Learning from graduate students’ non-formal evaluation experiences in university-based centers

This paper examines graduate research assistants' informal applied learning experiences on the evaluation team at a university-based agricultural safety and health research center. The case study aims to identify the specific learning outcomes derived from the experience, as described by students, and the factors that facilitated them. The research team used a semi-structured focus group tool, and the focus group participants conducted their own analysis and interpretation of the data. An inductive qualitative analysis revealed that students had new perspectives on evaluation, greater evaluation knowledge, and comfort using evaluative tools. Students expressed that key factors like trust, respect, and reflective practice effectively fostered learning. These data were corroborated using deductive analysis using Fink's Taxonomy of Significant Learning. Ultimately, the study supports the value of informal applied learning experiences for students, particularly in the field of evaluation, and describes a model of support to facilitate learning in various contexts.