Overview

Evaluation is both the last and first stage in the ADDIE model. It leads into another cycle of activity and should also occur during each stage as well. Try to get into the habit of jotting down your ideas and evaluation of your progress as you go – don’t leave it all to the end. This is where keeping an e-assessment ‘sketchbook’ or ‘notebook’ can be really useful. Evaluation of e-learning is a research subject in its own right and as demand grows for evidence based practice and strategy in relation to learning technology, then thorough evaluation becomes more important.

A useful resource for planning your evaluations is the ‘Evaluation Cookbook’ produced by Heriot-Watt University, this provides insights and guidance on undertaking different types of evaluation of learning technology. Another really useful set of resources is the work of Don Clark, who comes from the North American Instructional design tradition. He has produced a very accessible online guide to instructional design in general that some readers will find very useful. His guide also contains a useful section on evaluation including Kirpatrick’s four levels of evaluation.

Evaluate Tips

1. Always evaluate your work and record it – it is easy to forget especially as your e-assessment activity might occur infrequently
2. Be honest in your evaluation and remember to include the ‘systems’ elements that affect your work – you may not be able to change them but you may be able to work around them next time
3. Get student feedback about your e-assessments and act on it
4. If you are working with colleagues remember to record their impressions as well

Evaluate Checklist

1. Have a place to record you evaluations and any related ideas for improvement
2. If you are repeating an e-assessment start by thinking how it could be better
3. Technical Issues (e.g. images not displaying properly, slow computers etc.)
4. Admin issues (e.g. student records and computer lab room booking)
5. Peer review of your questions
6. Student performance in your e-assessment
7. Student feedback
8. Accessibility issues – did any of the students need assistance, if so what did you do?
9. How has this changed e-assessment benefited you students – compared to the previous one?
10. What are the benefits of this changed assessment for you, your colleagues and the college