Multilateral Evaluation: a case study of the national evaluation of records of achievement (PRAISE) project*

Abstract

The paper describes the evolution of a multilateral evaluation strategy within the PRAISE project. The account describes how the approach started with an initial commitment to ‘meta‐evaluation’ as a means of cross‐validating emerging data and its interpretation, but gradually evolved into a more explicit partnership where the overall research design now depends on the integration of both levels of evaluation. Having presented the case study, the paper uses it to help identify key issues in multilateral evaluation. These include: the need for a common set of ethical guidelines and the closely related issue of working practices and access to data; the issue of integrating the different purposes and audiences of different levels of evaluation; the role of funding agencies and, particularly, central government, in initiating such multilateral programmes. More generally the paper explores vertical versus horizontal models of collaboration and their implications for different episte‐mologies of educational research and evaluation. It concludes with an appraisal of the overall strengths and weaknesses of multilateral evaluation which may be identified at this relatively early stage of its development.

Keywords

Affiliated Institutions

• University of Bristol GB

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