0000003495 00000 n
Baselines and controls need to be captured alongside change to demonstrate the degree of impact. 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. This is particularly recognized in the development of new government policy where findings can influence policy debate and policy change, without recognition of the contributing research (Davies et al. 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. %PDF-1.4
%
Attempting to evaluate impact to justify expenditure, showcase our work, and inform future funding decisions will only prove to be a valuable use of time and resources if we can take measures to ensure that assessment attempts will not ultimately have a negative influence on the impact of our research. Metrics in themselves cannot convey the full impact; however, they are often viewed as powerful and unequivocal forms of evidence. Muffat says - "Evaluation is a continuous process and is concerned with than the formal academic achievement of pupils. The verb evaluate means to form an idea of something or to give a judgment about something. Classroom Assessment -- (sometime referred to as Course-based Assessment) - is a process of gathering data on student learning during the educational experience, designed to help the instructor determine which concepts or skills the students are not learning well, so that steps may be taken to improve the students' learning while the course is In the UK, more sophisticated assessments of impact incorporating wider socio-economic benefits were first investigated within the fields of Biomedical and Health Sciences (Grant 2006), an area of research that wanted to be able to justify the significant investment it received. 0000007223 00000 n
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. Assessment refers to a related series of measures used to determine a complex attribute of an individual or group of individuals. This framework is intended to be used as a learning tool to develop a better understanding of how research interactions lead to social impact rather than as an assessment tool for judging, showcasing, or even linking impact to a specific piece of research. 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. 0000002318 00000 n
The REF will therefore assess three aspects of research: Research impact is assessed in two formats, first, through an impact template that describes the approach to enabling impact within a unit of assessment, and second, using impact case studies that describe the impact taking place following excellent research within a unit of assessment (REF2014 2011a). In this sense, when reading an opinion piece, you must decide if you agree or disagree with the writer by making an informed judgment. We suggest that developing systems that focus on recording impact information alone will not provide all that is required to link research to ensuing events and impacts, systems require the capacity to capture any interactions between researchers, the institution, and external stakeholders and link these with research findings and outputs or interim impacts to provide a network of data. It is therefore in an institutions interest to have a process by which all the necessary information is captured to enable a story to be developed in the absence of a researcher who may have left the employment of the institution. 0000328114 00000 n
1. 0000007777 00000 n
The traditional form of evaluation of university research in the UK was based on measuring academic impact and quality through a process of peer review (Grant 2006). The following decisions may be made with the aid of evaluation. These . 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. 2007). 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. 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. Measurement assessment and evaluation helps the teachers to determine the learning progress of the students. SROI aims to provide a valuation of the broader social, environmental, and economic impacts, providing a metric that can be used for demonstration of worth. Merit refers to the intrinsic value of a program, for example, how effective it is in meeting the needs those it is intended help. Also called evaluative writing, evaluative essay or report, and critical evaluation essay . 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. 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. While assessments are often equated with traditional testsespecially the standardized tests developed by testing companies and administered to large populations . 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). 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. (2008), and Hanney and Gonzlez-Block (2011). 3. trailer
<<
/Size 97
/Info 56 0 R
/Root 61 0 R
/Prev 396309
/ID[<8e25eff8b2a14de14f726c982689692f><7a12c7ae849dc37acf9c7481d18bb8c5>]
>>
startxref
0
%%EOF
61 0 obj
<<
/Type /Catalog
/Pages 55 0 R
/Metadata 57 0 R
/AcroForm 62 0 R
>>
endobj
62 0 obj
<<
/Fields [ ]
/DR << /Font << /ZaDb 38 0 R /Helv 39 0 R >> /Encoding << /PDFDocEncoding 40 0 R >> >>
/DA (/Helv 0 Tf 0 g )
>>
endobj
95 0 obj
<< /S 414 /T 529 /V 585 /Filter /FlateDecode /Length 96 0 R >>
stream
The Payback Framework enables health and medical research and impact to be linked and the process by which impact occurs to be traced. To achieve compatible systems, a shared language is required. 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. What are the methodologies and frameworks that have been employed globally to evaluate research impact and how do these compare? New Directions for Evaluation, Impact is a Strong Weapon for Making an Evidence-Based Case Study for Enhanced Research Support but a State-of-the-Art Approach to Measurement is Needed, The Limits of Nonprofit Impact: A Contingency Framework for Measuring Social Performance, Evaluation in National Research Funding Agencies: Approaches, Experiences and Case Studies, Methodologies for Assessing and Evidencing Research Impact. Impact is often the culmination of work within spanning research communities (Duryea et al. Collating the evidence and indicators of impact is a significant task that is being undertaken within universities and institutions globally. A variety of types of indicators can be captured within systems; however, it is important that these are universally understood. There has been a drive from the UK government through Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) and the Research Councils (HM Treasury 2004) to account for the spending of public money by demonstrating the value of research to tax payers, voters, and the public in terms of socio-economic benefits (European Science Foundation 2009), in effect, justifying this expenditure (Davies Nutley, and Walter 2005; Hanney and Gonzlez-Block 2011). However, there has been recognition that this time window may be insufficient in some instances, with architecture being granted an additional 5-year period (REF2014 2012); why only architecture has been granted this dispensation is not clear, when similar cases could be made for medicine, physics, or even English literature. 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. 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. The case study approach, recommended by the RQF, was combined with significance and reach as criteria for assessment. 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. 0000004019 00000 n
0000012122 00000 n
The origin is from the Latin term 'valere' meaning "be strong, be well; be of value, or be worth". evaluation of these different kinds of evaluands. While aspects of impact can be adequately interpreted using metrics, narratives, and other evidence, the mixed-method case study approach is an excellent means of pulling all available information, data, and evidence together, allowing a comprehensive summary of the impact within context. %PDF-1.3 The most appropriate type of evaluation will vary according to the stakeholder whom we are wishing to inform. In the UK, there have been several Jisc-funded projects in recent years to develop systems capable of storing research information, for example, MICE (Measuring Impacts Under CERIF), UK Research Information Shared Service, and Integrated Research Input and Output System, all based on the CERIF standard. What are the challenges associated with understanding and evaluating research impact? Teacher Education: Pre-Service and In-Service, Introduction to Educational Research Methodology, Teacher Education: Pre-Service & In-Service, Difference and Relationship Between Measurement, Assessment and Evaluation in Education, Concept and Importance of Measurement Assessment and Evaluation in Education, Purpose, Aims and Objective of Assessment and Evaluation in Education, Main Types of Assessment in Education and their Purposes, Main Types of Evaluation in Education with Examples, Critical Review of Current Evaluation Practices B.Ed Notes, Compare and Contrast Formative and Summative Evaluation in Curriculum Development B.ED Notes, Difference Between Prognostic and Diagnostic Evaluation in Education with Examples, Similarities and Difference Between Norm-Referenced Test and Criterion-Referenced Test with Examples, Difference Between Quantitative and Qualitative Evaluation in Education, Difference between Blooms Taxonomy and Revised Blooms Taxonomy by Anderson 2001, Cognitive Affective and Psychomotor Domains of Learning Revised Blooms Taxonomy 2001, Revised Blooms Taxonomy of Educational Objectives, 7 Types and Forms of Questions with its Advantages, VSA, SA, ET, Objective Type and Situation Based Questions, Definition and Characteristics of Achievement Test B.Ed Notes, Steps, Procedure and Uses of Achievement Test B.Ed Notes, Meaning, Types and Characteristics of diagnostic test in Education B.ED Notes, Advantages and Disadvantages of Diagnostic Test in Education B.ED Notes, Types of Tasks: Projects, Assignments, Performances B.ED Notes, Need and Importance of CCE: Continuous and Comprehensive Evaluation B.Ed Notes, Characteristics & Problems Faced by Teachers in Continuous and Comprehensive Evaluation, Meaning and Construction of Process Oriented Tools B.ED Notes, Components, Advantages and Disadvantages of Observation Schedule, Observation Techniques of Checklist and Rating Scale, Advantages and Disadvantages of Checklist and Rating Scale, Anecdotal Records Advantages and Disadvantages B.ED Notes, Types and Importance of Group Processes and Group Dynamics, Types, Uses, Advantages & Disadvantages of Sociometric Techniques, Stages of Group Processes & Development: Forming, Storming, Norming, Performing, Adjourning, Assessment Criteria of Social Skills in Collaborative or Cooperative Learning Situations, Portfolio Assessment: Meaning, Scope and Uses for Students Performance, Different Methods and Steps Involved in Developing Assessment Portfolio, Characteristics & Development of Rubrics as Tools of Assessment, Types of Rubrics as an Assessment Tool B.ED Notes, Advantages and Disadvantages of Rubrics in Assessment, Types & Importance of Descriptive Statistics B.ED Notes, What is the Difference Between Descriptive and Inferential Statistics with Examples, Central Tendency and Variability Measures & Difference, What are the Different Types of Graphical Representation & its importance for Performance Assessment, Properties and Uses of Normal Probability Curve (NPC) in Interpretation of Test Scores, Meaning & Types of Grading System in Education, Grading System in Education Advantages and Disadvantages B.ED Notes, 7 Types of Feedback in Education & Advantages and Disadvantages, Role of Feedback in Teaching Learning Process, How to Identify Learners Strengths and Weaknesses, Difference between Assessment of Learning and Assessment for Learning in Tabular Form, Critical Review of Current Evaluation Practices and their Assumptions about Learning and Development, The Concept of Test, Measurement, Assessment and Evaluation in Education. 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. 0000011201 00000 n
It is a process that involves careful gathering and evaluating of data on the actions, features, and consequences of a program. 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 Social Return on Investment (SROI) guide (The SROI Network 2012) suggests that The language varies impact, returns, benefits, value but the questions around what sort of difference and how much of a difference we are making are the same. The University and College Union (University and College Union 2011) organized a petition calling on the UK funding councils to withdraw the inclusion of impact assessment from the REF proposals once plans for the new assessment of university research were released. A comparative analysis of these definitions reveal that in defining performance appraisal they were saying the same thing, but in a slightly modified way. This transdisciplinary way of thinking about evaluation provides a constant source of innovative ideas for improving how we evaluate. 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 process of evaluation involves figuring out how well the goals have been accomplished. Using the above definition of evaluation, program evaluation approaches were classified into four categories. An empirical research report written in American Psychological Association (APA) style always includes a written . The Payback Framework has been adopted internationally, largely within the health sector, by organizations such as the Canadian Institute of Health Research, the Dutch Public Health Authority, the Australian National Health and Medical Research Council, and the Welfare Bureau in Hong Kong (Bernstein et al. Frameworks for assessing impact have been designed and are employed at an organizational level addressing the specific requirements of the organization and stakeholders. 0000004731 00000 n
The first attempt globally to comprehensively capture the socio-economic impact of research across all disciplines was undertaken for the Australian Research Quality Framework (RQF), using a case study approach. 2006; Nason et al. 0000007559 00000 n
The university imparts information, but it imparts it imaginatively. To demonstrate to government, stakeholders, and the wider public the value of research. Understand. 2009), and differentiating between the various major and minor contributions that lead to impact is a significant challenge. 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. It is desirable that the assignation of administrative tasks to researchers is limited, and therefore, to assist the tracking and collating of impact data, systems are being developed involving numerous projects and developments internationally, including Star Metrics in the USA, the ERC (European Research Council) Research Information System, and Lattes in Brazil (Lane 2010; Mugabushaka and Papazoglou 2012). The Oxford English Dictionary defines impact as a Marked effect or influence, this is clearly a very broad definition. 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. 2010). 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. Impact can be temporary or long-lasting. Donovan (2011) asserts that there should be no disincentive for conducting basic research. 0000008675 00000 n
Here is a sampling of the definitions you will see: Mirriam-Webster Dictionary Definition of Assessment: The action or an instance of assessing, appraisal . 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. Replicated from (Hughes and Martin 2012). What indicators, evidence, and impacts need to be captured within developing systems? At least, this is the function which it should perform for society. An evaluation essay is a composition that offers value judgments about a particular subject according to a set of criteria. 8. Key features of the adapted criteria . CERIF (Common European Research Information Format) was developed for this purpose, first released in 1991; a number of projects and systems across Europe such as the ERC Research Information System (Mugabushaka and Papazoglou 2012) are being developed as CERIF-compatible. The definition of health is not just a theoretical issue, because it has many implications for practice, policy, and health services. 0000001862 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). 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. Wigley (1988, p 21) defines it as "a data reduction process that involves the . 0000011585 00000 n
The aim of this study was to assess the accuracy of 3D rendering of the mandibular condylar region obtained from different semi-automatic segmentation methodology. If knowledge exchange events could be captured, for example, electronically as they occur or automatically if flagged from an electronic calendar or a diary, then far more of these events could be recorded with relative ease. What is the Difference between Formative and Summative Evaluation through Example? Times Higher Education, Assessing the Impact of Social Science Research: Conceptual, Methodological and Practical Issues, A Profile of Federal-Grant Administrative Burden Among Federal Demonstration Partnership Faculty, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, The Australian Research Quality Framework: A live experiment in capturing the social, economic, environmental and cultural returns of publicly funded research, Reforming the Evaluation of Research. What are the reasons behind trying to understand and evaluate research impact? 2007). As Donovan (2011) comments, Impact is a strong weapon for making an evidence based case to governments for enhanced research support. Evaluative research is a type of research used to evaluate a product or concept, and collect data to help improve your solution. Metrics have commonly been used as a measure of impact, for example, in terms of profit made, number of jobs provided, number of trained personnel recruited, number of visitors to an exhibition, number of items purchased, and so on. Describe and use several methods for finding previous research on a particular research idea or question. In development of the RQF, The Allen Consulting Group (2005) highlighted that defining a time lag between research and impact was difficult. Dennis Atsu Dake. As part of this review, we aim to explore the following questions: What are the reasons behind trying to understand and evaluate research impact? 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). 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). The . The fast-moving developments in the field of altmetrics (or alternative metrics) are providing a richer understanding of how research is being used, viewed, and moved. In viewing impact evaluations it is important to consider not only who has evaluated the work but the purpose of the evaluation to determine the limits and relevance of an assessment exercise. While valuing and supporting knowledge exchange is important, SIAMPI perhaps takes this a step further in enabling these exchange events to be captured and analysed. Scriven (2007:2) synthesised the definition of evaluation which appears in most dictionaries and the professional literature, and defined evaluation as "the process of determining merit, worth, or significance; an evaluation is a product of that process." . Impact is not static, it will develop and change over time, and this development may be an increase or decrease in the current degree of impact. Organizations may be interested in reviewing and assessing research impact for one or more of the aforementioned purposes and this will influence the way in which evaluation is approached. Any information on the context of the data will be valuable to understanding the degree to which impact has taken place. 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. 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. 10312. 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). Impact has become the term of choice in the UK for research influence beyond academia. 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. working paper). 0000008591 00000 n
Cb)5. This distinction is not so clear in impact assessments outside of the UK, where academic outputs and socio-economic impacts are often viewed as one, to give an overall assessment of value and change created through research. Figure 2 demonstrates the information that systems will need to capture and link. The advantages and disadvantages of the case study approach. 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). 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. What is the Concept and Importance of Continuous and Comprehensive Evaluation. 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. Indicators, evidence, and impact within systems, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills 2012, http://www.arc.gov.au/pdf/ERA_Indicator_Principles.pdf, http://www.charitystar.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/Return_on_donations_a_white_paper_on_charity_impact_measurement.pdf, http://www.oecd.org/science/innovationinsciencetechnologyandindustry/37450246.pdf, http://www.cahs-acss.ca/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/ROI_FullReport.pdf, http://mice.cerch.kcl.ac.uk/wp-uploads/2011/07/MICE_report_Goldsmiths_final.pdf, http://www.timeshighereducation.co.uk/story.asp?storyCode=409614§ioncode=26, http://www.odi.org.uk/rapid/Events/ESRC/docs/background_paper.pdf, http://www.iscintelligence.com/archivos_subidos/usfacultyburden_5.pdf, http://blogs.lse.ac.uk/impactofsocialsciences/tag/claire-donovan/, http://www.atn.edu.au/docs/Research%20Global%20-%20Measuring%20the%20impact%20of%20research.pdf, http://www.hbs.edu/research/pdf/10-099.pdf, http://www.esf.org/index.php?eID=tx_ccdamdl_file&p[file]=25668&p[dl]=1&p[pid]=6767&p[site]=European%20Science%20Foundation&p[t]=1351858982&hash=93e987c5832f10aeee3911bac23b4e0f&l=en, http://www.rand.org/pubs/research_briefs/2007/RAND_RB9202.pdf, http://www.rand.org/pubs/documented_briefings/2010/RAND_DB578.pdf, http://ukirc.ac.uk/object/report/8025/doc/CIHE_0612ImpactReport_summary.pdf, http://www.timeshighereducation.co.uk/story.asp?storyCode=415340§ioncode=26, http://www.publicengagement.ac.uk/sites/default/files/80096%20NCCPE%20Social%20Value%20Report.pdf, http://www2.lse.ac.uk/government/research/resgroups/LSEPublicPolicy/Docs/LSE_Impact_Handbook_April_2011.pdf, http://www.artscouncil.org.uk/media/uploads/documents/publications/340.pdf, http://www.ref.ac.uk/media/ref/content/pub/researchexcellenceframeworkimpactpilotexercisefindingsoftheexpertpanels/re01_10.pdf, http://www.ref.ac.uk/media/ref/content/pub/assessmentframeworkandguidanceonsubmissions/02_11.pdf, http://www.ref.ac.uk/media/ref/content/pub/assessmentframeworkandguidanceonsubmissions/GOS%20including%20addendum.pdf, http://www.ref.ac.uk/media/ref/content/pub/panelcriteriaandworkingmethods/01_12.pdf, http://www.russellgroup.ac.uk/uploads/REF-consultation-response-FINAL-Dec09.pdf, http://www.siampi.eu/Pages/SIA/12/625.bGFuZz1FTkc.html, http://www.siampi.eu/Content/SIAMPI/SIAMPI_Final%20report.pdf, http://www.thesroinetwork.org/publications/doc_details/241-a-guide-to-social-return-on-investment-2012, http://www.ucu.org.uk/media/pdf/n/q/ucu_REFstatement_finalsignatures.pdf, http://www.esrc.ac.uk/_images/Case_Study_of_the_Future_of_Work_Programme_Volume_2_tcm8-4563.pdf, Receive exclusive offers and updates from Oxford Academic, Automated collation of evidence is difficult, Allows evidence to be contextualized and a story told, Incorporating perspective can make it difficult to assess critically, Enables assessment in the absence of quantitative data, Preserves distinctive account or disciplinary perspective, Rewards those who can write well, and/or afford to pay for external input.