Data‐ and literature‐based reflections on western european evaluation standards and practices

Abstract

Evaluation standards can be useful not only as a framework for the design but as an assessment of particular evaluations. They can also serve as indicators for the developmental stage of evaluation practice in different areas or countries. Until recently, there has not been any large-scale and comprehensive empirical investigation of knowledge and use of evaluation standards for Europe. This chapter discusses the results of one such study that used the Joint Committee Program Evaluation Standards. The study, which we undertook on behalf of the European Center for the Development of Vocational Training, is a Europe-wide empirical study on evaluation standards within the policy field of vocational training and education (VET) that includes reflections from the standpoint of users, evaluators, and researchers in the field of evaluation (In Europe, a high percentage of evaluations take place in the context of VET programs, partly within the framework of active labor market programs or within quality management initiatives in the highly heterogeneous VET field. Literature on VET evaluation encompasses a broad palette of perspectives. Some articles focus on model theory or evaluation methods, while others report on completed evaluations.

Just Give Me an Example! Exploring Strategies for Building Public Understanding of Evaluation

“…Research on professionalization also indicates the critical role of communication in advancing the development of professions (Becker, 1970; Beywl, 2006; Harries-Jenkins, 1970). Becker's (1970) influential research on the topic identifies six elements for professionalization to occur—two of which can only be achieved if the public understands what those professions do.…”

“…Although it is important to examine specific subgroups within this wider public (e.g., nonprofit staff or members of community groups who may engage in evaluation activities in an advisory capacity), the present study first seeks to explore the wider group as a whole. This is because research on professionalization suggests that a large part of becoming a profession occurs in the public domain: by forming a clear understanding of what the profession is; what it offers to the public; and by convincing potential clients that the profession offers something that is unique and valuable to the public (Becker, 1970; Beywl, 2006; Harries-Jenkins, 1970).…”

Nützlichkeit und Nutzen der Programmevaluationen im Bereich der österreichischen FTI-Politik

“…Die primäre Nutzungsmöglichkeit liegt in der Verwendung als nützlicher Ratgeber zur Bewältigung anstehender Herausforderungen für die Evaluationspraxis (Widmer (2011, 26f.). Die Evaluationsstandards können als ein Rahmen verstanden werden, der Indikatoren für die Entwicklungsstufe eine Evaluationspraxis in einem Einsatzbereich von Evaluation oder in einem Land bereit hält (Beywl/Speer 2004).…”

¿Cómo puede contribuir el proceso de creación de códigos normativos al desarrollo de una cultura de evaluación? Elementos para el debate en el caso español

“…En el ámbito europeo, se han aprobado códigos u orientaciones de las Sociedades de Evaluación francesa (2003), alemana (2001), suiza (2000) y británica (Beywl y Speer 2004;Widmer 2004) 5 . Mientras los modelos suizo y alemán siguen la estructura de las normas del Joint Committee, el francés está formulado en formato de grandes principios éticos (pluralismo, independencia, competencia, respeto, transparencia y responsabilidad), y el inglés hace una interesante separación de normas según vayan dirigidas a evaluadores, comanditarios, participantes, o implicados en una auto-evaluación.…”