Topic 6: eLearning Evaluation

Competencies: conduct mid-point and post-learning review, reflect on own performance.
Evaluation is often a step in the learning process that is missed or not done as rigorously as necessary. It is an essential element in the quality improvement of eLearning programs. So, what are the key reasons for evaluating, what aspects of your program do you evaluate and what evaluation tools might you use?
There are a range of approaches to evaluation and it is important to develop an evaluation plan that provides you with useful information that you can act on to improve your eLearning program, both for the current program and future programs.

Activity 6.1 Purpose of Evaluation

Task 1 - Review the contents of the Evaluating Online Learning by Clive Shepherd site before attending our synchronous online session for this topic.

Task 2 - Participate in the discussion in the web conference session: Why evaluate? What to evaluate? As well as having good reasons for evaluating and identifying what to evaluate there is a third question: when do you evaluate!

Activity 6.2 The Great Debate - when to evaluate?

Let's debate the pros and cons of when to evaluate, ie formative vs summative evaluation. The topic for the debate is:
"eLearning programs must be evaluated progressively, not just at the end"

Instructions: Go to the Great Debate page on the eLF4Us wiki to complete this activity.
- Check to see which team you are in and nominate a team leader
- Post your first round argument (you may be challenged if you have been allocated to a team you don't agree with, but that's what debates are all about).
- THEN, select an argument someone has posted in the opposite team forum and post a rebuttal (select one that no-one else has rebutted yet if possible).
- Each team leader should summarise the team arguments.
- The winning team will be announced at the end of the topic.

Evaluation Tools

You can use a range of tools to collect evaluation data about your program. You will have access to data from student information systems, LMS (tracking, participation data), assessment results, initial survey of learners that you could consider, for a start.

Let's look at a sample of other evaluation tools. Once you have collected the data you will need to analyse it and identify key findings that indicate ways you can improve your eLearning program.

Activity 6.3 Sample Evaluation Tools

Let's try out a few Evaluation Tools - and while we're at it we will evaluate the eLF program! Here is a selection of a few tools, there are lots more. As you complete or participate, think about which one(s) you might use with your eLearning program.

Task 1 - online survey - complete the online evaluation survey for the program - this survey was created using Survey Monkey
Click here to take survey Survey link updated 9th Feb 2010


Task 2 - synchronous online focus Group/SWOT - participate in a focus group during the web conference session for this topic

Task 3 - Tell a story through pictures or words

Metaphor - decide on an image or scene that represents your feelings about your experience in the eLF program , describe why this image is representative and relate the different parts of the course to elements of the metaphor.
OR
Narrative - Write a short story about your journey through the eLF program.

Post your metaphor description or your story to the Discussion link at the top of this page.

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TIME OUT - Reflection for your Learning Journal (Use the Discussion Tab on your own page)

Which of the above tools did you prefer? Which one/s would you use to evaluate your own elearning program. Are there other types of Evaluation Tools that you have used or would use with your eLearning program.

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