What is evaluation?

What is evaluation?

Evaluation is the process of using data and evidence to make judgements about the effectiveness of teaching programs, policies and procedures. From the teachers’ viewpoint, evaluation follows reflection on the learning activities and processes as well as the responses of students.

Watch a beginning teacher’s evaluation of his MyScience experience.

Watch an experienced teacher discuss the experience of MyScience the second time around.

Student reflection

In addition to teacher evaluation, students are encouraged to reflect on their learning processes and evaluate. Research evidence is that students are generally honest and reliable when self-assessing but they must have a clear picture of the targets that their learning is intended to obtain (Black P. and Wiliams D. (1998), ‘Inside the Black Box – Raising Standards Through Classroom Assessment’). Students need to be trained in self-assessment. They need to understand the main purposes of their learning and what they must do to be successful. Teachers need to learn to manage discussions that are designed to elicit student prior understandings so as to deal with unexpected responses from students in such a way as to NOT try to manoeuvre conversations to get predictable answers. Research suggests that students learn to play the game of guessing the answer that the teacher requires rather than thinking through situations aloud. Evidence suggests that increasing wait time or allowing small group discussions before students respond is essential to supporting learning. More information about student reflection is included in the level 2 learning pathway. Students could complete this drag and drop activity supporting reflection and evaluation of their investigative processes.

Watch a group of students recount their MyScience investigation comparing the memory of boys with that of girls. They outline their method but also reflect on areas for improvement.

We distinguish reflection from evaluation in that evaluation is the decisive or judgemental phase that follows from reflection.

A useful tool to support student reflection is the use of a learning journal (also called notebooking by some workers). Students use learning journals as individualised logs of their learning. They formulate and record questions, ideas or inspirations, make predictions, record data, procedures, results, conclusions or construct concept maps or otherwise show how they are making connections in their learning. They can use computers or pen and paper. Features such as Venn diagrams, box and T charts, flow charts, concept maps and tables are part of a learning journal. While they are useful for the final presentation on an investigation they are a valuable tool for teacher evaluation.