The 2nd Event of the Vienna Evaluation Network took place on April 12, 2018 at 3-4.30pm.
TOPIC: What is “evaluation”? Discussing the fundamentals by Alfred Uhl
The Society for Evaluation (DeGEval) set up a commission of experts to develop standards for evaluation (“Standards für Evaluation, first edition” 2001; 2nd edition in 2016). The process of the first edition made evident that the experts understood the term “evaluation” differently, and that many criteria for “evaluation”, regarded as central by some, were viewed as totally inappropriate by others. Alfred Uhl, as the expert in the commission who initiated the process to formally define the term “evaluation” despite internal resistance, will present the process leading to the final definition of the first and current edition of standards. Uhl will discuss important implications of such a definition and the ensuing methodological and ontological limitations evaluators face in their work.
View or download the slides (PDF): Alfred_Uhl_Presentation
Med-Standard , Alfred Uhl
Alfred Uhl holds a PhD degree in Psychology from the University of Vienna. Since 2016 he is Deputy Head of the department “Competence Center Addiction” of the Austrian Public Health Institute (Gesundheit Österreich) in Vienna. From 1977 till 2009 he was senior scientist at the Ludwig Boltzmann Institute for Addiction Research, from 2000 till 2009 he was director of the “Alcohol Coordination and Information Centre (AKIS), from 2010 till 2014 he was research coordinator of the department “Addiction Research and Documentation” of the Anton Proksch Institute.
Since the beginning of his scientific carrier his focus was epidemiology, policy research, evaluation and research methodology. Parallel to his research work he taught statistics and research methodology at the Vienna University of Economics and Business Administration (1977 – 2009), is teaching Statistics at the Sigmund Freud Private University (since 2012) and taught prevention and evaluation in various Austrian Master courses. Alfred Uhl is board member on several international scientific journals, worked as a consultant for international, national, and local government bodies and was involved in more than 20 European research projects. Some of Uhl’s publications on evaluation can be found below.
The presentation will last about 30 minutes. Thereafter the participants will have about 45 minutes to ask questions, discuss the topic, and exchange experiences. For anyone interested we can continue our conversation informally.
WHEN: 12 April 2018, 3-4.30pm
WHERE: The venue is Berggasse 17, the third-floor conference room of the European Centre for Social Welfare Policy and Research. You cross the court and find the entrance right in front of you.
Uhl References:
Uhl, A. (1998): Was bedeutet Evaluation in Zusammenhang mit Prävention im Suchtbereich. In: Dür, W.; Pelikan, J. M. (Hrsg.): Qualität in der Gesundheitsförderung. Facultas, Wien, S. 92-110
Uhl, A. (1998): Evaluation of Primary Prevention in the Field of Illicit Drugs: Definitions – Concepts – Problems. In: Springer, A.; Uhl, A. (eds.): Evaluation Research in Regard to Primary Prevention of Drug Abuse. A COST-A6 Publication. European Commission Social Sciences, Brussels, S. 135-221 (https://www.researchgate.net/publication/259398296_Evaluation_Research_in_Regard_to_Primary_Prevention_of_Drug_Abuse)
Uhl, A. (2000): Evaluation vs. Evalopathy: Support for Practical Improvement vs. Irrational Nuisance. In: University of Tampere, School for Public Heath: Outcomes in Health Promotion, Key Questions for research and policy, Abstracts and Programme of the 3rd Nordic Health Promotion Research Conference, Tampere, 6-9 September, 2000. STAKES, Tampere, S. 108-109 (https://www.researchgate.net/publication/277813253_Abstract_Evaluation_versus_Evalopathy_-_Support_for_Practical_Improvement_vs_Irrational_Nuisance)
Uhl, A. (2000): Evaluationsforschung. In: Stimmer, F. (Hrsg.): Lexikon der Sozialpädagogik und der Sozialarbeit 4. überarbeitete und erweiterte Auflage. Oldenbourg, München, S. 218-225
Uhl, A. (2000): The Limits of Evaluation. In: Neaman, R.; Nilson, M.; Solberg, U.: Evaluation – A Key Tool for Improving Drug Prevention. EMCDDA Scientific Monograph Series, No 5, Lisbon, S. 143-157 (http://www.emcdda.europa.eu/system/files/publications/209/Monograph5_64365.pdf)
Uhl, A. (2007): Wie viel Evaluation braucht die Psychotherapie. In: Steirischer Landesverband für Psychotherapie: Festschrift anlässlich 15 Jahre STLP – Entwicklung fördern, Perspektiven gewinnen, Leiden behandeln. STLP, Graz, S. 9-11 (https://www.psychotherapie.at/sites/default/files/files/slp/SLP-Psychotherapie-hilft-Sommer-2007.pdf)
Uhl, A. (2007): Kriterien der Evaluation in der Suchtprävention. Prävention, Schwerpunktheft: Evaluation in der Prävention und Gesundheitsförderung, 4, 120-124 (https://www.researchgate.net/publication/264347211_Kriterien_der_Evaluation_in_der_Suchtpravention)
Uhl, A.; Ives, R. (2010): Evaluation of drug prevention activities – Theory and practice. Pompidou Group – Council of Europe, Strasbourg (https://rm.coe.int/1680745e5d)
Uhl, A. (2012): Methodenprobleme bei der Evaluation komplexerer Sachverhalte: Das Beispiel Suchtprävention. In: Robert Koch-Institut, Bayrisches Landesamt für Gesundheit und Lebensmittelsicherheit (Hrsg.): Beiträge zur Gesundheitsberichterstattung des Bundes Evaluation komplexer Interventionsprogramme in der Prävention: Lernende Systeme, lehrreiche Systeme. Robert Koch Institut, Berlin, S. 57-78 (https://www.rki.de/DE/Content/Gesundheitsmonitoring/Gesundheitsberichterstattung/GBEDownloadsB/evaluation_praevention.pdf;jsessionid=13B968FC01A235FAB9E483DF73759EEB.2_cid390?__blob=publicationFile)
Uhl, A. (2015): Der Mythos einer rationalen Effektivitätsforschung. In: Hoff, T.; Klein, M.: Evidenzbasierung in der Suchtprävention – Möglichkeiten und Grenzen in Praxis und Forschung. Springer, Berlin, S. 103-118
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