Learning Evaluation should be an integral part of each activity of the instructional development process, including for eLearning in its various forms, although designers often overlook it or leave it out. Evaluation is important because it is the most reliable tool for continuous improvement in training system quality.
Properly done, evaluation starts in the planning stage with development of an evaluation plan and continues for the life cycle of the training system. In this article, I propose a method for conducting the training evaluation from start to finish.
Letâs get started!
Evaluation overview
Evaluation provides different kinds of information to those who are directly involved with the project (the participants) and to those who otherwise invest in the project, whether by credibility, control, or other capital (the stakeholders).
The evaluation plan should clearly identify the participants and stakeholders.
Methodology
Table 1 summarizes the steps, process and inputs, and the outcomes.
Steps |
Process and Inputs |
Outcome |
| 1 â Plan the evaluation | Users of the evaluation data and analysts identify the evaluation questions. | Evaluation plan |
| 2 â Determine the evaluation design | Identify the appropriate level of evaluation and the population, sampling methods, and the method of data collection. | Evaluation design |
| 3 â Develop the instruments | Develop and validate the instruments. | Data collection instruments |
| 4 â Collect data | Conduct interviews, distribute questionnaires, or collect other data. | Raw data |
| 5 â Analyze the data | Use statistical packages (e.g., SPSS) to analyze the data and interpret the results. | Summary descriptive and statistical data |
| 6 â Report the findings | Write draft and final reports to present the findings and make recommendations. | Evaluation report |
 Evaluation step-by-step
1. Plan the Evaluation
Begin by developing a written evaluation plan to:
- State the objectives of the evaluation,
- Determine the questions to answer,
- Select the information that you collect to answer these questions, and
- Set a timeline for when the collection of information will begin and end.
This plan can guide you through each step of the evaluation process because it details the practices and procedures for successfully conducting your evaluation.
2. Determine the Evaluation Design
In this step, provide detailed descriptions of what you plan to do, how you plan to do it, and who it is you want to âŠ
