The term "assessment" may be defined in multiple ways by different individuals or institutions, perhaps with different goals. If this research is to be assessed alongside more applied research, it is important that we are able to at least determine the contribution of basic research. working paper). 0000342958 00000 n 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). 10312. The origin is from the Latin term 'valere' meaning "be strong, be well; be of value, or be worth". (2006) on the impact arising from health research. Assessment is the collection of relevant information that may be relied on for making decisions., 3. From the outset, we note that the understanding of the term impact differs between users and audiences. 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. The process of evaluation involves figuring out how well the goals have been accomplished. Overview of the types of information that systems need to capture and link. Muffat says - "Evaluation is a continuous process and is concerned with than the formal academic achievement of pupils. Standard approaches actively used in programme evaluation such as surveys, case studies, bibliometrics, econometrics and statistical analyses, content analysis, and expert judgment are each considered by some (Vonortas and Link, 2012) to have shortcomings when used to measure impacts. Table 1 summarizes some of the advantages and disadvantages of the case study approach. The Economic and Social Benefits of HRB-funded Research, Measuring the Economic and Social Impact of the Arts: A Review, Research Excellence Framework Impact Pilot Exercise: Findings of the Expert Panels, Assessment Framework and Guidance on Submissions, Research Impact Evaluation, a Wider Context. 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. Impact has become the term of choice in the UK for research influence beyond academia. The ability to write a persuasive well-evidenced case study may influence the assessment of impact. 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. n.d.). 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. 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. 0000002868 00000 n 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. The Oxford English Dictionary defines impact as a Marked effect or influence, this is clearly a very broad definition. SIAMPI has been used within the Netherlands Institute for health Services Research (SIAMPI n.d.). Reviews and guidance on developing and evidencing impact in particular disciplines include the London School of Economics (LSE) Public Policy Groups impact handbook (LSE n.d.), a review of the social and economic impacts arising from the arts produced by Reeve (Reeves 2002), and a review by Kuruvilla et al. Developing systems and taxonomies for capturing impact, 7. 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. 8. 0000007307 00000 n 2007; Grant et al. In the UK, UK Department for Business, Innovation, and Skills provided funding of 150 million for knowledge exchange in 201112 to help universities and colleges support the economic recovery and growth, and contribute to wider society (Department for Business, Innovation and Skills 2012). In the UK, evaluation of academic and broader socio-economic impact takes place separately. The risk of relying on narratives to assess impact is that they often lack the evidence required to judge whether the research and impact are linked appropriately. 4 0 obj 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). 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. These sometimes dissim- ilar views are due to the varied training and background of the writers in terms of their profession, concerned with different aspects of the education process. Johnston (Johnston 1995) notes that by developing relationships between researchers and industry, new research strategies can be developed. 2010). Evaluative research has many benefits, including identifying whether a product works as intended, and uncovering areas for improvement within your solution. 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. And also that people who are recognized as authors, understand their responsibility and accountability for what is being published. 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). However, the . Media coverage is a useful means of disseminating our research and ideas and may be considered alongside other evidence as contributing to or an indicator of impact. 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). 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. In this article, we draw on a broad range of examples with a focus on methods of evaluation for research impact within Higher Education Institutions (HEIs). There are standardized tests involved in the process of measurement assessment and evaluation to enable the students to make better use of the data available in the daily classroom. The process of evaluation is dynamic and ongoing. The verb evaluate means to form an idea of something or to give a judgment about something. 0000004019 00000 n Definition of Evaluation "Evaluation is the collection, analysis and interpretation of information about any aspect of a programme of education, as part of a recognised process of judging its effectiveness, its efficiency and any other outcomes it may have." Mary Thorpe 2. It is worth considering the degree to which indicators are defined and provide broader definitions with greater flexibility. Definition of Assessment & Evaluation in Education by Different Authors with Its Characteristics, Evaluation is the collection, analysis and interpretation of information about any aspect of a programme of education, as part of a recognised process of judging its effectiveness, its efficiency and any other outcomes it may have., 2. 2008; CAHS 2009; Spaapen et al. 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). The authors propose a new definition for measurement process based on the identification of the type of measurand and other metrological elements at each measurement process identified. Two areas of research impact health and biomedical sciences and the social sciences have received particular attention in the literature by comparison with, for example, the arts. The Oxford English Dictionary defines impact as a 'Marked effect or influence', this is clearly a very broad definition. The range and diversity of frameworks developed reflect the variation in purpose of evaluation including the stakeholders for whom the assessment takes place, along with the type of impact and evidence anticipated. 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. 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). Describe and use several methods for finding previous research on a particular research idea or question. In education, the term assessment refers to the wide variety of methods or tools that educators use to evaluate, measure, and document the academic readiness, learning progress, skill acquisition, or educational needs of students. What are the challenges associated with understanding and evaluating research impact? A Review of International Practice, HM Treasury, Department for Education and Skills, Department of Trade and Industry, Yes, Research can Inform Health Policy; But can we Bridge the Do-Knowing its been Done Gap?, Council for Industry and Higher Education, UK Innovation Research Centre. different meanings for different people in many different contexts. 0000011585 00000 n 0000008675 00000 n In the educational context, the . Evaluation research aimed at determining the overall merit, worth, or value of a program or policy derives its utility from being explicitly judgment-oriented. 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. Prague, Czech Republic, Health ResearchMaking an Impact. 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). 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. 0000011201 00000 n (2005), Wooding et al. 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. This atmosphere of excitement, arising from imaginative consideration transforms knowledge.. 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. What is the Concept and Importance of Continuous and Comprehensive Evaluation. 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. 0000007223 00000 n 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. Cb)5. An empirical research report written in American Psychological Association (APA) style always includes a written . 0000001862 00000 n Despite many attempts to replace it, no alternative definition has . To understand the socio-economic value of research and subsequently inform funding decisions. Muffat says - "Evaluation is a continuous process and is concerned with than the formal academic achievement of pupils. 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. stream 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. 0000334705 00000 n Published by Oxford University Press. What are the methodologies and frameworks that have been employed globally to evaluate research impact and how do these compare? This is a metric that has been used within the charitable sector (Berg and Mnsson 2011) and also features as evidence in the REF guidance for panel D (REF2014 2012). 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. Downloadable! An evaluation essay is a composition that offers value judgments about a particular subject according to a set of criteria. Concerns over how to attribute impacts have been raised many times (The Allen Consulting Group 2005; Duryea et al. Decker et al. 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. evaluation of these different kinds of evaluands. 2005). A Preferred Framework and Indicators to Measure Returns on Investment in Health Research, Measuring Impact Under CERIF at Goldsmiths, Anti-Impact Campaigns Poster Boy Sticks up for the Ivory Tower. These techniques have the potential to provide a transformation in data capture and impact assessment (Jones and Grant 2013). Any information on the context of the data will be valuable to understanding the degree to which impact has taken place. 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 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. 0000003495 00000 n HEFCE indicated that impact should merit a 25% weighting within the REF (REF2014 2011b); however, this has been reduced for the 2014 REF to 20%, perhaps as a result of feedback and lobbying, for example, from the Russell Group and Million + group of Universities who called for impact to count for 15% (Russell Group 2009; Jump 2011) and following guidance from the expert panels undertaking the pilot exercise who suggested that during the 2014 REF, impact assessment would be in a developmental phase and that a lower weighting for impact would be appropriate with the expectation that this would be increased in subsequent assessments (REF2014 2010). 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 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. Clearly the impact of thalidomide would have been viewed very differently in the 1950s compared with the 1960s or today. n.d.). As a result, numerous and widely varying models and frameworks for assessing impact exist. Teresa Penfield, Matthew J. Baker, Rosa Scoble, Michael C. Wykes, Assessment, evaluations, and definitions of research impact: A review, Research Evaluation, Volume 23, Issue 1, January 2014, Pages 2132, https://doi.org/10.1093/reseval/rvt021. There is a distinction between academic impact understood as the intellectual contribution to ones field of study within academia and external socio-economic impact beyond academia. 2008), developed during the mid-1990s by Buxton and Hanney, working at Brunel University. Key features of the adapted criteria . 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 . What indicators, evidence, and impacts need to be captured within developing systems? Impact can be temporary or long-lasting. It has been acknowledged that outstanding leaps forward in knowledge and understanding come from immersing in a background of intellectual thinking that one is able to see further by standing on the shoulders of giants. Explain. 0000012122 00000 n Wigley (1988, p 21) defines it as "a data reduction process that involves the . 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. At least, this is the function which it should perform for society. Although it can be envisaged that the range of impacts derived from research of different disciplines are likely to vary, one might question whether it makes sense to compare impacts within disciplines when the range of impact can vary enormously, for example, from business development to cultural changes or saving lives? Definitions of Evaluation ( by different authors) 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". Other approaches to impact evaluation such as contribution analysis, process tracing, qualitative comparative analysis, and theory-based evaluation designs (e.g., Stern, Stame, Mayne, Forss, & Befani, 2012) do not necessarily employ explicit counterfactual logic for causal inference and do not introduce observation-based definitions. 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. Even where we can evidence changes and benefits linked to our research, understanding the causal relationship may be difficult. Impact is derived not only from targeted research but from serendipitous findings, good fortune, and complex networks interacting and translating knowledge and research. 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). For more extensive reviews of the Payback Framework, see Davies et al. 2009; Russell Group 2009). 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. One of the advantages of this method is that less input is required compared with capturing the full route from research to impact. 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. 6. There is a great deal of interest in collating terms for impact and indicators of impact. 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 presents particular difficulties in research disciplines conducting basic research, such as pure mathematics, where the impact of research is unlikely to be foreseen. 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. A collation of several indicators of impact may be enough to convince that an impact has taken place. The Goldsmith report concluded that general categories of evidence would be more useful such that indicators could encompass dissemination and circulation, re-use and influence, collaboration and boundary work, and innovation and invention. 0000342980 00000 n 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? 0000001883 00000 n 2009), and differentiating between the various major and minor contributions that lead to impact is a significant challenge. Any person who has made a significant .
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