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Attitudes toward evaluation: An exploratory study of students’ and stakeholders’ social representations

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  • Schultes, Marie-Therese
  • Kollmayer, Marlene
  • Mejeh, Mathias
  • Spiel, Christiane

Abstract

Positive attitudes toward evaluation among stakeholders are an important precondition for successful evaluation processes. However, empirical studies focusing on stakeholders’ attitudes toward evaluation are scarce. The present paper explores the approach of assessing social representations as indicators of people’s attitudes toward evaluation. In an exploratory study, two groups were surveyed: University students (n = 60) with rather theoretical knowledge of evaluation and stakeholders (n = 61) who had shortly before taken part in participatory evaluation studies. Both groups were asked to name their free associations with the term “evaluation”, which were subsequently analyzed lexicographically. The results indicate different social representations of evaluation in the two groups. The student group primarily saw evaluation as an “appraisal”, whereas the stakeholders emphasized the “improvement” resulting from evaluation. Implications for further evaluation research and practice are discussed.

Suggested Citation

  • Schultes, Marie-Therese & Kollmayer, Marlene & Mejeh, Mathias & Spiel, Christiane, 2018. "Attitudes toward evaluation: An exploratory study of students’ and stakeholders’ social representations," Evaluation and Program Planning, Elsevier, vol. 70(C), pages 44-50.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:epplan:v:70:y:2018:i:c:p:44-50
    DOI: 10.1016/j.evalprogplan.2018.06.002
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Roseland, Denise & Lawrenz, Frances & Thao, Mao, 2015. "The relationship between involvement in and use of evaluation in multi-site evaluations," Evaluation and Program Planning, Elsevier, vol. 48(C), pages 75-82.
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    4. Stark, Jennifer & Kogler, Christoph & Gaisbauer, Helmut & Sedmak, Clemens & Kirchler, Erich, 2016. "Differentiating Views of Inheritance: The Free Association Task as a Method to Assess Social Representations of Wealth, Inherit, and Bequeath," Review of Behavioral Economics, now publishers, vol. 3(1), pages 91-111, April.
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    1. Schultes, Marie-Therese & Graf, Daniel & Holzer, Julia & Schober, Barbara & Spiel, Christiane, 2025. "Implementation and evaluation of service learning at higher education institutions," Evaluation and Program Planning, Elsevier, vol. 112(C).

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