Thomas A. Schwandt

Activities & Honors

• Distinguished Teaching Career Award, Awards Committee, 2012-
• Fellow, American Educational Research Association, 2010- present
• Editor-in-Chief, American Journal of Evaluation, 2009-2013
• Member of standing committee, National Academy of Science, National Research Council-DBASSE, 2007- present
• Campus Award for Excellence in Gradute & Professional Teaching, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 2006-
• Distinguished Teacher/Scholar, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 2003- present
• Paul F. Lazarsfeld Award, American Evaluation Association, 2002-
• Senior College Scholar, College of Education, 2002-
• Teaching Excellence Recognition Award, Indiana University, 1998-

Research Statement

My scholarship is primarily focused on the intersection of social research and practical philosophy. My work is heavily influenced by the tradition of philosophical hermeneutics and the insights we can draw from that body of work for the way we think about the practices of evaluation and research. These kinds of investigations include questions about the nature of human action, the nature of practice, the nature of understanding in the social/human sciences, the status and validity of the knowledge produced through evaluation and social research, the nature and role of expertise, the nature and role of dialogue and critical reflection in developing understanding, and so on. In addition, as a student of methodology, I investigate matters concerning the ethics of research, the nature and status of evidence, and the ways in which evidence is linked to claims.

Grants

• Principal Investigator, Evaluation of Norwegian Rehabilitation Program , National Center for Comprehensive Rehabilitation Research and Development, Bødo College (Bødo College, Bødo Norway), 2001-2004

Publications

• Dahler-Larsen, P. & Schwandt, T.A. (2012). Political culture as context for evaluation. In D.J. Rog, J. Fitzpatrick & R. Conner & (Eds.), Context: A framework for its influence on evaluation practice, New Directions for Evaluation No. 135, pp. 75-87.
• Prewitt, K., Schwandt, T.A., & Straff, M. (2012). Using Science as Evidence in Public Policy. Washington, DC: National Academies Press.
• Schwandt, T. A. (2009). Toward a practical theory of evidence for evaluation. In S. I. Donaldson, C. A. Christie, & M. M. Mark (Eds.), What counts as credible evidence in applied research and contemporary evaluation practice (pp. 197-212). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
• Schwandt, T. A. (2009). Globalizing influences on the Western evaluation imaginary. In K. E. Ryan & J. B. Cousins (Eds.), Sage international handbook on educational evaluation. Los Angeles: Sage.
• Schwandt, T. A. (2008). Educating for intelligent belief in evaluation. American Journal of Evaluation, 29(2), 139-150.
• Somekh, B., & Schwandt. T. A. (Eds.). (2007). Knowledge production: Research work in interesting times. London: Routledge.
• Schwandt, T. A. (2007). Dictionary of qualitative inquiry, (3rd edition). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
• Schwandt, T. A. (2007). On the importance of revisiting the study of ethics in evaluation. In S. Kushner & N. Norris (Eds.), Dilemmas of engagement: Evaluation and the new public management. Greenwich, CT: JAI Press.
• Schwandt, T. A. (2006). Opposition redirected. International Journal of Qualitative Studies in Education, 19(6), 803-810.
• Schwandt, T. A., & Burgon, H. (2006). Evaluation and the study of lived experience. In I. F. Shaw, J. C. Greene, & M. M. Mark (Eds.), The Sage handbook of evaluation (pp. 98-117). London: Sage.
• Schwandt, T. A. (2005). The centrality of practice to evaluation. American Journal of Evaluation, 26(1), 95-105.
• Schwandt, T. A. (2005). On modeling our understanding of the practice fields. Pedagogy, Culture, and Society, 13(3), 313-332.
• Schwandt, T. A. (2005). A diagnostic reading of scientifically-based research for education. Educational Theory, 55(3), 285-305.
• Schwandt, T. A. (2004). Hermeneutics: A poetics of inquiry versus a methodology for research. In H. Piper & I. Stronach (Eds.), Perspectives on the nature of educational research. London: Ashgate.
• Schwandt, T. A., & Jang, E. (2004). Linking validity and ethics in language testing: Insights from the hermeneutic turn in social science. Studies in Educational Evaluation, 30, 265-280.
• Schwandt, T. A. (2004). Evaluating holistic evaluation praxis. Oslo, Norway: Kommuneforlaget AS.
• Haug, P., & Schwandt, T. A. (Eds.). (2003). Evaluating educational reforms: Scandinavian perspectives. Greenwich, CT: Information Age Press.
• Schwandt, T. A. (2003). In search of the political morality of evaluation practice. Studies in Educational Policy and Educational Philosophy, 2. Retrieved February 1, 2003 from http://www.upi.artisan.se/docs/Doc183.pdf
• Schwandt, T. A. (2002). Evaluation practice reconsidered. New York: Peter Lang.
• Schwandt, T. A. (2001). Dictionary of qualitative inquiry (2nd rev. ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
• Schwandt, T. A., (2001). Responsiveness and everyday life. In J. C. Greene & T. Abma(Eds.), Responsive evaluation. New Directions for Evaluation, 92, 73-88.
• Schwandt, T. (2001). A post script on thinking about dialogue. Evaluation, 7(2), 275-288.
• Schwandt, T. (2000). Three epistemological stances for qualitative inquiry: Interpretivism, hermeneutics, and social constructionism. In N. K. Denzin & Y. S. Lincoln (Eds.), The handbook of qualitative research (2nd ed.). Newbury Park, CA: Sage.

In The News

A Minute With: Professor Tom Schwandt on science and public policy Nov. 14, 2012 NOV. 14, 2012, UI NEWS BUREAU, CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Elected officials are called upon to address all types of complex issues – often with numerous constituencies offering what they believe is compelling scientific evidence that supports a particular course of action. Thomas Schwandt is a member of the National Research Council Standing Committee, which explored the use of social science knowledge in policymaking. Schwandt spoke with News Bureau reporter Sharita Forrest about the committee’s work and its recently released report, “Using Science as Evidence in Public Policy.” Schwandt is a professor in the department of educational psychology at the University of Illinois. Read more...