Managing evaluation studies, evaluators and other workers, and evaluation units is an omnipresent but almost invisible practice little studied and written about. The authors ask whether this should change and how. It is necessary to illuminate this practice before deciding, making distinctions among management, manager, and managing, the first a…

On the basis of a multistage exploration of evaluation texts, electronic searches, and nominations from the field and from managing social science, the author concludes there is little research literature on managing evaluation studies, evaluators and other workers, and evaluation units. The discussion explores what this limited literature tells…

Donald W. Compton, the first director of evaluation services at the National Home Office (Atlanta) of the American Cancer Society, tells the story of building the unit in conditions of high demand and a limited budget. Along the way, evaluation was brought to regional divisions and to local offices in part as a response to United Way and to his…

The authors tell about their heterogeneous 91 person research and evaluation unit at an operating foundation in St. Paul, Minnesota. They focus on evaluation for program improvement, one of several purposes of studies they work on. The three authors write from their different manager positions within the unit. Included are the context of the…

A personalized account of the value of experience as an institutional research director in undertaking the role of college president is provided in this paper. After initial references to the competing demands made of a college presdient, some qualities appropriate to individuals in this office are identified, including: (1) openness to new ideas;…

This article introduces the issue of articles on research assessments and rankings. It focuses on the British Research Assessment Exercises (RAEs) and New Zealand's Performance Based Research Fund (PBRF). It contrasts these with systems that are not tied to funding formulas and emphasise quality enhancement rather than quality assurance. It…

This report summarizes the results obtained from the training program for directors of educational research conducted at the University of Wisconsin-Madison from 1967 to 1973. This program consisted of up to three years of graduate study culminating in the Ph.D. degree. The objective of the program was to prepare persons for leadership positions…

The guidelines presented are intended to stimulate institutional self-assessment, evaluation, and possible policy actions by college and university presidents, chief academic officers, and other academic officers not responsible for day-to-day administration of sponsored research programs. Officers of nonprofit research organizations may also find…

The purpose of this evaluation-research training program was to involve local program evaluators in training activities that would increase evaluation competencies for the consequent improvement of instructional programs at the local level. Superintendents and school board members met to discuss the roles of research and evaluation and their…

A "meta-assessment" was done of 13 pilot projects on student outcomes assessment in a variety of disciplines at 11 campuses in the California State University (CSU) system. These projects had developed both quantitative and qualitative strategies for collecting data on student learning outcomes. The meta-assessment was designed to…

A 4-phase study was conducted to provide an objective third-party assessment of the effectiveness of research and development (R. & D.) projects supported by the Research and Development Unit (RDU) of the Illinois Division of Vocational and Technical Education. Activities during the four phases consisted of: (1) a preliminary review to obtain…

One of a series of nine reports of Project ACTIVE (Attaining Competence for Teaching in Vocational Education), this report focuses on the criteria for assessing mastery of the professional competencies (skills) important to vocational educators involved in research and evaluation. An overview of competency-based vocational teacher education (CBTE)…