Cheryl Poth
Biographic Data
| ID | 251508 |
|---|---|
| NAME | Cheryl Poth |
| GIVEN NAMES | Cheryl |
| FAMILY NAME | Poth |
| SIGNATURE | POTH C |
| AFFILIATIONS | University of Alberta |
| VERIFIED | No |
| TOTAL WORKS | 21 |
| TOTAL CITATIONS | 17 |
| AUTHOR COUNT | 21 |
| EDITOR COUNT | 0 |
| FIRST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2009 |
| LATEST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2026 |
| H-INDEX | 2 |
Mixed up
State of the Methods for Integrating Qualitatively Oriented Critical Review Approaches With Bibliometrics
In this State of the Methods, we describe the Mixed Critical Bibliometric Review as a novel knowledge synthesis approach that integrates qualitative research principles from critical reviews with bibliometric analyses to generate interpretive insights. Critical reviews are essential for mapping and advancing a field, yet researchers struggle to critically reassess what is already known. Developing a deep appreciation for a field’s literature and …
A Community-Based Participatory Approach to the Development, Validation, and Use of the Evaluation Capacity Needs Assessment (Ecna) for the Early Childhood Field
Building the evaluation capacity (EC) of individuals and organizations in early childhood and broader social-serving fields is key to enhancing their practices, programs, and policies and maximizing the impact of limited resources. While access to psychometrically valid tools for strengthening EC is growing, many existing tools were not developed specifically for early childhood. This paper details a community-based participatory approach to deve…
The implications of a mixed methods way of thinking to practice
The foremost challenge in mixed methods research is not simply to align data or findings from different analytical procedures but to find an approach that makes it possible to integrate them in an informed way. The article engages more than 40 years of collective conversations with colleagues and students to describe and illustrate a mixed methods way of thinking and the dialectical logic associated with it as one approach to mixed methods resear…
Mixed methods research teams
Mixed methods research teams have garnered increased attention for their leveraging of diverse disciplinary and methodological expertise in pursuit of complex problems. We advance our theoretical viewpoint of integrative mixed methods research teamwork as necessary with empirical evidence demonstrating the equipping mixed methods researchers to study complex problems involving interacting systems and lacking known solutions. Integrative mixed met…
Mapping Evaluation Use
Factors influencing evaluation use has been a primary concern for evaluators. However, little is known about the current conceptualizations of evaluation use including what counts as use, what efforts encourage use, and how to measure use. This article identifies enablers and constraints to evaluation use based on a scoping review of literature published since 2009 ( n = 47). A fulsome examination to map factors influencing evaluation use identif…
Advancing an ethical imperative for collaborative approaches to evaluation with low incidence and underserved communities
This practice article advances an ethical imperative for guiding collaborative approaches to evaluation with low incidence and underserved communities. We describe our evaluation processes for building transformative partnerships during a DeafBlind Support Services pilot program evaluation in Western Canada using collaborative approaches to evaluation. This program was designed to enable adults living with dual sensory loss to experience self-det…
Effective School Literacy Culture and Learning Outcomes
The purpose of this study was to explore the multifaceted leadership role an effective principal assumed in the deployment of evidence-based literacy practices in her school. We conducted a mixed methods case study integrating the lived experiences of 11 school staff (principal, learning support teacher, and classroom teachers) with the reading scores of 122 Grade 1 to 3 students in Alberta (Canada). A merged mixed analysis strategy revealed four…
Toward an Evidence-Based Approach to Building Evaluation Capacity
Organizations are required to evaluate their programs for both learning and accountability purposes, which has increased the need to build their internal evaluation capacity. A remaining challenge is access to tools that lead to valid evidence supporting internal capacity development. The authors share practical insights from the development and use of the Evaluation Capacity Needs Assessment tool and framework and implications for using its data…
Collaborative Evaluation Designs as an Authentic Course Assessment
Strategies for optimizing evaluator education involve ongoing discussions within the field of evaluation. There remains unrealized potential for authentic assessments to support and measure learning that demonstrates the integration of evaluation theory with practice. In this practice note, we advance collaborative evaluation designs as a useful authentic assessment for generating the type of applied learning evidence required within an evaluatio…
Competency-Based Evaluation Education
Evaluator education must provide robust opportunities to support and assess the progressive, lifelong development of relevant knowledge and skills. If we wish to keep pace with the increasingly complex contexts in which evaluators operate, we need to better align our educational approaches with the global movement toward practice competencies guiding the profession. Key among the challenges is the lack of instructional guidance specific to a comp…
UEval
This practice note describes the unique features of, and lessons learned from, UEval, an innovative one-week “evaluation institute” at the Faculty of Extension, University of Alberta. This initiative responds to an identified community and university need to provide contextual and socially relevant evaluation-focused educational opportunities to learners across disciplines and sectors. UEval is guided by principles of participatory and experienti…
Influential Mentoring Practices for Navigating Challenges and Optimizing Learning During an Evaluation Internship Experience
The increased complexity of contexts that Canadian evaluators work in has important implications for evaluation education. Internship is a valued training component, yet what remains to be identified are empirically based quality indicators of the experience. Analyses of interviews with an intern, mentor, and coordinator supplemented by field notes revealed key features suggesting three influential mentoring practices: orientation to workplace co…
Introduction — Setting the Evaluation Use Context
Evaluating System Change Initiatives
This article describes key challenges experienced and addressed during the evaluation of the Government of Alberta’s 10-Year Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) Strategic Plan (2007–2017). The purpose was to understand how the strategic plan was progressing toward outcomes at the fifth year of its implementation. Following a description of the system change initiative and evaluation context, an account of key challenges for one outcome is pres…
Teacher E-professionalism
This study addresses the pressing need for attending to teacher e-professionalism, that is, the appropriate application of information and communication strategies when using digital media. The authors examine data patterns related to 113 pre-service teachers’ perceptions of e-professionalism, attitudes towards existing technology-related professional guidelines, and current behaviours on Facebook. The results from the online questionnaire sugges…
Editors' Afterword
Special Issue
Toward a Definition of Evaluation Within the Canadian Context
This article describes the systematic examination and membership consultation process undertaken to define evaluation within the Canadian context. To that end, the article (a) presents the findings from a literature scan and analysis of social media postings, (b) considers the outcomes of the audience discussion during the presentation at the 2013 Canadian Evaluation Society conference, and (c) offers ideas for next steps. Together, the literatur…
Monitoring, Adapting, and Evaluating a Competency-Based Assessment Framework in Medical Education Through Participatory Action Research
In this research note we report an ongoing line of inquiry related to introducing a competency-based assessment framework into the Family Medicine Residency Program at the University of Alberta.The goal of the Progress to Practice project is to incorporate program development and research to ensure an evidence-based educational innovation.
Evaluation for learning
Evaluation for learning
Monitoring, Adapting, and Evaluating a Competency-Based Assessment Framework in Medical Education Through Participatory Action Research
In this research note we report an ongoing line of inquiry related to introducing a competency-based assessment framework into the Family Medicine Residency Program at the University of Alberta.The goal of the Progress to Practice project is to incorporate program development and research to ensure an evidence-based educational innovation.
Toward a Definition of Evaluation Within the Canadian Context
This article describes the systematic examination and membership consultation process undertaken to define evaluation within the Canadian context. To that end, the article (a) presents the findings from a literature scan and analysis of social media postings, (b) considers the outcomes of the audience discussion during the presentation at the 2013 Canadian Evaluation Society conference, and (c) offers ideas for next steps. Together, the literatur…
Special Issue
Evaluating System Change Initiatives
This article describes key challenges experienced and addressed during the evaluation of the Government of Alberta’s 10-Year Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) Strategic Plan (2007–2017). The purpose was to understand how the strategic plan was progressing toward outcomes at the fifth year of its implementation. Following a description of the system change initiative and evaluation context, an account of key challenges for one outcome is pres…
Teacher E-professionalism
This study addresses the pressing need for attending to teacher e-professionalism, that is, the appropriate application of information and communication strategies when using digital media. The authors examine data patterns related to 113 pre-service teachers’ perceptions of e-professionalism, attitudes towards existing technology-related professional guidelines, and current behaviours on Facebook. The results from the online questionnaire sugges…
Editors' Afterword
Influential Mentoring Practices for Navigating Challenges and Optimizing Learning During an Evaluation Internship Experience
The increased complexity of contexts that Canadian evaluators work in has important implications for evaluation education. Internship is a valued training component, yet what remains to be identified are empirically based quality indicators of the experience. Analyses of interviews with an intern, mentor, and coordinator supplemented by field notes revealed key features suggesting three influential mentoring practices: orientation to workplace co…
Introduction — Setting the Evaluation Use Context
Toward an Evidence-Based Approach to Building Evaluation Capacity
Organizations are required to evaluate their programs for both learning and accountability purposes, which has increased the need to build their internal evaluation capacity. A remaining challenge is access to tools that lead to valid evidence supporting internal capacity development. The authors share practical insights from the development and use of the Evaluation Capacity Needs Assessment tool and framework and implications for using its data…
Collaborative Evaluation Designs as an Authentic Course Assessment
Strategies for optimizing evaluator education involve ongoing discussions within the field of evaluation. There remains unrealized potential for authentic assessments to support and measure learning that demonstrates the integration of evaluation theory with practice. In this practice note, we advance collaborative evaluation designs as a useful authentic assessment for generating the type of applied learning evidence required within an evaluatio…
Competency-Based Evaluation Education
Evaluator education must provide robust opportunities to support and assess the progressive, lifelong development of relevant knowledge and skills. If we wish to keep pace with the increasingly complex contexts in which evaluators operate, we need to better align our educational approaches with the global movement toward practice competencies guiding the profession. Key among the challenges is the lack of instructional guidance specific to a comp…
UEval
This practice note describes the unique features of, and lessons learned from, UEval, an innovative one-week “evaluation institute” at the Faculty of Extension, University of Alberta. This initiative responds to an identified community and university need to provide contextual and socially relevant evaluation-focused educational opportunities to learners across disciplines and sectors. UEval is guided by principles of participatory and experienti…
Advancing an ethical imperative for collaborative approaches to evaluation with low incidence and underserved communities
This practice article advances an ethical imperative for guiding collaborative approaches to evaluation with low incidence and underserved communities. We describe our evaluation processes for building transformative partnerships during a DeafBlind Support Services pilot program evaluation in Western Canada using collaborative approaches to evaluation. This program was designed to enable adults living with dual sensory loss to experience self-det…
Effective School Literacy Culture and Learning Outcomes
The purpose of this study was to explore the multifaceted leadership role an effective principal assumed in the deployment of evidence-based literacy practices in her school. We conducted a mixed methods case study integrating the lived experiences of 11 school staff (principal, learning support teacher, and classroom teachers) with the reading scores of 122 Grade 1 to 3 students in Alberta (Canada). A merged mixed analysis strategy revealed four…
Mixed methods research teams
Mixed methods research teams have garnered increased attention for their leveraging of diverse disciplinary and methodological expertise in pursuit of complex problems. We advance our theoretical viewpoint of integrative mixed methods research teamwork as necessary with empirical evidence demonstrating the equipping mixed methods researchers to study complex problems involving interacting systems and lacking known solutions. Integrative mixed met…
Mapping Evaluation Use
Factors influencing evaluation use has been a primary concern for evaluators. However, little is known about the current conceptualizations of evaluation use including what counts as use, what efforts encourage use, and how to measure use. This article identifies enablers and constraints to evaluation use based on a scoping review of literature published since 2009 ( n = 47). A fulsome examination to map factors influencing evaluation use identif…
The implications of a mixed methods way of thinking to practice
The foremost challenge in mixed methods research is not simply to align data or findings from different analytical procedures but to find an approach that makes it possible to integrate them in an informed way. The article engages more than 40 years of collective conversations with colleagues and students to describe and illustrate a mixed methods way of thinking and the dialectical logic associated with it as one approach to mixed methods resear…
Mixed up
State of the Methods for Integrating Qualitatively Oriented Critical Review Approaches With Bibliometrics
In this State of the Methods, we describe the Mixed Critical Bibliometric Review as a novel knowledge synthesis approach that integrates qualitative research principles from critical reviews with bibliometric analyses to generate interpretive insights. Critical reviews are essential for mapping and advancing a field, yet researchers struggle to critically reassess what is already known. Developing a deep appreciation for a field’s literature and …
A Community-Based Participatory Approach to the Development, Validation, and Use of the Evaluation Capacity Needs Assessment (Ecna) for the Early Childhood Field
Building the evaluation capacity (EC) of individuals and organizations in early childhood and broader social-serving fields is key to enhancing their practices, programs, and policies and maximizing the impact of limited resources. While access to psychometrically valid tools for strengthening EC is growing, many existing tools were not developed specifically for early childhood. This paper details a community-based participatory approach to deve…
Evaluation and Performance Assessment (16 works) · Psychology (14 works) · Computer Science (12 works) · Health Policy Implementation Science (10 works) · Political science (10 works) · Engineering (8 works) · Pedagogy (8 works) · Knowledge management (7 works) · Medicine (7 works) · Sociology (7 works)