Evaluation as a research approach

Evaluation plays an important role in making judgements about STEM program effectiveness and informing future practice, as does research in using systematic inquiry to engage with and generate theory. As a relative newcomer on the education scene, a strong evidence base is needed to determine which STEM teaching approaches work best and for what purposes and outcomes. This chapter uses two exemplars to illustrate evaluation as a research approach when undertaking a contracted evaluation of programs. We will show how, when informing practice and theory around STEM education, evaluation can benefit from research, and research can benefit from evaluative thinking.