Education and Methods of Evaluation - Essay Example

Download file to see previous pages Assessment is not something that should be developed after the instruction is created, but rather it should be developed in tandem with the development of the instruction.  Instructional goals must be identified first, and then a method of assessment must be devised to test whether or not those instructional goals have been met.  It is from this point that the design of the instruction can proceed.  By identifying instructional goals first, then designing methods of assessment for whether or not those instructional goals have been met, one can then design instruction so that it includes both of these.  By making the goals clear from the beginning to the learner, and supplying a method for self-assessment, the learner is much more likely to succeed. (Dick, Walter, Carey, Lou, Carey, James O. 2004)

            One additional use for evaluation is a form of advertising.  By sending out evaluation surveys after a program has been completed, program directors can assess the perceptions of participants concerning the program's effectiveness, gain additional information concerning the retention of taught objectives, identify the strong and weak points of the program as perceived by the participants and motivate participants to return for further programs and to promote the program by word of mouth.

The Value Of Training Evaluation

            No training can work completely without some form of evaluation. We simply need the kind of closure that evaluation provides.  It provides a way of measuring progress.  It also provides a method for identifying the value of a process or program and finding ways to improve it.  By measuring the progress of individuals in a program of training, evaluation allows those individuals to move forward into more against learning.  However, without the evaluation, many would move forward too soon, and some would simply not know when to move forward, because they would still be unsure of themselves.  Evaluation provides the feedback necessary to convince participants in a program of training that they have acquired certain skills.  In this way, it increases the confidence of the participants in their newly acquired abilities and skills. ...Download file to see next pages Read More