definition of evaluation by different authors

0000334705 00000 n Despite the concerns raised, the broader socio-economic impacts of research will be included and count for 20% of the overall research assessment, as part of the REF in 2014. The exploitation of research to provide impact occurs through a complex variety of processes, individuals, and organizations, and therefore, attributing the contribution made by a specific individual, piece of research, funding, strategy, or organization to an impact is not straight forward. It is perhaps assumed here that a positive or beneficial effect will be considered as an impact but what about changes that are perceived to be negative? 0000334683 00000 n The book also explores how different aspects of citizenship, such as attitudes towards diverse population groups and concerns for social issues, relate to classical definitions of norm-based citizenship from the political sciences. What is The Concept of Evaluation With its Importance? This transdisciplinary way of thinking about evaluation provides a constant source of innovative ideas for improving how we evaluate. While aspects of impact can be adequately interpreted using metrics, narratives, and other evidence, the mixed-method case study approach is an excellent means of pulling all available information, data, and evidence together, allowing a comprehensive summary of the impact within context. 0000001178 00000 n However, the Achilles heel of any such attempt, as critics suggest, is the creation of a system that rewards what it can measure and codify, with the knock-on effect of directing research projects to deliver within the measures and categories that reward. At least, this is the function which it should perform for society. , . Authors from Asia, Europe, and Latin America provide a series of in-depth investigations into how concepts of . However, it must be remembered that in the case of the UK REF, impact is only considered that is based on research that has taken place within the institution submitting the case study. 0000346296 00000 n In the Brunel model, depth refers to the degree to which the research has influenced or caused change, whereas spread refers to the extent to which the change has occurred and influenced end users. 2005). Evaluative research has many benefits, including identifying whether a product works as intended, and uncovering areas for improvement within your solution. The traditional form of evaluation of university research in the UK was based on measuring academic impact and quality through a process of peer review (Grant 2006). 3. One of the advantages of this method is that less input is required compared with capturing the full route from research to impact. The main risks associated with the use of standardized metrics are that, The full impact will not be realized, as we focus on easily quantifiable indicators. As such research outputs, for example, knowledge generated and publications, can be translated into outcomes, for example, new products and services, and impacts or added value (Duryea et al. Figure 2 demonstrates the information that systems will need to capture and link. 0000342980 00000 n (2008), and Hanney and Gonzlez-Block (2011). Figure 1, replicated from Hughes and Martin (2012), illustrates how the ease with which impact can be attributed decreases with time, whereas the impact, or effect of complementary assets, increases, highlighting the problem that it may take a considerable amount of time for the full impact of a piece of research to develop but because of this time and the increase in complexity of the networks involved in translating the research and interim impacts, it is more difficult to attribute and link back to a contributing piece of research. RAND selected four frameworks to represent the international arena (Grant et al. 2008; CAHS 2009; Spaapen et al. Evaluate means to assess the value of something. SIAMPI has been used within the Netherlands Institute for health Services Research (SIAMPI n.d.). In the UK, the Russell Group Universities responded to the REF consultation by recommending that no time lag be put on the delivery of impact from a piece of research citing examples such as the development of cardiovascular disease treatments, which take between 10 and 25 years from research to impact (Russell Group 2009). 0000002868 00000 n The first category includes approaches that promote invalid or incomplete findings (referred to as pseudoevaluations), while the other three include approaches that agree, more or less, with the definition (i.e., Questions and/or Methods- To understand the method and routes by which research leads to impacts to maximize on the findings that come out of research and develop better ways of delivering impact. What are the reasons behind trying to understand and evaluate research impact? Here is a sampling of the definitions you will see: Mirriam-Webster Dictionary Definition of Assessment: The action or an instance of assessing, appraisal . It has been suggested that a major problem in arriving at a definition of evaluation is confusion with related terms such as measurement, Perhaps, SROI indicates the desire to be able to demonstrate the monetary value of investment and impact by some organizations. In endeavouring to assess or evaluate impact, a number of difficulties emerge and these may be specific to certain types of impact. One might consider that by funding excellent research, impacts (including those that are unforeseen) will follow, and traditionally, assessment of university research focused on academic quality and productivity. Impact is assessed alongside research outputs and environment to provide an evaluation of research taking place within an institution. They aim to enable the instructors to determine how much the learners have understood what the teacher has taught in the class and how much they can apply the knowledge of what has been taught in the class as well. This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/), which permits unrestricted reuse, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. While the case study is a useful way of showcasing impact, its limitations must be understood if we are to use this for evaluation purposes. HEFCE developed an initial methodology that was then tested through a pilot exercise. Introduction, what is meant by impact? A key concern here is that we could find that universities which can afford to employ either consultants or impact administrators will generate the best case studies. The introduction of impact assessments with the requirement to collate evidence retrospectively poses difficulties because evidence, measurements, and baselines have, in many cases, not been collected and may no longer be available. 2005; Wooding et al. The Payback Framework systematically links research with the associated benefits (Scoble et al. A total of 10 Cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) were selected to perform semi-automatic segmentation of the condyles by using three free-source software (Invesalius, version 3.0.0, Centro de Tecnologia da . The current definition of health, formulated by the WHO, is no longer adequate for dealing with the new challenges in health care systems. In line with its mandate to support better evaluation, EvalNet is committed to working with partners in the global evaluation community to address these concerns, and is currently exploring options for additional work. Measurement assessment and evaluation also enables educators to measure the skills, knowledge, beliefs, and attitude of the learners. Evaluation of impact is becoming increasingly important, both within the UK and internationally, and research and development into impact evaluation continues, for example, researchers at Brunel have developed the concept of depth and spread further into the Brunel Impact Device for Evaluation, which also assesses the degree of separation between research and impact (Scoble et al. Perhaps it is time for a generic guide based on types of impact rather than research discipline? 60 0 obj << /Linearized 1 /O 63 /H [ 1325 558 ] /L 397637 /E 348326 /N 12 /T 396319 >> endobj xref 60 37 0000000016 00000 n (2007:11-12), describes and explains the different types of value claim. Gathering evidence of the links between research and impact is not only a challenge where that evidence is lacking. The Author 2013. evaluation practice and systems that go beyond the criteria and their definitions. It is acknowledged that one of the outcomes of developing new knowledge through research can be knowledge creep where new data or information becomes accepted and gets absorbed over time. 0000011201 00000 n n.d.). More details on SROI can be found in A guide to Social Return on Investment produced by The SROI Network (2012). In many instances, controls are not feasible as we cannot look at what impact would have occurred if a piece of research had not taken place; however, indications of the picture before and after impact are valuable and worth collecting for impact that can be predicted. As part of this review, we aim to explore the following questions: What are the reasons behind trying to understand and evaluate research impact? The difficulty then is how to determine what the contribution has been in the absence of adequate evidence and how we ensure that research that results in impacts that cannot be evidenced is valued and supported. A very different approach known as Social Impact Assessment Methods for research and funding instruments through the study of Productive Interactions (SIAMPI) was developed from the Dutch project Evaluating Research in Context and has a central theme of capturing productive interactions between researchers and stakeholders by analysing the networks that evolve during research programmes (Spaapen and Drooge, 2011; Spaapen et al. What emerged on testing the MICE taxonomy (Cooke and Nadim 2011), by mapping impacts from case studies, was that detailed categorization of impact was found to be too prescriptive. Ideally, systems within universities internationally would be able to share data allowing direct comparisons, accurate storage of information developed in collaborations, and transfer of comparable data as researchers move between institutions. For full access to this pdf, sign in to an existing account, or purchase an annual subscription. Husbands-Fealing suggests that to assist identification of causality for impact assessment, it is useful to develop a theoretical framework to map the actors, activities, linkages, outputs, and impacts within the system under evaluation, which shows how later phases result from earlier ones. x[s)TyjwI BBU*5,}~O#{4>[n?_?]ouO{~oW_~fvZ}sCy"n?wmiY{]9LXn!v^CkWIRp&TJL9o6CjjvWqAQ6:hU.Q-%R_O:k_v3^=79k{8s7?=`|S^BM-_fa@Q`nD_(]/]Y>@+no/>$}oMI2IdMqH,'f'mxlfBM?.WIn4_Jc:K31vl\wLs];k(vo_Teq9w2^&Ca*t;[.ybfYYvcn This framework is intended to be used as a learning tool to develop a better understanding of how research interactions lead to social impact rather than as an assessment tool for judging, showcasing, or even linking impact to a specific piece of research. In the UK, evaluation of academic and broader socio-economic impact takes place separately. Many times . The point at which assessment takes place will therefore influence the degree and significance of that impact. The case study of the Research Information System of the European Research Council, E-Infrastructures for Research and Innovation: Linking Information Systems to Improve Scientific Knowledge, Proceedings of the 11th International Conference on Current Research Information Systems, (June 69, 2012), pp. The Oxford English Dictionary defines impact as a Marked effect or influence, this is clearly a very broad definition. 2009), and differentiating between the various major and minor contributions that lead to impact is a significant challenge. 0000001325 00000 n Recommendations from the REF pilot were that the panel should be able to extend the time frame where appropriate; this, however, poses difficult decisions when submitting a case study to the REF as to what the view of the panel will be and whether if deemed inappropriate this will render the case study unclassified. These metrics may be used in the UK to understand the benefits of research within academia and are often incorporated into the broader perspective of impact seen internationally, for example, within the Excellence in Research for Australia and using Star Metrics in the USA, in which quantitative measures are used to assess impact, for example, publications, citation, and research income. Author: HPER Created Date: 3/2/2007 10:12:16 AM . What are the methodologies and frameworks that have been employed globally to evaluate research impact and how do these compare? Findings from a Research Impact Pilot, Institutional Strategies for Capturing Socio-Economic Impact of Research, Journal of Higher Education Policy and Management, Introducing Productive Interactions in Social Impact Assessment, Measuring the Impact of Publicly Funded Research, Department of Education, Science and Training, Statement on the Research Excellence Framework Proposals, Handbook on the Theory and Practice of Program Evaluation, Policy and Practice Impacts of Research Funded by the Economic Social Research Council. Inform funding. The definition problem in evaluation has been around for decades (as early as Carter, 1971), and multiple definitions of evaluation have been offered throughout the years (see Table 1 for some examples). These case studies were reviewed by expert panels and, as with the RQF, they found that it was possible to assess impact and develop impact profiles using the case study approach (REF2014 2010). 2007). different things to different people, and it is primarily a function of the application, as will be seen in the following. Evaluation is a process which is continuous as well as comprehensive and involves all the tasks of education and not merely tests, measurements, and examination. SIAMPI is based on the widely held assumption that interactions between researchers and stakeholder are an important pre-requisite to achieving impact (Donovan 2011; Hughes and Martin 2012; Spaapen et al. Using the above definition of evaluation, program evaluation approaches were classified into four categories. Concerns over how to attribute impacts have been raised many times (The Allen Consulting Group 2005; Duryea et al. The growing trend for accountability within the university system is not limited to research and is mirrored in assessments of teaching quality, which now feed into evaluation of universities to ensure fee-paying students satisfaction. Narratives can be used to describe impact; the use of narratives enables a story to be told and the impact to be placed in context and can make good use of qualitative information. Published by Oxford University Press. Again the objective and perspective of the individuals and organizations assessing impact will be key to understanding how temporal and dissipated impact will be valued in comparison with longer-term impact. While assessments are often equated with traditional testsespecially the standardized tests developed by testing companies and administered to large populations . Any information on the context of the data will be valuable to understanding the degree to which impact has taken place. An alternative approach was suggested for the RQF in Australia, where it was proposed that types of impact be compared rather than impact from specific disciplines. Cooke and Nadim (2011) also noted that using a linear-style taxonomy did not reflect the complex networks of impacts that are generally found. Such a framework should be not linear but recursive, including elements from contextual environments that influence and/or interact with various aspects of the system. HEIs overview. Aspects of impact, such as value of Intellectual Property, are currently recorded by universities in the UK through their Higher Education Business and Community Interaction Survey return to Higher Education Statistics Agency; however, as with other public and charitable sector organizations, showcasing impact is an important part of attracting and retaining donors and support (Kelly and McNicoll 2011). An evaluation essay is a composition that offers value judgments about a particular subject according to a set of criteria. The case study approach, recommended by the RQF, was combined with significance and reach as criteria for assessment. 0000342798 00000 n In the majority of cases, a number of types of evidence will be required to provide an overview of impact. Clearly there is the possibility that the potential new drug will fail at any one of these phases but each phase can be classed as an interim impact of the original discovery work on route to the delivery of health benefits, but the time at which an impact assessment takes place will influence the degree of impact that has taken place. It is a process that involves careful gathering and evaluating of data on the actions, features, and consequences of a program. There is . Incorporating assessment of the wider socio-economic impact began using metrics-based indicators such as Intellectual Property registered and commercial income generated (Australian Research Council 2008). What are the challenges associated with understanding and evaluating research impact? Time, attribution, impact. Over the past year, there have been a number of new posts created within universities, such as writing impact case studies, and a number of companies are now offering this as a contract service. It is important to emphasize that Not everyone within the higher education sector itself is convinced that evaluation of higher education activity is a worthwhile task (Kelly and McNicoll 2011). The reasoning behind the move towards assessing research impact is undoubtedly complex, involving both political and socio-economic factors, but, nevertheless, we can differentiate between four primary purposes. Accountability. An empirical research report written in American Psychological Association (APA) style always includes a written . It is now possible to use data-mining tools to extract specific data from narratives or unstructured data (Mugabushaka and Papazoglou 2012). From the outset, we note that the understanding of the term impact differs between users and audiences. The Payback Framework is possibly the most widely used and adapted model for impact assessment (Wooding et al. New Directions for Evaluation, Impact is a Strong Weapon for Making an Evidence-Based Case Study for Enhanced Research Support but a State-of-the-Art Approach to Measurement is Needed, The Limits of Nonprofit Impact: A Contingency Framework for Measuring Social Performance, Evaluation in National Research Funding Agencies: Approaches, Experiences and Case Studies, Methodologies for Assessing and Evidencing Research Impact. This petition was signed by 17,570 academics (52,409 academics were returned to the 2008 Research Assessment Exercise), including Nobel laureates and Fellows of the Royal Society (University and College Union 2011). The Oxford English Dictionary defines impact as a 'Marked effect or influence', this is clearly a very broad definition. Even where we can evidence changes and benefits linked to our research, understanding the causal relationship may be difficult. 0000008241 00000 n 0000001862 00000 n 2009). Given that the type of impact we might expect varies according to research discipline, impact-specific challenges present us with the problem that an evaluation mechanism may not fairly compare impact between research disciplines. This report, prepared by one of the evaluation team members (Richard Flaman), presents a non-exhaustive review definitions of primarily decentralization, and to a lesser extent decentralization as linked to local governance. 2. And also that people who are recognized as authors, understand their responsibility and accountability for what is being published. In demonstrating research impact, we can provide accountability upwards to funders and downwards to users on a project and strategic basis (Kelly and McNicoll 2011). A discussion on the benefits and drawbacks of a range of evaluation tools (bibliometrics, economic rate of return, peer review, case study, logic modelling, and benchmarking) can be found in the article by Grant (2006). Enhancing Impact. Any tool for impact evaluation needs to be flexible, such that it enables access to impact data for a variety of purposes (Scoble et al. This presents particular difficulties in research disciplines conducting basic research, such as pure mathematics, where the impact of research is unlikely to be foreseen. Capturing data, interactions, and indicators as they emerge increases the chance of capturing all relevant information and tools to enable researchers to capture much of this would be valuable. What is the Concept and Importance of Continuous and Comprehensive Evaluation. 0000001883 00000 n Every piece of research results in a unique tapestry of impact and despite the MICE taxonomy having more than 100 indicators, it was found that these did not suffice. Research findings will be taken up in other branches of research and developed further before socio-economic impact occurs, by which point, attribution becomes a huge challenge. In designing systems and tools for collating data related to impact, it is important to consider who will populate the database and ensure that the time and capability required for capture of information is considered. Capturing knowledge exchange events would greatly assist the linking of research with impact. As a result, numerous and widely varying models and frameworks for assessing impact exist. It is concerned with both the evaluation of achievement and its enhancement. Search for other works by this author on: A White Paper on Charity Impact Measurement, A Framework to Measure the Impact of Investments in Health Research, European Molecular Biology Organization (EMBO) Reports, Estimating the Economic Value to Societies of the Impact of Health Research: A Critical Review, Bulletin of the World Health Organization, Canadian Academy of Health Sciences Panel on Return on Investment in Health Research, Making an Impact. From 2014, research within UK universities and institutions will be assessed through the REF; this will replace the Research Assessment Exercise, which has been used to assess UK research since the 1980s. These . Attempts have been made to categorize impact evidence and data, for example, the aim of the MICE Project was to develop a set of impact indicators to enable impact to be fed into a based system. According to Hanna- " The process of gathering and interpreted evidence changes in the behavior of all students as they progress through school is called evaluation". Indicators were identified from documents produced for the REF, by Research Councils UK, in unpublished draft case studies undertaken at Kings College London or outlined in relevant publications (MICE Project n.d.). What is the Difference between Formative and Summative Evaluation through Example? The ability to record and log these type of data is important for enabling the path from research to impact to be established and the development of systems that can capture this would be very valuable. In 200910, the REF team conducted a pilot study for the REF involving 29 institutions, submitting case studies to one of five units of assessment (in clinical medicine, physics, earth systems and environmental sciences, social work and social policy, and English language and literature) (REF2014 2010). Evaluation research aimed at determining the overall merit, worth, or value of a program or policy derives its utility from being explicitly judgment-oriented. In development of the RQF, The Allen Consulting Group (2005) highlighted that defining a time lag between research and impact was difficult. To evaluate impact, case studies were interrogated and verifiable indicators assessed to determine whether research had led to reciprocal engagement, adoption of research findings, or public value. Citations (outside of academia) and documentation can be used as evidence to demonstrate the use research findings in developing new ideas and products for example. A collation of several indicators of impact may be enough to convince that an impact has taken place. Throughout history, the activities of a university have been to provide both education and research, but the fundamental purpose of a university was perhaps described in the writings of mathematician and philosopher Alfred North Whitehead (1929). Although some might find the distinction somewhat marginal or even confusing, this differentiation between outputs, outcomes, and impacts is important, and has been highlighted, not only for the impacts derived from university research (Kelly and McNicol 2011) but also for work done in the charitable sector (Ebrahim and Rangan, 2010; Berg and Mnsson 2011; Kelly and McNicoll 2011).

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