Valutare la valutazione: la ricerca come progetto di miglioramento

Abstract

Assessing the Assessment: Research as An Improvement Project

Recently approved legislation on national scientific qualification and the start of the evaluation of scientific products by the VQR has reinvigorated discussions in this field. The paper does not take any stand with regard to the new legislation or to the various positions in the ensuing debates, but it aims to highlight certain themes/issues which are worth reflecting on as researchers (and teachers) of the pedagogical field. Therefore, attention is addressed to the need and opportunity to deal with the question of meta-evaluation, even for the evaluation of research and universities. In other words, the need for critical/reflective analysis/evaluation of the whole evaluation process/system, in the firm belief that the new rules for evaluation can be an opportunity for renewed rigor in study, research and production, with the active and authoritative role of the scientific community, expressing the intrinsic need for evaluation to the extent that the evaluation system itself requires transparent evaluation. The arguments proposed will arrive at indicating, in the research itself, the most suitable way to provide guidance and/or proposals to improve the evaluation of the research system: research, as an intentional and systematic process, appears to be the appropriate framework in which to place the critical-reflexive analysis of the evaluation steps being pursued. The focus is thus on research geared to planning and design in order to progressive improve the evaluation system, thereby making it possible to meet all stakeholders’ expectations.