Internal Evaluation in the 21st Century

Nowadays, a considerable amount of evaluation work is implementedinternally--both nationally and across the world. As such, itis exceedingly important for evaluators and organizations to beaware of the issues in designing and implementing internalevaluation to realize its potential for enhancing organizationalgrowth, competitive advantage, and social impact. This issueincludes perspectives on internal evaluation from experiencedevaluation practitioners from different fields and organizationswho share theoretical and practical examples and case studies inpromoting and conducting internal evaluation. The chapters:* Highlight societal and organizational changes that have shaped thecurrent trends in internal evaluation* Discuss foundational issues in internal evaluation* Provide rich illustrations of internal evaluation practice indifferent settings with diverse foci (customer-driven vision and aresults-based orientation for evaluation, accountability anddevelopment, and building evaluation capacity).This is the 132nd volume of the Jossey-Bass quarterly reportseries New Directions for Evaluation, an officialpublication of the American Evaluation Association.

EDITORS'NOTES 1Boris B. Volkov, Michelle E. Baron1. Internal Evaluation a Quarter-Century Later: AConversation With Arnold J. Love 5Boris B. VolkovThis chapter features a conversation with Dr. Arnold J. Love, alongtime proponent of internal evaluation and one of the most citedinternal evaluation authors.2. Internal Evaluation, Historically Speaking 13Sandra MathisonThe author analyzes the growth and nature of internalevaluation from the 1960s to the present and suggests that internalevaluation has been on the increase because of its perceivedimportance. The chapter concludes with some speculation about thenature of future internal evaluation.3. Beyond Being an Evaluator: The Multiplicity of Roles ofthe Internal Evaluator 25Boris B. VolkovThe chapter explores critical roles of internal evaluators incontemporary organizational settings. The need is highlighted foran expanded, reconfigured, unorthodox set of roles and styles ofwork to meet the needs of the emerging learning organizationseffectively.4. Predicament and Promise: The Internal Evaluator as EthicalLeader 43Francis J. SchweigertThis chapter discusses the conjunction of ethics and evaluationin the role of the internal evaluator as the person speciallycommissioned to investigate value and render judgment based onevidence gathered.5. Evaluation Survivor: How to Outwit, Outplay, and Outlastas an Internal Government Evaluator 57Ted KnikerThis article addresses the author's experience and insights asthe chief of evaluation for public diplomacy at the U.S. Departmentof State and as a consultant assisting federal agencies in amultitude of evaluation activities relating what helps and hindersinternal evaluation functions.6. Internal Evaluation in American Public School Districts:The Importance of Externally Driven Accountability Mandates73Jean A. King, Johnna A. Rohmer-HirtThe chapter traces the historical development of internalevaluation in American school districts, highlights four currentforms of internal evaluation, and concludes with implications ofcurrent practice for the continuing development of internaleducational evaluation.7. Designing Internal Evaluation for a Small OrganizationWith Limited Resources 87Michelle E. BaronThe chapter outlines strategies that small organizations at theearly, midterm, and seasoned levels of evaluation capacity cancultivate, and offers some practical tips for evaluators ondeveloping and maintaining internal evaluation within a smallorganization.8. Issues in Internal Evaluation: Implications for Practice,Training, and Research 101Boris B. Volkov, Michelle E. BaronThis chapter highlights themes running throughout the precedingchapters, illustrates important issues in improving the design,implementation, and use of internal evaluation, and suggests newdirections for how internal evaluation is conceptualized andpracticed.INDEX 113