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Evaluation scholars have committed decades of work to the development of evaluator competencies. The 2018 American Evaluation Association (AEA) Evaluator Competencies may be useful for evaluators to identify their strengths and weaknesses to improve their practice; however, a few empirically validated self-assessment tools based on the competencies exist. Two studies were conducted to develop a validated tool. The first study (N = 170) developed the Evaluator Competencies Assessment Tool (ECAT), a self-assessment tool based on the AEA, 2018 Evaluator Competencies. This study provided evidence for structural validity via confirmatory factor analysis. The second study (N = 142) reconfirmed structural validity with a new sample and examined variables that are associated with evaluator competencies through correlation and t-test analyses. Having a mentor, years of evaluation experience, age, evaluation training, and education level were positively related to evaluator competencies. The ECAT can be used to foster self-reflection for practitioners to improve evaluation competence.

This study aimed to develop and validate the Evaluator Competencies Assessment Tool (ECAT) Cultural Competencies Subscale, which measures cultural competence among evaluators. By addressing the scarcity of validated tools in this area, the study offers professionals a valuable resource to assess their strengths and areas for improvement. The subscale comprises 11 items rated on a seven-point Likert scale, derived from the American Evaluation Association (AEA) Evaluator Competencies. Validation involved a survey of 116 AEA members, employing multiple validity procedures. The subscale demonstrated excellent internal consistency (α=.96) and significant correlation with the Cultural Competence of Program Evaluators scale, confirming its convergent validity. However, the subscale's structural validity yielded mixed results, indicating the need for further exploration. Moreover, the demographic analysis highlighted underrepresentation of Asian and younger members. Overall, the ECAT Cultural Competencies Subscale shows promise for assessing cultural competency, but refinement of its factor structure and additional research are needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Evaluation scholars have committed decades of work to the development of evaluator competencies. The 2018 American Evaluation Association (AEA) Evaluator Competencies may be useful for evaluators to identify their strengths and weaknesses to improve their practice; however, a few empirically validated self-assessment tools based on the competencies exist. Two studies were conducted to develop a validated tool. The first study (N = 170) developed the Evaluator Competencies Assessment Tool (ECAT), a self-assessment tool based on the AEA, 2018 Evaluator Competencies. This study provided evidence for structural validity via confirmatory factor analysis. The second study (N = 142) reconfirmed structural validity with a new sample and examined variables that are associated with evaluator competencies through correlation and t -test analyses. Having a mentor, years of evaluation experience, age, evaluation training, and education level were positively related to evaluator competencies. The ECAT can be used to foster self-reflection for practitioners to improve evaluation competence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]