Research and evaluation came into focus as an explicit area for NewStories engagement as a result of our work in 2016 with the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, Washington League Education Voters and the Japan-US Learning Cohort.
If we are honest, we must admit that much of the thinking we and others have done participatory processes — deep listening, hosting conversations, sharing stories, co-creating new strategies — is somewhat fuzzy and intuitive and it is frequently difficult to explain to those who are used to working in more conventional ways. Many who are part of the NewStories web have working on social innovation and collective impact for many years. It is time for us to approach our work with a stance as researchers and evaluators to understand what’s really happening with these approaches, what else might be possible, and how to effectively communicate it to those who embrace traditional approaches.
This is a brand new focus for us. Please come back and visit as we begin to live into this part of NewStories.
