Developing an Effective Evaluation to Check for Understanding

Part 2

Susan E. Schultz, Ph.D.

Evaluation Consultant

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Overview

Part 1: Components of Program Development

Part 2: Goals and Types of Evaluation

Part 3: Creating an Effective Evaluation Plan

Developing an Effective Evaluation Plan

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PART 2: Goals and Types of Evaluation

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Check for Understanding Task 2: Defining Evaluation

Part 1: Take a moment and write down your definition of the term evaluation (5 minutes). Please keep a copy of your definition in your notebook as we will return to it later in the workshop.

Part 2: In small groups, share each person’s definition and discuss similarities and differences (15 minutes).

Part 3: On a piece of poster paper, write down a group definition of evaluation and be prepared to share with the whole group (10 minutes).

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Check for Understanding Task 2: Debrief Discussion

Goals of Evaluation

Type of Evaluation

Assessment Instruments

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Check for Understanding Task 2: Debrief Discussion Goals of Evaluation

Identifies learner’s prior knowledge or experiencesDetermines the gap between learner’s current content knowledge

or skill level and the program goalsGuides Program Improvement or RevisionProvides Instructional Feedback to Program Educators Monitors Program Impacts or EffectivenessAccountability to Organization/Foundations/Financial Supporters

Types of EvaluationFormative Summative

Assessment InstrumentsSurveys or QuestionnairesContent and Performance-based TestsConcept MapsInterviews

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Goals of Evaluation

• Identify learner’s prior knowledge:– Gather information on the participants’ previous experiences and/or

content exposure– Enables you to identify relevant connections to teach your program – Helps to determine possible program impacts on the learner

• Determine the gap between the participant’s current content knowledge or skill level and the program goals:– Scaffold the program to help participants get from their current

knowledge to meet goals of program– Modify the instruction and/ or program to help learners narrow the

gap

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Goals of Evaluation

• Guides Program Improvement – Provides valuable information to revise program components based

on participants’ feedback and/or performance on evaluation instruments

• Provides Instructional Feedback to Program Educators

– Enables educators to identify relevant connections to teach the program

– Improves program educators instructional practices – Enables program educators to modify the instruction to meet the

needs of the participants

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Goals of Evaluation

• Monitors Program Impacts or Effectiveness– Measures potential changes in participants’ interest, attitudes, content

knowledge, and skill levels– Provides evidence of the program’s impact on the participants and

can be used as a measure of effectiveness

• Accountability to Organization/Funding Sources– Provides valuable follow-up information – Results in additional funding to continue the program – Holds program developers accountable for creating and implementing

a high quality program

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Types of Evaluation

Formative– Tasks or activities embedded throughout the program to

provide feedback on the participants’ understanding and performance of the program goals

– Guides educators to determine the gap between participants’ current content and/or skill level and the program goals

– Helps educators to meet the needs of individual participants

– Provides continuous feedback to the program team to revise program components

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Types of Evaluation

Summative– Task or culminating activity administered at the end of a

program to measure changes in participants’ interests, attitudes, content knowledge, and/or skill level (post assessment).

– Provides valuable information on program impacts for accountability purposes