Inclusion, Ethics and Evaluation: Panel Discussion

This panel discussion is supported by the Institute of Development Studies' Department for International Development Accountable Grant, with a view to continue a dialogue around the use and application of ethics in impact evaluation. The event was hosted by the Centre for Development Impact (CDI), a joint initiative between IDS, Itad and the University of East Anglia. It builds on previous research conducted by the CDI to open up debate on ethics within the field of impact evaluation. CDI’s working assumption is that all practice – whether evaluations or development interventions – is underpinned by particular value systems. In recent years, the field of impact evaluation within international development has become largely driven by methodology and empiricism. To some extent, this has meant that it has lost touch with the ‘value’ dimension of evaluation, with values being primarily understood in relation to rigour: ‘the scientific generation of facts or truths which are assumed to be self-evident and universally valid’. Preliminary work by the CDI looks at the conduct of evaluators, which is presumed to be guided by moral and ethical principles and guidelines. But who these moral principles relate to and whether they go far enough is subject to increasing debate. Does current practice urge evaluators to consider the inherent complexity of different situations, practices and beliefs? Are evaluators properly incorporating diverse – and underprivileged – perspectives in evaluation? The panel discussion makes a modest contribution to these questions by considering the issue of inclusion in evaluation; specifically, in which contexts is inclusion more or less possible?UK Department for International Developmen

International Financial Integration and Real Exchange Rate Long-Run Dynamics in Emerging Countries

The aim of this paper is to provide new empirical evidence on the impact of international financial integration on the long-run Real Exchange Rate (RER) in 39 developing countries belonging to three different geographical regions (Latin America, Asia and MENA). It covers the period 1979-2004, and carries out "second-generation" tests for non-stationary panels. Several factors, including international financial integration, are shown to drive the long-run RER in emerging countries. It is found that the new financial environment characterised by international financial integration leads to a depreciation of the RER in the long run. Further, RER misalignments take the form of an under-valuation in most MENA countries and an over-valuation in most Latin American and Asian countrieshttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/64383/1/wp970.pd

International financial integration and real exchange rate long-run dynamics in emerging countries: Some panel evidence

The aim of this paper is to provide new empirical evidence on the impact of international financial integration on the long-run Real Exchange Rate (RER) in 39 developing countries belonging to three different geographical regions (Latin America, Asia and MENA). It covers the period 1979-2004, and carries out “second-generation” tests for non-stationary panels. Several factors, including international financial integration, are shown to drive the long-run RER in emerging countries. It is found that the new financial environment characterised by international financial integration leads to a depreciation of the RER in the long run. Further, RER misalignments take the form of an under-valuation in most MENA countries and an over-valuation in most Latin American and Asian countries

Total technology practice : preliminary study for application in New Zealand schools : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Philosophy in Technology, at Massey University

The purpose of this research was to identify the important generic elements of total technology practice and to develop a preliminary list of the important techniques, knowledge and actions used by technologists. The research was based on the hypothesis that in technology education in New Zealand schools, the important elements of technology practice could be represented in the form of a model that could be used to organise and communicate the elements and knowledge involved in total technology practice. The research was undertaken with technologists working at Massey University and teachers involved in teaching technology. A product development research methodology was used to test ideas and develop a model of technology practice for use in New Zealand schools. The first phase of the research used the experience and knowledge of product development technologists to identify the important elements of technology practice and develop preliminary lists of techniques and knowledge involved in each element. A group of specialist technologists were used to verify these elements and identify detailed content. This research showed that total technology practice can be structured using seven elements that together provide a simplified description of total technology practice. The elements of practice associated with the human context and goal of technology practice were identified as society, the work environment, and purposeful action. The elements technologists bring to the context were organisation, information, resource use, and an extensive knowledge of techniques and the skill, ingenuity and experience to apply and adapt techniques to specific contexts and problems. Individual technologists were interviewed to identify the important practices and knowledge within their area of expertise. Technological knowledge was structured into a framework that reflected the way technologists broke complex systems into subsystems to solve problems and develop solutions. The detailed model developed with the technologists was evaluated by groups of teachers using focus group techniques and a small survey. The study indicated teachers perceived the model as a useful tool for communicating knowledge and understanding of technology practice and for structuring teaching units in technology education. This preliminary study indicated technology practice can be described in terms of seven elements and communicated in the form of a model. Technologists organise their knowledge into structures that facilitate application in practice. This structure and much of its knowledge can be made explicit and used to help students understand technological products and develop capability in their technology practice. This study has identified a structure for technology practice and technological knowledge that is common to all seven technological areas and nine contexts identified in the New Zealand technology curriculum

Societal impact evaluation: Exploring evaluator perceptions of the characterization of impact under the REF2014

© The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press. This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted reuse, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.The relative newness of ‘impact’ as a criterion for research assessment has meant that there is yet to be an empirical study examining the process of its evaluation. This article is part of a broader study which is exploring the panel-based peer and end-user review process for societal impact evaluation using the UK’s national research assessment exercise, the Research Excellence Framework (REF) 2014, as a case study. In particular, this article explores the different perceptions REF2014 evaluators had regarding societal impact, preceding their evaluation of this measure as part of REF2014. Data are drawn from 62 interviews with evaluators from the health-related Panel A and its subpanels, prior to the REF2014 exercise taking place. We show how going into the REF exercise, evaluators from Panel A had different perceptions about how to characterize impact and how to define impact realization in terms of research outcomes and the research process. We conclude by discussing the implications of our findings for future impact evaluation frameworks, as well as postulating a series of hypotheses about the ways in which evaluators’ different perceptions going into an impact assessment could potentially influence the evaluation of impact submissions. Using REF2014 as a case study, these hypotheses will be tested in interviews with REF2014 evaluators post-assessment.This work was supported by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC), UK. Grant number: ES/K008897/1

Evaluation of the National Parks Sustainable Development Fund

The Sustainable Development Fund (SDF) is a new pilot funding stream for English National Park Authorities and the Broads Authority (henceforth collectively NPAs or ‘Parks’), launched in July 2002 by the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra). The aim is to provide a flexible and non-bureaucratic means of funding projects that “aid the achievement of National Park purposes by encouraging individuals, community groups and businesses to cooperate together to develop practical sustainable solutions to the management of their activities”. SDF is a novel and unique funding stream intended to support original and innovative projects. Although the funding is relatively small (some £2.6m or £325,000 per park over the 18 months to this report) the aim is ambitious; with a minimum of preconceptions or formalities, to “develop and test new ways of achieving a more sustainable way of living in the countryside”. In each Park, small SDF Panels, serviced by, but at arms length from, the NPA have been established to oversee delivery of the Fund, to foster innovative projects and to monitor their outcomes at Park level. The SDF Prospectus declares that monitoring and evaluation are to involve a “very light touch regime”.. Auditing of individual projects by the SDF panel is to be achieved mainly by maintaining close contact with the projects as they develop. Whilst responsibility may be delegated, panel members are encouraged to take a personal interest in projects. Each NPA is required to submit to the Minister of State for Rural Affairs (and to copy to the Countryside Agency) an annual report. This should summarise the performance of the fund against performance indicators which are to be developed by NPAs themselves in the light of experience of the fund. First Annual Reports must be submitted to the Minister of State for Rural Affairs (and copied to the Countryside Agency) at the end of March 2004 NPAs are encouraged to learn from the experience of delivering the Fund and to promote the results to a wider rural audience. In addition to this Park level monitoring, the Countryside Agency (CA) on behalf of Defra has commissioned the Centre for European Protected Area Research (CEPAR) to conduct an evaluation of how SDF has performed against its key objectives after the first eighteen months of its operation, to aid decisions about the future of the scheme from April 2005

Evaluation of the Community Asset Transfer Programme: Stage 3 Interim evaluation, Final report

CMI was commissioned by the Big Lottery Fund to undertake a longitudinal evaluation of the Community Asset Transfer Programme. The evaluation accompanies the programme over eight years in order to capture what outcomes and impacts are achieved through the 16 funded projects. This is the third of four evaluation stages. This evaluation report is aimed at the wider Community Asset Transfer community in Wales where there has been strong interest in the Community Asset Transfer agenda in recent years. The 16 original CAT 1 projects are an important showcase for what can be achieved in different settings and using different approaches

Effect of panel type and ethnicity on apples in Singapore using temporal dominance method : a thesis presented in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Food Technology at Massey University, Albany, New Zealand

Recently, there has been an increased in oral processing studies focusing on the detection of changes in sensational attributes of food product in real time. However, the integration of sensational and emotional attributes with liking is a relatively new line of enquiry, yet if pursued may enable a deeper understanding of the sensory and emotional experience of consumers. This study successfully trials a new system combining temporal dominance of sensation (TDS), emotion (TDE) and liking (TDL) to examine the impact of training and ethnicity on the real time sensory evaluation of popular apple varieties currently being sold in Singapore. A short training (60 minutes) with food references was proven to be highly beneficial and had generated a higher dominance rate, faster first dominant attribute detected, lower variation in the dominant attribute selected and frequent complex textural attributes chosen, showing a better understanding of the terms used. The number of attributes used and dominant end time were however not affected by training. Contrary to TDE, a positive emotional or sensational attribute dominant did not relate to a direct relationship with liking. Non-dominant sensational or emotional attributes might have interfered in the liking observed. Training aside from improving the understanding of attributes used was also found to close the gap between hedonic scores and frequency liking counts. Ethnicity effects were subsequently examined using a Semi Trained Panel consisting of 8 Chinese, 7 Indian and 6 Malay with differing results observed. Chinese were more expressive and positive in the attributes chosen in TDS and TDE while Malay was the opposite. Fibrous (Chinese and Indian) and floral (Chinese) were picked up more readily by different ethnicities. Differences in product where Granny Smith evoked disliking in Malay and Indian, was positively rated by Chinese. These variations could mainly be due to differences in cultural practises and diet. The incorporation of TDS and TDL provided better product understanding than the narrow hedonic range obtained. Furthermore, the mapping of TDS, TDE and TDL curves suggested the ability to condense information allowing dynamic relation to be drawn in a single graph. However, due to the qualitative nature of the graphs, the interpretation of result might be subjective