Avaliação externa das escolas : teorias e modelos

In his search related to the making up of a theory of the field of evaluation, Sobrinho refers to multi-faceted references and complexity as central elements, not only because evaluation is a “field whose domain is disputed by various disciplines and social practices of distinct academic, political and social institutions” but also evaluation is a “social phenomenon,” which can be seen to include “actions, attitudes and values of individuals from diverse backgrounds.” If these words of a renowned author in the field of evaluation serve to characterize evaluation as a complex social activity, on the other hand, they also validate this theoretical incursion of mine into institutional evaluation, because evaluation of a school is an activity that requires specialist knowledge of Curricular Theory and Development. Above all, if this epistemological field would be considered as an interdisciplinary study of educational experience, where the common thinking and in an update of Schwab, are the context (political, social, cultural, economic and ideological), the actors (students, teachers, parents and educational guardians, local authorities, publishing houses, trade unions, etc.) and knowledge. One is dealing with a markedly curricular vision that I intend to include in this contribution not forgetting my situation as a teacher of Theory and Models of Evaluation in the University of Minho but also my experience acquired as an external evaluator of the model, which is at the centre of this article. My inclusion in the process of the external evaluation of schools or groups of schools, later designated by schools in the role of external specialist, does not compromise me in terms of a critical epistemological analysis, in so far as I assume a position of distance in this academic world, even that my exhaustive knowledge of the object under analysis (the school) enables me to reconcile judgements that are based on experience and with value judgements.Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT