Fieldwork Experience As Cultural Immersion: Two International Students And Their Professor Reflect On A Recent Evaluation Practicum

In this practice note, two international students of evaluation reflect on the cultural challenges they experienced learning to apply Western-based methodologies in unfamiliar cultural contexts. Using a process of reflection, the students identify four interrelated challenges: understanding the culture and program setting, the need for interpersonal and communication skills, learning the language of evaluation, and telling the story. The paper concludes with reflections from the course professor, who highlights the challenges of teaching evaluation, an intensely cultural practice with deep roots in Western theoretical traditions, to students who do not come from the United States. Through reflective practice, the two students were able to overcome many of their initial challenges.