Glossary I
Illusory superiority
The tendency to overestimate one’s abilities or performance relative to others.
Impact assessment
A process for evaluating the social, economic, and environmental impacts of a project or program.
Impact assessment tools
Methods for evaluating the effectiveness and impact of professional development initiatives.
Impact measurement
The process of assessing the effects or outcomes of a program or initiative.
Impact on learning evaluation
The effect of a program or initiative on the evaluation of learning outcomes.
Impartiality
Fairness and lack of bias in the evaluation process.
Implementation Plan
A detailed plan outlining the steps and resources needed to achieve professional development goals.
Impression management
The conscious or unconscious effort to control the perception others have of oneself.
Improved communication skills among employees
Enhanced ability to effectively exchange information and ideas among coworkers.
Improved employee retention rates
Increased likelihood of employees staying with an organization.
Improved outcomes
Positive results or achievements.
Improvement
The overall goal of professional development to improve skills, knowledge, and performance.
Improvement in student learning
The goal of professional development for educators to improve student learning outcomes.
Improvement Objectives Definition
The process of defining specific goals and objectives for professional development.
Inability to identify specific areas for improvement
Difficulty in pinpointing specific areas that need improvement.
Inadequate documentation for legal or regulatory purposes
Insufficient record-keeping or documentation that does not meet legal or regulatory requirements.
Incentive structures
Rewards or benefits offered to employees for achieving their professional development goals.
Inclusion of diverse perspectives in the evaluation process
Incorporating feedback and perspectives from individuals with different backgrounds and experiences in the evaluation process.
Inconsistency
Lack of uniformity or reliability in results or processes.
Increased adaptability to change within the organization
The ability to adjust and respond to changes in the workplace.
Increased productivity
Improved efficiency and output in work or tasks.
Independence
The ability for an employee to pursue their professional development goals without interference or bias.
Independent review of evaluations by third-party experts
Having an outside expert review and provide feedback on employee evaluations.
Independent variable
The variable that is manipulated or controlled in a study to determine its effect on the dependent variable.
Indirect costs
Costs associated with a program or initiative that are not directly related to its implementation, such as lost productivity.
Individual progress tracking
Monitoring and recording an employee’s progress towards their professional development goals.
Industry standards
Established benchmarks or best practices within a particular industry or field.
Inferential statistics
Statistical methods used to make inferences about a population based on a sample.
Informal approach
A flexible and self-directed approach to professional development.
Informal approach drawbacks
Limitations of using informal methods for professional development, such as lack of structure or accountability.
Information processing
The cognitive processes involved in receiving, interpreting, and responding to information.
In-house evaluator
An individual or team within a company responsible for evaluating employee performance and development.
Initial assessment
An evaluation conducted at the beginning of a program or intervention to establish a baseline of knowledge or skills.
Input-output measures
Metrics used to evaluate the efficiency of a process or system.
Instructional design
The process of creating effective and efficient learning experiences.
Instrumentation effect
Changes in the measurement instrument or process that affect the results of a study.
Insufficient feedback from participants and stakeholders
A lack of input or response from those involved in a program or initiative.
Intangible benefits
Benefits that cannot be easily quantified or measured, such as improved morale or job satisfaction.
Interdependence
The relationship between two or more things that depend on each other.
Internal rate of return (IRR)
A financial calculation that determines the rate of return on an investment.
Internal validity
The extent to which a study accurately measures the relationship between variables without the influence of extraneous factors.
Interrupted time series design
A research design that involves measuring a variable over time, with an intervention or event occurring at a specific point in time.
Interviews
A method of gathering information through direct conversation with individuals or groups.
Intrinsic value
The inherent value of something, independent of its market value.
Investment efficiency
The effectiveness of an investment in terms of the return on investment.
Investment return
The profit or loss made on an investment, typically expressed as a percentage of the initial investment.
Iterative process
A process that involves repeating a series of steps or actions to continuously improve and refine a product or process.