Evaluation and policy learning: The learners' perspective

Abstract

This article examines how evaluation induces policy learning – a question largely neglected by the scholarly literature on evaluation and policy learning. Following a learner's perspective, the article attempts to ascertain who the learners are, and what, and how, learners actually learn from evaluations. In so doing, it focuses on what different types of learners actually learn within the context of the evaluation framework (the set of administrative structures defining the evaluation goals and process). Taking the empirical case of three EU programme evaluations, the patterns of policy learning emanating from them are examined. The findings are that only two types of actors involved in the evaluation are actually learning (programme units and external evaluators), that learners learn different things (programme overview, small‐scale programme adjustments, policy change and evaluation methods) and that different learners are in control of different aspects of the evaluation (learning objectives and processes) according to the evaluation framework established by the European Commission.

Environmental policy evaluation in the EU: between learning, accountability, and political opportunities?

“…In turn, these often arise from different perspectives on the nature of EU governance and its functions (see Radaelli and Dunlop 2013). Evaluation is often assumed to deliver critical inputs to stimulate learning (the so-called objectivist view) or to facilitate a process through which participants learn (the more argumentative view) (Borrás and Højlund 2015; see also Hildén 2011). Thus, as Haug argues, '[e]x-post evaluation of programmes or policies […] is a widely applied group of approaches aimed at stimulating learning in environmental governance' (2015, p. 5).…”

Adding Fuel to the Flames? Politicisation of EU Policy Evaluation in National Parliaments

“…Most of the literature to date has focused on the role of policy evaluation in improving legitimacy in this context (e.g. Borras and Højlund 2015;Leeuw and Farubo 2008). However, there is a second avenue through which policy evaluation can have an impact on output legitimacy of the EU-and in particular the public perception thereof.…”

Image and Substance Failures in Regional Organisations: Causes, Consequences, Learning and Change?

“…In addressing the questions about learning and failure at the international level set out above, it is important to first better conceptualise the possible empirical manifestations of policy failures in international organisations as well as their links to modes of institutional change, evaluation, and learning (Borrás & Højlund, 2015;Stone, 1999Stone, , 2001Thomas, 1999;Van der Knaap, 1995;Zarkin, 2008). A better theory and model would take into account the modes of organisational change which can occur and link these to specific mechanisms of reform or re-structuring such as policy learning or lessondrawing (Argyris & Schön, 1978;Busenberg, 2001;Huber, 1991;Rose, 1993Rose, , 2005.…”