerment evaluation and organisational wellness) and the methodology, as well as the first results.

Resetting our mindsets in order to build the Blockchain in the best manner possible which is inline with the concern and advancement of every community (regardless of race, ethnicity, creed, social standing, mentality, sexual preference, or education level) in this global society.

La noción de participación ha entrado con gran fuerza en las políticas, programas y planes dirigidos a las minorías socioculturales y sectores sociales marginalizados que acumulan exclusión social y/o rechazo cultural. Desde las políticas de la Unión Europea para el combate a la pobreza y el estigma social y cultural, las intervenciones locales
sobre los diversos actores y la participación de los mismos en los procesos de inserción/ integración social se han convertido en un criterio básico y la cuestión clave inevitable en las propuestas de proyectos de inclusión social. El argumento principal detrás de la
participación es el empoderamiento de estos colectivos marginalizados: participación y empoderamiento se refuerzan entre sí. Sin embargo, ambos conceptos tienden a ser vagamente definidos y mal operacionalizados, su correlación positiva se da por sentado,
así como su impacto positivo en el desarrollo individual o comunitario.
En las dos últimas décadas se ha desarrollado un debate agudo en torno a los conceptos de empoderamiento y participación. La ambigüedad cómo se definen y los resultados obtenidos cuestionables son cada vez más evidentes para los investigadores (Cooke y
Kothari, 2001a; Frideres, 1992; Hickey y Mohan, 2004). La antropóloga Wendy James (1999) se refiere a un “clima de lenguaje” que ofrece espacio para cualquier palabra clave sin especificar su sentido. En el estilo en boga de hablar de “participación comunitaria”,
empoderamiento”, “enfoques centrados en las personas”, “escuchar
las voces de los pobres” o –lo que James llama el “discurso desarrollista”– tiende a desvincularse de las realidades cotidianas las situaciones en las que se implementan los proyectos (James, 1999). Dentro de este microcosmos desarrollista el concepto de empoderamiento se ha utilizado para describir factores de una buena gobernanza (democrática, deseable) que promociona la auto-ayuda de las comunidades a través de la participación popular en los procesos de toma de decisiones. Mientras que las dinámicas participativas han entrado en el mainstream del diseño y desarrollo de las políticas, los programas o los proyectos, especialmente aquellos que
se dirigen a segmentos específicos de la sociedad (grupos “vulnerables”, “en riesgo”, “minorías”, etc.), las ambigüedades se han acumulado entorno a su definición y los resultados obtenidos.
Empoderamiento es una palabra ambivalente que las ciencias sociales deberían usar con cautela (James, 1999). Perking y Zimmerman (1995) advierten que hay que ser precisos respecto a la construcción y la investigación del empoderamiento porque si no, se corre el riesgo de transformarlo en un concepto comodín “borroso, que sirve para todo”
sin ningún significado claro y consistente. La antropóloga Angela Cheater (1999) opina que el debate sobre empoderamiento, sin tener en cuenta lo que constituye el “poder”, conduce a un análisis estéril.

... Login to save citations to My List. Citation. Database: PsycINFO. [Book; Edited Book]. Empowerment evaluation principles in practice. Fetterman, David M. (Ed); Wandersman,Abraham (Ed). New York, NY, US: Guilford Press. (2005). viii, 231 pp. Abstract. ...

The past few weeks in this Boston summer have enjoyed the exceptional William Shakespeare play “Richard III”, conducted by the Commonwealth Shakespeare Company, and directed by Steven Maler. This led to an inspirational gathering of conversation with my academic and business colleagues across the world in theatre, global management, futurology, and history – the conversation having led to our creation of this piece’s title, albeit a play on not “Richard III”, but another Shakespeare play, “As You Like It”.

This paper is concerned with sharing between students and teacher the power to manage a course that engages heterogeneous student populations in a blended learning environment in higher education. Our aim is not just to see how the students can be empowered to act autonomously, but rather to understand how they can fare as full partners of the course management experience. To this end, we engage them in a cultural transformation based on strategies that promote their participation in their own learning and evaluation. This is done with the help of the evaluation star, an ideogram we have developed to support these strategies. Our study draws on principles proposed by Dewey, Freire, Knowles, Mezirow, and Fetterman, and follows a research approach based on two action research cycles that involve different courses, subjects, and students. Our study, which can be seen as a proof of concept, shows that the students have learned to evaluate and accept evaluation, share critical reflections, and take responsibility for their contributions. They have also participated democratically in their learning process and have built change, quality, and competent collective learning.

In an age of the institutional globalization of modern societies, the confluence of a myriad of micro- and macro-contextual factors complicates the international socio-political arena. In this context, the integration of participatory values through the democratization processes of Public Health takes on the appearance of an organizational strategy promoting cohesion among a multitude of local and global initiatives. The constant renewal of intersectoral knowledge and the social perception of risk suggest an increased social awareness regarding the limits of technical competence of social and healthcare Systems. As a legitimate international actor in the management of modern health risks, Public Health creates participatory spaces that enable interaction of intersectoral actors and constantly changing and dynamic knowledge. It is indeed a strategy of the institutional “relocalisation” of collective action, aiming to restore trust in the level of reliability of international Public Health representatives who only partially meet the current needs of population security.

In this context, Local Health Councils (LHC), implemented internationally as part of decentralized Primary Health Care (PHC) regional policies, represent participative spaces that involve countless paradoxical forces of tension. The LHC provides both an opportunity to examine the reciprocal relationship between an in-depth empirical analysis of specific participatory practices (PP), as well as a conceptual comprehension of the institutional globalization defining the general expansionist tendencies of modern societies. Using the organizational transition model (OTM), we postulate that the integration of PP into LHC governance is potentially associated with organizational change in creating both the conditions and the consequences of numerous strategic and systemic translations, which are essentially transformative. However, in order for this transformation to occur, relevant participative skills need to be developed. Consequently, this participative phenomenon takes on the shape of an organizational learning process allowing new forms of collective action and intervention to be accomplished.

Our conceptual model offers a set of interesting and promising “epistemosocial” considerations for an in-depth examination of the dimensions essential for an organizational renewal of participation in the complex field of Global Health. Through the OTM, we conceive complex interventions as epistemic networks of participative practices (ENPP) composed of a wide range of actors organized around a double process of transcultural conceptualization of knowledge and inter-sector operationalization of action. This process is possible through a set of mechanisms of organizational instrumentation of learning. In this way, the OTM and the concept of ENPP allow for a better understanding of the unceasing transition between the local integration of PP in the governance of complex interventions in the field of health and social services – such as LCH – and the broader processes of democratic reorganization of Public Health in a global context of institutional globalization. This could certainly help us to collectively construct a reflexive and manifest expression of democratic values proposed in Alma-Ata Declaration published in 1978 during the first International Conference on PHC.