Scoping recent investment in evaluation education in Australian universities

Abstract

This article explores the current evaluation education program opportunities in the Australian higher education market and identifies potential research areas to inform pathways for future investment. Findings from our initial scoping phase are provided as a prelude to future work required in this space. The overarching research question investigates whether there is an opportunity to deliver further evaluation education programs in Australian higher education. Emerging from this question are three objectives: (a) to determine the current landscape of Australian university evaluation education program offerings; (b) to gain an understanding of the evaluation education discourse articulated within six selected evaluation journals and (c) to consider whether evaluation is a viable and meaningful discipline within higher education programs. An action research approach was adopted commencing with a benchmarking activity of Australian university offerings, followed by a bibliometric analysis of six evaluation journals, and concluding with a rapid scan of the literature. The selected methodologies reveal a potential gap in the higher education market, with the literature identifying inconsistent and mismatched programs while emphasising the need to invest in evaluation education. This article seeks to stimulate debate about formal higher education qualifications in evaluation and highlights the importance of potential future curriculum structure that can offer evaluators value, utility and growth.

Setting the stage for critically defined and responsive evaluator education and training

“…It is important to note what seems to be renewed interest in teaching and learning in evaluation. A scoping review published in the Australian Journal of Evaluation (Quadrelli et al., 2022) reports 45 articles published in six evaluation‐specific journals, including the Canadian Journal of Program Evaluation , the American Journal of Evaluation , and the Evaluation Journal of Australasia , between 2011 and 2021—approximately 3% of all published articles in these outlets. As discussed by Quadrelli and colleagues, many of these education‐focused articles may be attributed to the efforts of a few scholars soliciting and editing Special Issues for Canadian Journal of Program Evaluation , New Directions for Evaluation , and Evaluation and Program Planning .…”

The Continuous Learning Framework: Applying accountability for widespread organisational change

“…After a brief overview of the development of the framework, this article discusses examples of the practical application of the quality element of accountability. The three other articles in this special issue explore the framework’s elements of improvement (Forbes et al, 2022, this issue), performance (Harris & Alderman, 2022, this issue) and investment (Quadrelli et al, 2022, this issue).…”