definition of evaluation by different authors

n.d.). 0000006922 00000 n Impact is often the culmination of work within spanning research communities (Duryea et al. In the UK, evidence and research impacts will be assessed for the REF within research disciplines. Although metrics can provide evidence of quantitative changes or impacts from our research, they are unable to adequately provide evidence of the qualitative impacts that take place and hence are not suitable for all of the impact we will encounter. This might include the citation of a piece of research in policy documents or reference to a piece of research being cited within the media. 0000011201 00000 n By evaluating the contribution that research makes to society and the economy, future funding can be allocated where it is perceived to bring about the desired impact. RAND selected four frameworks to represent the international arena (Grant et al. 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. They risk being monetized or converted into a lowest common denominator in an attempt to compare the cost of a new theatre against that of a hospital. The Value of Public Sector R&D, Assessing impacts of higher education systems, National Co-ordinating Centre for Public Engagement, Through a Glass, Darkly: Measuring the Social Value of Universities, Describing the Impact of Health Research: A Research Impact Framework, LSE Public Policy Group. What are the challenges associated with understanding and evaluating research impact? Inform funding. It incorporates both academic outputs and wider societal benefits (Donovan and Hanney 2011) to assess outcomes of health sciences research. 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. To demonstrate to government, stakeholders, and the wider public the value of research. Perhaps, SROI indicates the desire to be able to demonstrate the monetary value of investment and impact by some organizations. 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. Muffat says - "Evaluation is a continuous process and is concerned with than the formal academic achievement of pupils. When considering the impact that is generated as a result of research, a number of authors and government recommendations have advised that a clear definition of impact is required (Duryea, Hochman, and Parfitt 2007; Grant et al. 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.). 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 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). 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- As part of this review, we aim to explore the following questions: What are the reasons behind trying to understand and evaluate research impact? For systems to be able to capture a full range of systems, definitions and categories of impact need to be determined that can be incorporated into system development. (2005), Wooding et al. 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). 2005). The time lag between research and impact varies enormously. 2009; Russell Group 2009). On the societal impact of publicly funded Circular Bioeconomy research in Europe, Devices of evaluation: Institutionalization and impactIntroduction to the special issue, The rocky road to translational science: An analysis of Clinical and Translational Science Awards, The nexus between research impact and sustainability assessment: From stakeholders perspective. Gathering evidence of the links between research and impact is not only a challenge where that evidence is lacking. Enhancing Impact. The ability to write a persuasive well-evidenced case study may influence the assessment of impact. evaluation practice and systems that go beyond the criteria and their definitions. 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. 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. They are often written with a reader from a particular stakeholder group in mind and will present a view of impact from a particular perspective. The case study does present evidence from a particular perspective and may need to be adapted for use with different stakeholders. 0000342937 00000 n 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. The Oxford English Dictionary defines impact as a 'Marked effect or influence', this is clearly a very broad definition. Assessment is the process of gathering and discussing information from multiple and diverse sources in order to develop a deep understanding of what students know, understand, and can do with their knowledge as a result of their educational experiences; the process culminates when assessment results are used to improve subsequent learning. The Goldsmith report (Cooke and Nadim 2011) recommended making indicators value free, enabling the value or quality to be established in an impact descriptor that could be assessed by expert panels. (2007) adapted the terminology of the Payback Framework, developed for the health and biomedical sciences from benefit to impact when modifying the framework for the social sciences, arguing that the positive or negative nature of a change was subjective and can also change with time, as has commonly been highlighted with the drug thalidomide, which was introduced in the 1950s to help with, among other things, morning sickness but due to teratogenic effects, which resulted in birth defects, was withdrawn in the early 1960s. There is a great deal of interest in collating terms for impact and indicators of impact. A comprehensive assessment of impact itself is not undertaken with SIAMPI, which make it a less-suitable method where showcasing the benefits of research is desirable or where this justification of funding based on impact is required. The Payback Framework systematically links research with the associated benefits (Scoble et al. Collating the evidence and indicators of impact is a significant task that is being undertaken within universities and institutions globally. A collation of several indicators of impact may be enough to convince that an impact has taken place. It can be seen from the panel guidance produced by HEFCE to illustrate impacts and evidence that it is expected that impact and evidence will vary according to discipline (REF2014 2012). Test, measurement, and evaluation are concepts used in education to explain how the progress of learning and the final learning outcomes of students are assessed. Case studies are ideal for showcasing impact, but should they be used to critically evaluate impact? 0000334683 00000 n To be considered for inclusion within the REF, impact must be underpinned by research that took place between 1 January 1993 and 31 December 2013, with impact occurring during an assessment window from 1 January 2008 to 31 July 2013. This database of evidence needs to establish both where impact can be directly attributed to a piece of research as well as various contributions to impact made during the pathway. The inherent technical disparities between the two different software packages and the adjustment . What are the challenges associated with understanding and evaluating research impact? The justification for a university is that it preserves the connection between knowledge and the zest of life, by uniting the young and the old in the imaginative consideration of learning. %PDF-1.3 The transition to routine capture of impact data not only requires the development of tools and systems to help with implementation but also a cultural change to develop practices, currently undertaken by a few to be incorporated as standard behaviour among researchers and universities. 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. 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. 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). The basic purpose of both measurement assessment and evaluation is to determine the needs of all the learners. However, the . 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. To allow comparisons between institutions, identifying a comprehensive taxonomy of impact, and the evidence for it, that can be used universally is seen to be very valuable. , . The process of evaluation involves figuring out how well the goals have been accomplished. 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. One notable definition is provided by Scriven (1991) and later adopted by the American Evaluation Association (): "Evaluation is the systematic process to determine merit, worth, value, or . 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 2007). Assessment is the collection of relevant information that may be relied on for making decisions., 3. To enable research organizations including HEIs to monitor and manage their performance and understand and disseminate the contribution that they are making to local, national, and international communities. 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. Table 1 summarizes some of the advantages and disadvantages of the case study approach. The RQF was developed to demonstrate and justify public expenditure on research, and as part of this framework, a pilot assessment was undertaken by the Australian Technology Network. This might describe support for and development of research with end users, public engagement and evidence of knowledge exchange, or a demonstration of change in public opinion as a result of research. 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. Collecting this type of evidence is time-consuming, and again, it can be difficult to gather the required evidence retrospectively when, for example, the appropriate user group might have dispersed. The Payback Framework enables health and medical research and impact to be linked and the process by which impact occurs to be traced. The university imparts information, but it imparts it imaginatively. In the UK, evaluation of academic and broader socio-economic impact takes place separately. 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. It is time-intensive to both assimilate and review case studies and we therefore need to ensure that the resources required for this type of evaluation are justified by the knowledge gained. Evaluative research is a type of research used to evaluate a product or concept, and collect data to help improve your solution. Impact is derived not only from targeted research but from serendipitous findings, good fortune, and complex networks interacting and translating knowledge and research. << /Length 5 0 R /Filter /FlateDecode >> In developing the UK REF, HEFCE commissioned a report, in 2009, from RAND to review international practice for assessing research impact and provide recommendations to inform the development of the REF. The criteria for assessment were also supported by a model developed by Brunel for measurement of impact that used similar measures defined as depth and spread. The definition of health is not just a theoretical issue, because it has many implications for practice, policy, and health services. In this case, a specific definition may be required, for example, in the Research Excellence Framework (REF), Assessment framework and guidance on submissions (REF2014 2011b), which defines impact as, an effect on, change or benefit to the economy, society, culture, public policy or services, health, the environment or quality of life, beyond academia. It is possible to incorporate both metrics and narratives within systems, for example, within the Research Outcomes System and Researchfish, currently used by several of the UK research councils to allow impacts to be recorded; although recording narratives has the advantage of allowing some context to be documented, it may make the evidence less flexible for use by different stakeholder groups (which include government, funding bodies, research assessment agencies, research providers, and user communities) for whom the purpose of analysis may vary (Davies et al. Consortia for Advancing Standards in Research Administration Information, for example, has put together a data dictionary with the aim of setting the standards for terminology used to describe impact and indicators that can be incorporated into systems internationally and seems to be building a certain momentum in this area. n.d.). Frameworks for assessing impact have been designed and are employed at an organizational level addressing the specific requirements of the organization and stakeholders. RAND Europe, Capturing Research Impacts. 2008), developed during the mid-1990s by Buxton and Hanney, working at Brunel University. Capturing knowledge exchange events would greatly assist the linking of research with impact. 1.3. Evaluation is the systematic collection and inter- pretation of evidence leading as a part of process to a judgement of value with a view to action., Evaluation is the application of a standard and a decision-making system to assessment data to produce judgments about the amount and adequacy of the learning that has taken place., 1.

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