Instructional design/User testing of e-learning courses/Elements of an Evaluation Plan

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Before beginning any formative evaluation, a test plan needs to be developed. Morrison, Ross, and Kemp (2004) identify eight elements to every plan that are modified for each evaluation. These elements direct the testing for all instructional mediums, such as e-learning, classroom, and printed material.

The Plan in Review
The eight elements to any evaluation plan are:

1. Purpose

Why is the evaluation being conducted? First, ask yourself if the evaluation is necessary. If so, then what is the evaluation’s purpose: a.) to improve the material? b.) to determine time requirements? c.) to satisfy administrative requirements?

2. Audience

Who are the target recipients of the evaluation results? The audience will determine the type of information collected and reported.

3. Issues

What are the major questions/objectives of the evaluation? This sets the stage for the evaluation. These determine what data collection instruments and analysis are needed to provide answers to the questions/objectives that have been determined.

4. Resources

What resources will be needed to conduct the evaluation? Resources differ between objectives. They can include SMEs, students, data collection instruments, equipment, etc.

5. Evidence

What type of data or information will be needed to answer the evaluation questions? Give careful consideration to the type of evidence needed to answer the questions/objectives under the issues section. Consider such things as sample size, realism of exercise, participant objectivity, etc.

6. Data-gathering Techniques

What methods are needed to collect the evidence needed? Use multiple techniques to increase the validity of the results. Some examples are observation, questionnaires, interviews, and performance tests.

7. Analysis

How will the evidence collected be analyzed? Use descriptive analysis in the report and address the issues/objectives in a straightforward manner. Traditionally, frequency distributions and graphs/histograms have been used. Today, descriptive statistics and actual tester comments are frequently used as analysis procedures.

8. Reporting

How, to whom, and when will the results of the evaluation be reported? An evaluation report is distributed to the identified audience. The main report headings are: executive summary, purpose of evaluation, methodology, results, and conclusions and recommendations.

Now that you know the elements of an evaluation plan and the specific types of content, you're ready to move to the next topic, a completed user test plan. These elements have been tailored into a test plan that will be used to guide the testing of a Wikiversity page that will be performed in the next lesson.

Back to Topic: Instructional Design > User Testing of E-Learning Courses > Review Evaluation Plan