w7: Evaluation – Isn’t there an off the peg solution?

[Yishay Mor]

Bob Ridge-Stearn (http://thedigitalday.wordpress.com/2013/02/26/evaluation/) asks: 

"There is a lot of information about how to evaluate, about the theory behind it and about how to construct an evaluation method, but what I want is a tried and tested evaluation method to use – not to make. It is all very interesting if evaluation is the thing you’re interested in, but not so much if you’re only interested in getting a job done. Sure, I could design my own evaluation method but I think someone far more knowledgeable than I must have done so already. There should be something that I can pick up and use. I don’t mind providing feedback and helping to improve it, but I doubt that my reinvention of the wheel will turn any more smoothly than previous versions.

Maybe, every situation, every course needs its own evaluation method and tools but I doubt it. I can only assume that where I am thinking of online courses as the product of learning design, others are thinking of smaller units which may not need the whole bag of tools."

If we want practitioners in incorporate evaluation into their work, we need to make it as hassle-free and time-saving as possible. Can we do that? Could we offer an evaluation "swiss army knife" for techno-educational innovations?

What do you think?

[Kelly Edmonds]

I read Bob's blog entry and he seemed to have discovered Fevatools at: http://fevatools.wikispaces.com/  I took a look at this resource and it had some classic instruments and concepts to use in evaluating a variety of items: students, facilitators, and the course. Instruments assessed styles, satisfaction etc.

Considering these were posted by a university I am going to assume they are viable and can be adapted to individual need.

Thanks, Bob, for sharing!