Cassie Stefanski, Dr. Sylvia Abonyi, Dr. Richard Katz, Dr. Ruth Nicholls, Gilbert Kewistep, Dr. Donna Goodridge, Dr. Gary Groot

Indigenous evaluation

Introduction

Indigenous evaluation. Scoping review identifies 13 guiding principles & 15 methodologies for Indigenous evaluation. Highlights gaps in culturally responsive approaches, crucial for Indigenous communities.

Abstract

Background: Indigenous evaluation incorporates Indigenous ways of knowing and draws upon cultural paradigms (Indigenous Evaluation Toolkit, 2022). Indigenous evaluation literature is limited in both quantity and quality outcomes resulting in a lack of clarity. This scoping review was conducted to identify guiding principles, Indigenous evaluation methodologies, and explore key concepts and gaps within the literature. Methods: This scoping review was guided by the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses Extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR) checklist and Arskey and O’Malley’s Scoping Review Framework. It included peer-reviewed articles and grey literature. Articles were identified through electronic database searching and reference lists using keywords. This review only included data written in English, available in full text, included keywords and identified the author and title of the publication. Articles that were not specific to Indigenous peoples or outlined Indigenous methodologies that were not related to evaluation were excluded. Results: Out of 348 articles, 94 met the inclusion criteria for this review. The literature revealed 13 guiding principles (collaboration, respect, relationships, self-determination, flexibility, trust, truth, reciprocity, power, time, sovereignty, responsibility/accountability, and relevance) and 15 Indigenous evaluation methodologies (culturally responsive, community-based, participatory, storytelling, empowerment, decolonizing, strength-based, self-reflection/location, mixed methods, talking circles, tribal critical theory, two-eyed seeing, the 4 R’s, trauma-informed approach, and ethical space). Conclusion: Key findings in this review demonstrate the need for further development of a culturally responsive Indigenous evaluation approach and for future research to outline how to put Indigenous evaluation methodologies and guiding principles into practice. Filling this gap will make a significant contribution to the field of evaluation research for Indigenous peoples, communities, and evaluators. 

Review

This scoping review on Indigenous evaluation addresses a critical and timely gap in the academic literature. The authors effectively set the stage by highlighting the limited quantity and quality of existing outcomes in this domain, which often leads to a lack of clarity regarding core concepts and practices. By aiming to identify guiding principles, Indigenous evaluation methodologies, and explore key concepts, the review provides a much-needed consolidation of knowledge. The chosen methodology, guided by the PRISMA-ScR checklist and Arskey and O’Malley’s framework, demonstrates a rigorous approach to synthesizing both peer-reviewed and grey literature, ensuring a comprehensive scan of the landscape. The review's findings are substantial and highly valuable. Identifying 13 guiding principles—such as collaboration, respect, relationships, self-determination, and reciprocity—provides a foundational framework for understanding the ethical and relational underpinnings of Indigenous evaluation. Equally significant is the articulation of 15 distinct Indigenous evaluation methodologies, ranging from culturally responsive and community-based approaches to storytelling, decolonizing, and two-eyed seeing. These results not only map the current state of practice but also serve as a crucial resource for practitioners and researchers seeking to engage meaningfully and respectfully in this field. The extensive number of articles included (94 out of 348 initially identified) underscores the diligent efforts made to capture a broad spectrum of relevant information. In its conclusion, the review powerfully articulates the immediate next steps for the field, emphasizing the necessity for further development of culturally responsive Indigenous evaluation approaches. Crucially, it highlights the need for future research to move beyond theoretical identification and outline concrete ways to put these guiding principles and methodologies into practice. This call to action is vital for translating conceptual understanding into tangible, impactful evaluation work that genuinely benefits Indigenous peoples and communities. Filling this identified gap will undoubtedly make a significant contribution, advancing both the theoretical robustness and practical utility of Indigenous evaluation research for all stakeholders.

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