Developing an Effective Evaluation to Check for Understanding
Part 2
Susan E. Schultz, Ph.D.Evaluation Consultant
PARK Teachers
PARK Teachers
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
PARK Teachers
PART 2: Goals and Types of Evaluation
PARK Teachers
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).
PARK Teachers
Check for Understanding Task 2: Debrief Discussion
Goals of Evaluation
Type of Evaluation
Assessment Instruments
PARK Teachers
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
PARK Teachers
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
PARK Teachers
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
PARK Teachers
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
PARK Teachers
Types of EvaluationFormative
– 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
PARK Teachers
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