Corporate Reports

Summative Evaluation

Summative evaluation resources

  • CCL's response to the summative evaluation

  • Commentary on CCL's unique role

  • CCL’s Contributions to Learning in Canada

  • Future CCL Projects

  • CCL's proposal for next five years

  • Summative evaluation report (PDF, 259 KB)

    • Overview

    In accordance with CCL's funding agreement with Human Resources and Social Development Canada (HRSDC), CCL engaged an independent external agency (EKOS Research Associates), to conduct a summative evaluation of CCL’s achievements since its inception in 2004.

    More about CCL's mandate.

     

    The summative evaluation:

    • assessed CCL's continuing relevance as part of the Canadian learning landscape;

    • explored how successful CCL has been in furthering the purpose and objectives outlined in the funding agreement; and

    • measured the cost-effectiveness of the work CCL has accomplished by studying the extent to which CCL has complemented or duplicated existing efforts in the area of knowledge on learning, and by assessing alternatives.

    Over 250 stakeholders completed a questionnaire and over 100 were interviewed by EKOS Research Associates. Document, file and literature reviews were also performed and a panel of four national and international experts was convened.

    Key findings

    The evaluation found that:

    • CCL has successfully identified knowledge gaps, created knowledge exchange networks and partnerships, improved the volume, quality and relevance of research and information on learning, and increased the volume and quality of learning research exchanged.

    • CCL is the only existing Canadian organization that provides a national and independent perspective in the analyses, interpretation and in the presentation of research on lifelong learning.

    • The majority of interviewees and the literature review indicated that much of what CCL does complements the work of other organizations and that it is unlikely that alternative funding models and arrangements would be able to achieve the same results as CCL (i.e. independent and innovative research and dissemination of information).

    • The expert panel reinforced the importance of an organization such as CCL, pointing out that “[in Canada], as in other countries, societal, community and personal needs for lifelong learning are expanding,” and that Canada “has particular needs to encourage and support work-life learning to maintain competent working lives and for longer.”

    Overall, the summative evaluation found that CCL is relevant and fills an acknowledged need in the field of lifelong learning; that CCL has been successful in achieving its mandate in its short lifespan; and that CCL operates in a cost-effective manner, complementing the work of other organizations. The evaluation stated that interviewees across all categories provided examples of positive impacts resulting from the CCL’s knowledge exchange networks.

    CCL’s mandate:

    • To improve learning outcomes of Canadians and improve the effectiveness of the learning system in order to help Canadians to compete in the knowledge-based global economy and to meet the demand for a well-educated and skilled workforce;

    • To broaden and deepen the data and information on education and learning and to therefore support the creation of a skills and learning architecture that Canadians need;

    • To address information and knowledge gaps and to promote and support evidence-based decision-making in all areas of lifelong learning in order to strengthen the learning outcomes of Canadians and the performance of the learning system.

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