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Evaluation
A key element of quality assurance in education is evaluation, (see below)
Figure 1 The Educational Paradigm
Ramsden (1992) describes evaluation as ’a way of understanding the effects of our teaching on students’ learning. It implies collecting information about our work, interpreting the information and making judgements about which actions we should take to improve practice. Evaluation is an analytical process that is critical to good teaching‘.
Kirkpatrick (1994) suggests that evaluation should be carried out at four levels: reaction (or satisfaction) with the learning process, learning (of knowledge and skills), behaviour or capability to perform skills, and results, impact, outcomes or transfer of learning to the workplace. Organizations are usually good at gathering information from and about students and programmes at the lower levels of evaluation but tend to be much less effective in using it to enhance the quality of their education provision.
Learners also commonly complain that nothing seems to change as a result of their feedback. This leads students to become resistant to exercises designed to elicit feedback, providing misleading data or refusing to participate. Teachers need to demonstrate and explain what is going to change as a result and also what is not going to change.
Thinking point:
How do you (as a teacher) gather information from learners about their satisfaction, learning, behaviours/capability and results or impact?
Where would you place the evaluations currently used in terms of Kirkpatrick’s four levels?
How do you think you could gather feedback on the higher levels?
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