Betzavta-Together Research project on Evaluation 2001-2002 Michael Bommes and Ulrike Wolff-Jontofsohn

Betzavta-Together

Research project on Evaluation 2001-2002 Evaluation team: Michael Bommes and Ulrike Wolff Jontofsohn (University of Education Freiburg)

Betzavta-Together Research project on Evaluation 2001-2002 Michael Bommes and Ulrike Wolff-Jontofsohn

Betzavta-Evaluation

• The Research Process: ◦ The Programme ◦ The Funders: Demands and Expectations ◦ The Research team: basic assumptions about evaluation ◦ The Evaluation Design • Main Findings and Conclusions ◦ Programme ◦ Implementation –the Organisational Framework ◦ Training Quality: Staff and Multipliers ◦ Success and/ or Failure??

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Betzavta-Together Research project on Evaluation 2001-2002 Michael Bommes and Ulrike Wolff-Jontofsohn

Betzavta-Together

• Betzavta-a Democracy and Human Rights education Programme -Developed by the Adam Institute in Jerusalem/Israel(1986) • Closely connected to the Israeli Situation • Educational Goals: educate democratic citizens, educate all members of a community to accept equality and freedom as basic democratic principles • Approach: Social and moral education by creating dilemmas and conflictual situations(Piaget, Kohlberg) • Facilitation Techniques: focus on group dynamics and conflict elaboration

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Betzavta-Together Research project on Evaluation 2001-2002 Michael Bommes and Ulrike Wolff-Jontofsohn

Betzavta-Methods: Two Types of Activities

• Type 1: Creating a Dilemma Structure: ◦ group-dynamic activity ◦ Perception and reflection ◦ Conflict elaboration within normative aspects • Type 2: Learning the Democratic Discourse Structure: ◦ individual task of opinion forming ◦ Search for consent in small groups ◦ Market Place - Exchange of Opinions

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Betzavta-Together Research project on Evaluation 2001-2002 Michael Bommes and Ulrike Wolff-Jontofsohn

German Version of Betzavta-Together

• 1996: Adaptation initiated by the Bertelsmann Foundation and the University of Munich (CAP) • Modular combination of three different programs: ◦ Betzavta (1886), ◦ Peace Education Program (1995) ◦ Building Blocks of Democracy (1996).

• Since 1997: Training of multipliers • Implementation Process

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Betzavta-Together Research project on Evaluation 2001-2002 Michael Bommes and Ulrike Wolff-Jontofsohn

The Funders: Demands and Expectations

• Target Group: “ The Multipliers from 1997 to 2001” • Innovative Research • Combination of qualitative and quantitative methods • A democratic and participatory process of evaluation corresponding to the spirit of the programme • Valid assessment of progress or failure • Inherent Definition of Success: cognitive

learning, socio-moral education, attitude change, action planning, systemic changes 29 April, 2020 Slide Nr. 6

Betzavta-Together Research project on Evaluation 2001-2002 Michael Bommes and Ulrike Wolff-Jontofsohn

Basic assumptions about evaluation of the research-team (Part I)

• Complexity-Learning processes are complex phenomena • Validity:Control groups are limited in their testimony • Reliability: Effects and effect-attribution are not identical

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Betzavta-Together Research project on Evaluation 2001-2002 Michael Bommes and Ulrike Wolff-Jontofsohn

Our Basic assumptions -Part II

Systemic View: Evaluation is an attempt to measure the outcomes and effects of an individual learning experience within a specific system

Perception of effects and effect-attributions are context-related • Interpretation of Goals is dependent on the occupational environment • Interpretation of Effects/Outcomes dependent on the definition of progress and failure in a certain milieu

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Betzavta-Together Research project on Evaluation 2001-2002 Michael Bommes and Ulrike Wolff-Jontofsohn

Evaluation design

Database: 250 addresses • Partly standardized questionnaires • 11 individual interviews • Group discussion • Cooperation with a practitioner’s group • Interviews with experts

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Betzavta-Together Research project on Evaluation 2001-2002 Michael Bommes and Ulrike Wolff-Jontofsohn

Main results (Part I)

• Programme : • enthusiastic acceptance of its methodology and interactive learning strategies • Effect-attributions are very positive • But: positive judgment did not depend on duration of the personnel and/or professional experience • Modest degree of distribution and implementation • Circularity in specific milieus and institutions

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Betzavta-Together Research project on Evaluation 2001-2002 Michael Bommes and Ulrike Wolff-Jontofsohn

Main results (Part II)

• Trainers and multipliers: majority from pedagogical and psychological occupations • One Third complain about training quality • High commitment to the issues-certain lack of professionalism • Rare use of the whole Programme • Preference for group-dynamic activities • Modest integration into school curricula • Educational practice shows tendancy towards a specific interpretation of the programme • Rather depoliticized usage as programme

for Social Learning; 29 April, 2020 Slide Nr. 11

Betzavta-Together Research project on Evaluation 2001-2002 Michael Bommes and Ulrike Wolff-Jontofsohn

Recommendations and conclusions

• Improvement of staff and organisation • Theory-input • Clarification of goals and objectives • Monitoring and consulting • Context-orientation -different trainings for different target groups • Improvement of implementation strategies

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Betzavta-Together Research project on Evaluation 2001-2002 Michael Bommes and Ulrike Wolff-Jontofsohn

Discussion: What might be useful for us??

• Our understanding of political education? • Our goals and expectations concerning our work with a specific programme?

• Do we pay attention to needs and requirements of different target group?

• Long-term or short- term intervention? Follow-up?

• Our indicators for success or failure?

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Betzavta-Together Research project on Evaluation 2001-2002 Michael Bommes and Ulrike Wolff-Jontofsohn

Obstacles and conflicts during the evaluation process

• The practitioner‘s group ◦ Fluctuation of members ◦ Collisions of interests ◦ Problems with solidarity • Negotiation processes ◦ Different perspectives of Stakeholders ◦ Conflict of interests

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Betzavta-Together Research project on Evaluation 2001-2002 Michael Bommes and Ulrike Wolff-Jontofsohn

Preconditions for Success

• Quality of the programme • Quality of the facilitators • Structure of the learning process • Reference to the Participants´context • Integration into Curricula • Learning arrangements • Long-Term Intervention • Continuity of the process • Follow-up

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Betzavta-Together Research project on Evaluation 2001-2002 Michael Bommes and Ulrike Wolff-Jontofsohn

Workshop in Feldafing-Overview

• Introduction • Evaluating a Peace Education Programme:” Betzavta-Together” • Evaluation Process and Main Findings • Discussion • Closing round

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