Review: Thomas Brüsemeister & Klaus-Dieter Eubel (Eds.) (2008). Evaluation, Wissen und Nichtwissen [Evaluation, Knowledge and Lack of Knowledge]

Abstract

The main goal of this book is to discuss practices of evaluation in education. Evaluation creates new knowledge; in parallel, it sometimes also creates new blind spots. The authors' reflections are connected to practices such as large-scale assessments (PISA), the implementation of educational standards, national monitoring in education, governance of schools, and instruments such as "portfolios." There are many complex relationships between politics, evaluation and fields of practice and institutionalized communication is complemented by various means of informal communication and interaction. The authors of the book illustrate evaluation and knowledge creation on the macro-level and difficulties in using it on lower levels. Due to the complexity of the topic, this book can neither reflect in depth nor explicitly classify different forms of knowledge characteristics and their usefulness. Various methods of data infiltration, causal links, and forms of interpretation are analyzed through the lens of knowledge creation. URN: urn:nbn:de:0114-fqs1001164