In the third episode of this new podcast season, we share a chapter from the book ‘Evaluation, Democracy, and Transformation: Experiences of Participatory Evaluation in Latin America‘ (only in Spanish). With the help of artificial intelligence, we recreate a conversation between two hosts who explore the main ideas of the chapter and discuss how the EvalParticipativa community works to strengthen evaluation capacities across the region.
The chapter, written by Esteban Tapella and Pablo Rodríguez Bilella, describes EvalParticipativa’s approach. At its core, it brings together two things: a community of practice and a community of learning. The text explains the role of adult education, built on a dialogic and participatory methodology. It also looks at the goals of the training process, the topics covered, the teaching tools that were developed, and the different training opportunities offered over time. The chapter also reflects on some key lessons from this experience. One of the most important is the role of professional training in promoting participatory approaches to evaluation, while still maintaining the methodological rigor that evaluation requires in different contexts across Latin America.
EVALPARTICIPATIVA PODCAST
This initiative, now in its third year, is a space for conversation, exchange, and connection among people who are part of this regional community of practice and learning in participatory evaluation. The goal is to strengthen collective learning, highlight real-world experiences, and promote an approach to evaluation that is built collaboratively and grounded in local contexts.
In each episode, we invite practitioners and leaders from across the region to share not only their technical knowledge and professional paths, but also their motivations and personal experiences. In this way, evaluation appears for what it really is: a living practice, closely connected to specific contexts, social processes, and the stories of the people who carry it out.
Ultimately, the podcast aims to bridge reflection and action, linking expert knowledge with the insights that emerge from practice. It promotes an open and critical perspective on evaluation as a tool for learning, improvement, and social transformation.
And you—would you be willing to share your experience?
