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Return to 'Toolkit' Structure: Ten features of evaluation
1 Evaluation Cycle
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Things to doRead and discuss the HEFCE guidance Identify who is going to follow up any points for clarification in the HEFCE Guidance See presentation 1A for a summary of HEFCE Evaluation Guidance based on the February 2008 HEFCE 2008/05 guidance and April 2008 guidance sent to Aimhigher Partnerships outlining details of data Ensure at least one member of the team has explored the different evaluation cycles and is able to recommend an approach for the team to use. Plan in some meetings for when you will meet to review the progress made at each stage of your chosen evaluation cycle. See also Evaluation Planning and Timing
within the RUFDATA framework 3A 3B
3C |
Understanding the Evaluation Process
It is unlikely that everyone involved in the development of your evaluation plan will be evaluators, or have experience of the research process. Nevertheless, it is important that some members of the team become familiar with the process and understand some of the underpinning principles.
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Evaluation Cycle: A Summary of
HEFCE Evaluation Guidance 1A (pdf
470kB) This presentation summarises core messages from two recent HEFCE guidance documents. Although their focus is on evaluation by Aimhigher partnerships they highlight HEFCEs plans and priorities with respect to the evaluation of widening participation activity. The messages apply to HEI as well as Aimhigher partnerships. |
Evaluation Cycles
The process of evaluation is well suited to the idea of a cycle of activities that involve an assessment of starting position, identification of a focus for the evaluation, preparation for and undertaking the evaluation, using the findings to inform future action. There are a number of different evaluation cycles available, with the typical cycle including between 3 and 9 stages/ phases or steps. The following three examples provide further details about the relationship between each stage in the evaluation process
Aimhigher Good Practice Guide / MEASURING SUCCESS: A guide to evaluation for Aimhigher, Sue Hatt
Consists of four stages - identifying topics and framing questions, gathering evidence, analysing data and presenting findings
The research process from the NFER Toolkit
Tool-kit 1: planning your research project (pdf, 270kB)
Consists of three phases – planning, investigating and influencing with each phase consisting of a number of activities
Action reflection learning cycle from evaluation trust
http://www.evaluationtrust.org/images/tools/circle.jpg
Consists of nine steps involving an assessment of the initial situation and move through planning, evaluation and change in response to findings
Evaluation Lists
An alternative model for evaluation or structure for the evaluation process is a checklist that outlines the steps in the evaluation process. Although these often present a linear image which is rarely like a real-life evaluation process, the lists can be helpful for identifying what needs doing, or outlining possible options available to the evaluator. Lists will often focus on a specific phase or stage of the evaluation process and can be a valuable aide-memoir from which you can make your selection.
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Evaluation Cycle: Explaining the
Evaluation Process 1B (pdf
60kB) This document includes a list of links to external sites that provide background explanations of the evaluation process, including different evaluation cycles or lists for guiding evaluators through their model. |
