To practice ethically and effectively, evaluators and assessment practitioners and assessment practitioners need to know themselves and the cultural identities that ground them. Self-awareness precedes use of self-as-instrument in evaluation (Symonette, 2009). Citing Walker (2007), Visse et al. (2012) pose the questions: “How do I as an evaluator see myself, and how do others see me, and what moral expectations of myself flow from this narrative?” (p. 99). Likewise, assessors need to ask how their work in assessment contributes to aligns with their moral stances.
CREA’s foundation is relational practice. This means treating people fairly in both the design and conduct of CREA. Broadly envisioned, stakeholders must be respectfully engaged and included.
Beyond interpersonal interactions and commitments, relationships are formed within and among collectives. These collectives are defined by their members and may have geographic markers, such as sovereign nations, cities, towns, villages, and neighborhoods throughout the global community. The CREA community consists of colleagues with shared values, knowledge, and skills; it is not a formal membership organization.
Formal organizations often depict responsibilities in hierarchical structures, inclusive of sections, departments, or units. For example, the Center for Culturally Responsive Evaluation and Assessment holds a designated status within the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.
Political, economic, or legal institutions provide broad rules and norms that shape human behavior. In the United States, democracy is one such institution.
Beyond responsibilities to people who work or reside in these spaces, there are responsibilities to the environment—land, air, and water—and to its non-human residents.
CREA’s reach is international, and with that comes responsibilities for relationships that transcend specific cultures, locations, and structures. Responsibilities now extend beyond our planet and into space.