Final event of the workshop “Evaluation – Assessing Competently, Reporting Professionally”
The final event of the interdisciplinary workshop “Evaluation – Assessing Competently, Reporting Professionally” took place on May 17, 2025. Funded by QSL resources and led by Dr. Sarah Schmidt, students spent two semesters working with experts in the field of evaluation to explore the theoretical and practical foundations of evaluation. They then developed custom evaluation concepts for educational projects in Frankfurt and the surrounding area.
The students presented their developed concepts in a poster exhibition, discussing key questions that arise during the evaluation design process.
The Workshop
The workshop, funded through QSL (Mittel zur Verbesserung der Qualität der Studienbedingungen und der Lehre – resources for improving the quality of study conditions and teaching), was initiated in response to a shortage of qualified graduates in the field of educational evaluation. Given the diverse funding landscape in Germany and rising demand for high-quality assessments of project outcomes, the need for qualified evaluators is growing. However, many students have limited knowledge about this career field. Thus, the workshop’s primary aim was to familiarize students of the social sciences with evaluation theories and methods in education – and to qualify them for this career path. The workshop was organized across faculties and had a strong practical orientation. Students from education, political science, sports science, sociology, theology, and teacher training collaborated with nine different projects from the fields of education, culture, health, social issues, and the environment, developing tailored evaluation concepts that were handed over to the projects for further use.
Insights into the Evaluation Concepts
The project partners were particularly interested in evaluating the effectiveness of their initiatives. Various empirical research methods from both quantitative and qualitative fields are suitable for evaluations.
The student project group working on “Bike im Trend” developed a quantitatively oriented evaluation concept. The initiative by Umweltlernen Frankfurt e.V. seeks to involve students in planning their school routes during project weeks, thereby making school routes safer, improving cycling skills, raising awareness of environmentally responsible mobility, and ultimately promoting bicycle use.
To assess the effectiveness of these goals, the evaluation will investigate, for instance, whether students develop a changed environmental awareness after the project week and whether this affects their mobility behavior.
Using standardized surveys, students’ environmental awareness, perceived traffic safety, and mobility habits will be recorded both immediately before and several weeks after the project week. By comparing pre- and post-surveys, changes in attitudes and behavior can be identified, allowing conclusions about the project’s success.
In addition to the surveys, bicycle use will also be assessed by observing school bike racks – counting the number of bicycles before and after the project week. It’s important to account for factors such as similar weather conditions during both observations. Also, some students may have developed greater environmental awareness but still do not use bicycles due to financial or personal reasons. The questionnaire accounts for such possibilities and will also include open-ended questions to allow students to explain their mobility choices.
While this project benefits from quantitative methods, others are better suited to qualitative or mixed-methods approaches that combine both. One example is the theater project “GeschlechterRolleMensch” by the Schultheater-Studio Frankfurt, which offers theater pedagogy workshops to students from grade 6 onward, exploring topics like gender roles, homophobia, and coming out. Students develop scenes related to these themes. Goals include recognizing and reflecting on gender roles and stereotypes, as well as reducing prejudices related to gender identities and sexual orientation.
Documentation and Reflection
To assess whether the workshop helped raise awareness of gender discrimination and reduce stereotypes, the project owners proposed reconstructing the reflection process students underwent during the workshop. One way to do so is audio or video recordings, which are later analyzed to examine how the discussions evolved. To determine whether the workshop had a lasting influence on students’ attitudes, a group interview several weeks afterward is suggested. Group interviews allow facilitators to provide narrative prompts and follow-up with clarifying questions, offering deeper insight into students’ thought development.
However, it became clear during discussions that not all students feel free to express themselves openly in class. While individual interviews would be ideal, they are too time-consuming given the number of participants. A more practical option might be a standardized questionnaire, which could increase response rates.
Across all evaluation concepts, it became clear that the choice between quantitative and qualitative methods depends significantly on the evaluation questions. Experienced evaluators also noted that available resources – both financial and human – strongly influence methodological decisions. For example, large participant numbers may rule out qualitative interviews. In such cases, group interviews can be a useful compromise, as demonstrated in the “GeschlechterRolleMensch” project.
Even with suitable methods, motivating participants to take part in follow-up evaluations can be a challenge. The workshop discussed strategies to improve response rates, such as conducting evaluations immediately after an event or offering incentives (e.g., prize draws for gift cards) if a time delay is necessary.
The final event brought together students, project partners, and experts for productive discussions about the practical development and implementation of evaluations, while also offering valuable insights into the professional practice of evaluation.
If you have questions about the workshop or are interested in participating in similar future projects, feel free to contact Dr. Sarah Schmidt (sarah.schmidt@em.uni-frankfurt.de).
Authors: Miriam Cirino is a research associate in the teaching project “Evaluation – Assessing Competently, Reporting Professionally” at Goethe University Frankfurt; Dr. Sarah Schmidt heads the Social Science Methods Center at Goethe University Frankfurt and teaches in the Faculty of Educational Sciences.
Participating Projects
• Bike im Trend, Umweltlernen in Frankfurt e.V.
• Klimafrühstück, Verbraucherzentrale Hessen
• Jugendberufshilfe Fechenheim, ASB Lehrerkooperative gGmbH
• Los geht’s – Ihr Weg in die Gesundheits- und Sozialberufe, ASB Lehrerkooperative gGmbH
• Jobs mit Zukunft – Berufsorientierung trifft Energiewende, Umweltlernen in Frankfurt e. V.
• Kommunale Gesundheitsinitiativen interkulturell (KoGi), Gesundheitsamt Frankfurt & Mehrgenerationenhaus Gallus
• GeschlechterRolleMensch, Schultheater-Studio Frankfurt
• #cleanffm, Stabsstelle Sauberes Frankfurt, Stadt Frankfurt
