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Since the beginning of the 21st century, evaluability assessments have experienced a resurgence of interest. However, little is known about how evaluability assessments have been used to improve future evaluations. In this article, we identify characteristics, challenges, and opportunities of evaluability assessments based on a scoping review of case studies published since 2008 (n = 59). We find that evaluability assessments are increasingly used for program development and evaluation planning. Several challenges are identified: politics of evaluability; ambiguity between evaluability and evaluation, and limited considerations of gender equity and human rights. To ensure relevance, evaluability approaches must evolve in alignment with the fast-changing environment. Recommended efforts to revitalize evaluability assessment practice include the following: engaging stakeholders; clarifying what evaluability assessments entail; assessing program understandings, plausibility, and practicality; and considering cross-cutting themes. This review provides an evidence base of practical applications of evaluability assessments to support future evaluability studies and, by extension, future evaluations.

We present here the draft genome sequence of a pyridine-degrading bacterium, Micrococcus luteus ATCC 49442, which was reclassified as Pseudarthrobacter sp. strain ATCC 49442 based on its draft genome sequence. Its genome length is 4.98 Mbp, with 64.81% GC content.

Here, we report the draft genome sequence of Arthrobacter sp. strain ATCC 49987, consisting of three contigs with a total length of 4.4 Mbp. Based on the genome sequence, we suggest reclassification of Arthrobacter sp. strain ATCC 49987 as Pseudarthrobacter sp. strain ATCC 49987.

Within many First Nations communities, storytelling, led by Elders recognized as knowledge holders, is a deeply valued aspect of teaching and learning history, language, place, culture, and Indigenous Knowledge. The purpose of this study was to design and evaluate the first iteration of an intergenerational digital storytelling workshop that brought Elders and school children from a First Nations community in Canada together to co-create digital stories and share local Indigenous Knowledge. Using a community-based participatory research approach, the research team, school, and community members designed and implemented a ten-session program held during a six-week period. Thirty-one grade six and seven students were paired with thirteen Elders. Elders told a range of stories including personal experiences, legends, and local knowledge of hunting and medicine. Students created a digital version of the stories, adding images, sound, and music. Students learned about local knowledge, built connections with Elders, and increased their digital literacy. Future recommendations included expanding the program over the full year and integrating it with other classes such as having Carrier language as a key component of the digital stories and incorporating art and music created by the students.

We report here the 4.9-Mb genome sequence of a quinoline-degrading bacterium, Rhodococcus sp. strain ATCC 49988. The draft genome data will enable the identification of genes and future genetic modification to enhance traits relevant to heteroaromatic compound degradation.

The Nutrition North Canada (NNC) program, introduced in April 2011 is a federal strategy to improve access to perishable, nutritious foods for remote and isolated communities in northern Canada by subsidising retailers to provide price reductions at the point of purchase. As of March 2023, 123 communities are eligible for the program. To evaluate existing evidence and research on the NNC program to inform policy decisions to improve the effectiveness of NNC. A scoping review of peer-reviewed articles was conducted in ten databases along with a supplemental grey literature search of government and non-government reports published between 2011 and 2022. The search yielded 172 publications for screening, of which 42 were included in the analysis. Narrative thematic evidence synthesis yielded 104 critiques and 341 recommendations of the NNC program across eight themes. The most-identified recommendations focus on transparency, communication, and support for harvesting, hunting, and community food initiatives. This review highlights recommendations informed by the literature to address critiques of the NNC program to improve food security, increase access to perishable and non-perishable items, and support community-based food initiatives among eligible communities. The review also identifies priority areas for future policy directions such as additional support for education initiatives, communication and transparency amidst program changes, and food price regulations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gender equity is an increasingly discussed priority and cross-cutting theme within international development evaluation. However, it is unclear whether advances being made in evaluating the outcomes in this area are reflected in the scholarly literature. In this context, a fundamental question is: How is gender being addressed in international development evaluation? To answer this question, we conducted a meta-evaluation to identify, synthesize, and assess published evaluation studies in international development with a focus on gender. We searched the Web of Science™ Core Collection database along with nine evaluation-focused journals using variations of the terms 'program evaluation' and 'gender'. A total of 2027 studies were identified, of which 70 met a priori inclusion criteria. Of the reviewed evaluations, many targeted gender-specific programs and specifically women. While the number of studies that report on gender is growing, and nearly all studies included gender-disaggregated data, often only outcomes by 'women' and 'men' were considered without going further to raise larger questions of gender equity. For evaluation to further contribute to gender equity, we suggest that future peer-reviewed evaluation studies provide data on diverse groups of genders, engage with evaluation stakeholders, consider the larger socio-cultural-political context of programming, encourage the use of evaluation findings, and provide actionable recommendations.

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