Duration
30h Th, 15h Pr
Number of credits
Lecturer
Coordinator
Language(s) of instruction
French language
Organisation and examination
Teaching in the first semester, review in January
Schedule
Units courses prerequisite and corequisite
Prerequisite or corequisite units are presented within each program
Learning unit contents
Evaluation is a crucial step in the public policy cycle. Before being a technique, it is a process that raises essential questions, for example concerning the evaluation criteria and the transparency of the evaluation process, and is subject to power relations. How, why and for whom to evaluate? Under what conditions should an ex ante, in itinere or ex post evaluation be carried out? On the basis of which indicators should the evaluation approach be based?
Firstly, this course aims to theoretically identify the issues at stake at each stage of the evaluation process (framework proposed by a sponsor, organisation in charge of the evaluation, object evaluated, evaluation question(s), evaluation criteria, indicators mobilised, resources available, impact). Secondly, starting from the existing political, technical and methodological issues identified by external speakers, the course develops the students' capacity to carry out critical and pragmatic meta-evaluations.
Learning outcomes of the learning unit
The aim of the course is to present a systemic approcach of evaluation in policy analysis as well as to present a range of tools used to evaluate the establishment of public policy.
Prerequisite knowledge and skills
A course of "public policy analysis (theory)" - Celine Parotte is a prerequisite.
The student is able to read scientific texts critically, to identify the author's stances and their theoretical and empirical contributions and to compare them with other theoretical framework.
The course SPOL2330-2 Methods in Political Science (theory) or an equivalent course on methods in the humanities and social sciences is a prerequisite.
The elements seen in the Political Science Methods (Theory) and Public Policy Analysis and Methodology courses will be used again. The student must understand the major steps involved in developing a research design, distinguish between epistemological postures, the difference between inductive, deductive and abductive approaches, and the different qualitative data collection methods and, argue clearly and precisely about the theoretical and methodological choices made.
Planned learning activities and teaching methods
The course is divided into two modules.
First module: The first module, delivered ex cathedra, is based on a syllabus Fallon et al. and on a portfolio of mandatory extensive readings.
Second module: The second module is organised as a seminar to allow students to be confronted with the realities of field experts, with whom they can interact. The invited experts are representatives of Belgian public institutions that practice evaluation (e.g. Court of Auditors, legislation section of the Council of State, National Fund for Scientific Research, municipal emergency planning unit, Walloon Institute for Evaluation, Forecasting and Statistics, National Office for Children, Regional Investment Company of Wallonia). Each session will be organised as follows: (1) The students will be put in a theoretical situation concerning a methodological/evaluative difficulty chosen in consultation with the external speaker. (2) The external speaker presents his or her testimony on an evaluation situation and underlines the issues and difficulties experienced in the field. (3) Meta-evaluation exercises: in sub-groups and with the support of the external speaker and the teacher, the students evaluate the evaluation situation presented, pool their theoretical analysis and consider practical solutions.
Mode of delivery (face to face, distance learning, hybrid learning)
Face-to-face course
Recommended or required readings
Course notes and referernce documents will be placed on-line on My Ulg during the course.
A text book is available at the Press of ULG : Fallon Catherine, Pavier Jeanne, Parotte Céline, Petit Jean Maxime, 2021, Évaluation des politiques publiques, syllabus Université de Liège, p.110.
Reference book : Guionnet, Christine, et Sophie Rétif. Exploiter les difficultés méthodologiques. Une ressource pour l'analyse en sciences sociales. Rennes (Presses universitaires de), 2015.
Further reading (available in the library) :
Albarello L., Aubin D., Fallon C. et Van Haeperen B., (2016) Penser l'évaluation des politiques publiques. Ed.De Boeck Supérieur.
Exam(s) in session
Any session
- In-person
oral exam
Written work / report
Continuous assessment
Out-of-session test(s)
Additional information:
Module 1: Continuous assessment in the form of weekly individual written questions (theoretical reflections from Module 1 - 30% of the final grade)
Module 2: Continuous assessment in the form of collective reports of meta-evaluation exercises (Module 2 - 40% of the final grade)
Oral Exam: Individual oral defence of written work (30% of the final grade)
Work placement(s)
Organizational remarks
Contacts
The team is composed of :
- Céline Parotte
- Hélène Dodion