Evaluation, Implementing & Managing Instructional Programs & Projects

Other Models for Evaluation

Smith and Ragan’s Design Review is a formative evaluation model that is conducted at the output of each stage of design in order to make revisions before anything actually takes place. There are four components of the design review phase of evaluation. They are Goal Review, Review of Environment and Learner Analysis, Review of Task Analysis, and Review of Assessment Specifications and Blueprints.

Goal Review consists of a review of the learning goals based on a formal needs assessment and a formal stating of performance indicators.

Review of Environment and Learner Analysis involves collection of data from an environmental and learner analysis and reviewing its adequacy.

Review of Task Analysis confirms the prerequisite relationship of skills by testing two separate groups of learners. One with the targeted skills and another group of learners without the skills.

Review of Assessment Specifications and Blueprints involves having content and testing experts review assessment items and blueprints for the correspondence of the objectives and test item specifications and verify if the type of items outlined in the specifications sufficiently describe and are representative of the domain. Skilled learners can also be administered test items before the materials are developed to determine reliability of the items.

I would use this type of evaluation before any type of instruction is given so that I would know if any revisions were needed before hand. I feel that this type of model would be ideal in a type of environment wherein a curriculum was being completely built. On a smaller scale, designing a unit perhaps, I would use the steps. For example, the goal review would be making certain that my unit’s learning goals were congruent with state standards and district scope and sequence. Review of environment and learner analysis would consist of checking to make sure I had the proper materials and space in which to teach. I would also need to assess whether the students have the prior knowledge required in order to bridge with this new learning. Review of task analysis would consist of comparison of how same or similar unit or lesson worked before. Lastly, the review of assessment specifications would take the form of co-teachers, peers or specialists reviewing the unit to offer any insight or suggestions for changes.

Objective-based evaluation is a process of determining the degree to which educational objectives are being achieved. This follows a more traditionalist approach to learning and is straightforward to apply. It does not take into account unintended outcomes, and takes no account of students as individuals with all their differences.

This would be a model that I would use if I was trying to evaluate myself and how well I presented a lesson. I would use it if I was trying to see if I met the particular goals.

 

 

What else would be useful to know?

Evaluation more than just about how the student performs; it is also about how good the design is at meeting our goals. It would be useful to know if our resources were adequate or excessive. For instance, could we have used less paper? Could we have used more of less slides in our PowerPoint? Could we have used a trade book instead or in addition to the textbook. It would be useful to know how time was managed. Was enough time allotted to each aspect of the design? Was more or less time needed? In instructional design, student outcome should not be the sole means of critiquing our design. Even if all students did well, there may be some places were improvement will result in better student learning the next time.

 

 Situational Leadership

Leadership is contextual. The situational leader must readily adapt their leadership style to meet the needs of the team. I would work at balancing skills and maintaining motivation while working with the limited resources. For instance, I would make the most out of what experts I had on campus. Oftentimes, schools have resources in their teachers that are untapped.