Evaluation of Curriculum Reform at Maynooth University

The literature on tertiary level curriculum change has tended to focus strongly on how change processes are initiated, designs for alternatives and the resources required for implementation. The monitoring, review and evaluation of the outcomes from major curriculum reform has received much less attention. This paper draws upon recent experience in Maynooth University to develop a research and evaluation framework for monitoring the impacts of a comprehensive university-wide reform of the curriculum. The focus is on the purpose of an evaluation in this context, what should be evaluated and how, who should be included and at what stages in a project should the research and evaluation occur?