Évaluation de programme et recherche évaluative : des activités distinctes

Résumé

Les années 80 ont produit de nombreux écrits traitant de la distinction entre la recherche, la recherche évaluative et l’évaluation de programme. S’il se dégageait alors un consensus, il est maintenant remis en question à cause d’enjeux de diverses natures. Le présent article vise à établir les distinctions plus particulièrement entre l’évaluation de programme et la recherche évaluative et ainsi contribuer au développement d’un corpus théorique qui est requis pour que l’évaluation de programme s’établisse comme une discipline scientifique (Dubois & Marceau, 2005). Si ces activités revêtent plusieurs similitudes – leur référence à une théorie du programme; les paradigmes et les méthodes – qui contribuent d’ailleurs à maintenir les confusions, il demeure que leurs visées réciproques offrent la meilleure perspective pour comprendre en quoi elles se distinguent.

Mots-clés :

• Évaluation de programme,
• recherche évaluative

Abstract

The eighties were rich in writings, which made distinctions between research, evaluative research and program evaluation. There was then a consensus, which is now called in question for various considerations. The present article aims to establish distinctions between program evaluation and evaluative research and thus to contribute to the development of a theoretical, methodological and empirical corpus harmonized which is necessary so that the evaluation of program develops like a scientific discipline (Dubois & Marceau, 2005). If these activities have several similarities – their reference to a theory of the program, the paradigms and methodologies – which moreover contribute to maintain confusions, their specific aims still offer the best perspective to understand in what manner they differ.

Keywords:

• Program evaluation,
• evaluative research

Resumo

Os anos 80 foram ricos em escritos sobre a distinção entre a investigação, a investigação avaliativa e a avaliação de programas. O consenso então encontrado é, agora, posto em causa por desafios de naturezas diversas. O presente artigo visa estabelecer as distinções nomeadamente entre a avaliação de programas e a investigação avaliativa e, assim, contribuir para o desenvolvimento de um corpus teórico que é exigido para que a avaliação de programas se implante como uma disciplina científica (Dubois & Marceau, 2005). Ainda que ambas as actividades tenham várias similitudes – a sua referência a uma teoria do programa; os paradigmas e as metodologias – que, aliás, contribuem para manter as confusões, continua a ser válido que são os objectivos recíprocos que oferecem a melhor perspectiva para compreender em que é que as abordagens se distinguem.

Palavras chaves:

• Avaliação de programas,
• investigação avaliativa