Smith, Nick L.

(b. 1946, Kirksville, Missouri). Ph.D. Educational Psychology, B.S., University of Illinois, Urbana; M.S., Illinois State University.

Smith was given a head start in the field of evaluation by his influential advisors at the University of Illinois, especially Tom Hastings, Ernie House, and Bob Stake. His thinking has also been heavily influenced by the writings of Michael Scriven and Donald Campbell, as well as a list of colleagues too long to include.

His early evaluation work included conducting large-scale evaluation studies at the Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory in Portland, Oregon (1973–1975), and evaluations of medical education at the University of Nebraska Medical Center (1975–1976). Returning to the Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory in 1976, Smith directed a multiyear, federally funded, research and development project to produce alternative evaluation methods for use by local school districts and state departments of education (1978–1985). Since 1985, he has been on the faculty of the Instructional Design, Development, and Evaluation Program in the School of Education at Syracuse University, where he continues his study and writing on evaluation theory, methods, and practice.

Evaluation theory and the methodology of applied social science and evaluation, especially investigative approaches, are the primary areas of Smith's research interest. He is especially interested in descriptive theories of evaluation and in advocating and conducting studies of actual evaluation practice to provide an empirical basis for the improvement of subsequent evaluation theory and practice. His approach to the study of investigative methods emphasizes their reliance on the fundamental aspects of all inquiry: the development of skills and procedures of knowledge, observation, reasoning, and intuition.

Smith has held numerous leadership positions in evaluation, including President of the Evaluation Network (1980), Chairperson of the Evaluation [Page 392]Section of Division 18 of the American Psychological Association (1985–1986), and President of the Research on Evaluation Special Interest Group of the American Educational Research Association (1987–1988). In the American Evaluation Association, he served as President of the Theories of Evaluation Topical Interest Group, two terms on the Board of Directors (1988–1991 and 1999–2001), and as President of AEA (2004). During this time, he also served on the editorial boards of a half dozen evaluation journals, including serving as Editor-in-Chief of New Directions for Program Evaluation (1988–1992).

His research and service have been recognized through such awards as the Distinguished Research Award from the Association of Teacher Educators (1984), the Distinguished Service Award (1987) and Special Achievement Award (1993) from Division 18 of the American Psychological Association, and the Robert B. Ingle Service Award (1991) from the American Evaluation Association.