The purpose of Evaluation

Evaluation provides critical feedback to the learning process, thus it is imperative that evaluation be helpful. It must be clear, immediate, regular, accessible, individualized, affirming, future-oriented, justifiable, educative and selective.

Prior to deciding on assessment strategies, one must dissect the purpose of evaluation, how it aligns with the personal teaching philosophy as well as institutional goals. Here are the nine purposes of evaluation (Fenwick & Parsons, 2009).

If you were to re-arrange these purposes by importance, 1 being the most important and 9 being the least important, what would it look like?

1. To compare actual learner performance to the goals of the instruction.
2. To help learners make decisions regarding future actions.
3. To monitor learner progress.
4. To assess instructional strategies.
5. To revise the program.
6. To provide information for other stakeholders.
7. To assess a learner’s background knowledge.
8. To determine learner satisfaction.
9. To develop self-assessment in learners.

I believe learner progress and satisfaction to be two crucial aspects that should be considered in evaluation. If the learner has no insight regarding their progress, it will decrease their satisfaction with the educational program and make it more challenging to take appropriate  decisions regarding future learning endeavours.

Thus, please reflect, what is the purpose of your evaluation?

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“Teaching without learning is just talking!”- Patricia Cross.

Teacher Designed Feedback Forms

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The ultimate question is: how can educators gain authentic insights into student learning in order to improve the scholarship of teaching and learning?

The reflective practitioner strives to comprehend how “students are experiencing their learning and perceiving [teacher’s] actions” (Brookfield, 2006, p.35).

Teacher designed feedback forms are short, simple, course specific, instructor designed  feedback forms,aimed at a specific set of learners. They elicit limited, focused and authentic responses if best practices are followed. The feedback collected in this manner is analyzed and serves as an insight into the learning process, as a foundation for promoting self-reflective learning and through its subsequent summary and discussion as a timely possible intervention tool, to make adjustments to both teaching and learning through a devised strategic action plan.

For a more through and engaging dissection of the topic, please view my Prezi on TDFF:

http://prezi.com/rckycvq2e2b9/?utm_campaign=share&utm_medium=copy&rc=ex0share