Evaluator Education Curriculum: Which Competencies Ought to Be Prioritized in Master’s and Doctoral Programs?

Abstract

A budding area of research is devoted to studying evaluator curriculum, yet to date, it has focused exclusively on describing the content and emphasis of topics or competencies in university-based programs. This study aims to expand the foci of research efforts and investigates the extent to which evaluators agree on what competencies should guide the development and implementation of evaluator education. This study used the Delphi method with evaluators ( n = 11) and included three rounds of online surveys and follow-up interviews between rounds. This article discusses on which competencies evaluators were able to reach consensus. Where consensus was not found, possible reasons are offered. Where consensus was found, the necessity of each competency at both the master’s and doctoral levels is described. Findings are situated in ongoing debates about what is unique about what novice evaluators need to know and be able to do and the purpose of evaluator education.