Week7-ExpertsSpeak

Our virtual panel appears for the last time this week. What insights do they have to share with you on the evaluation phase of ADDIE? My team and I take assessment very seriously. We always did, but the No Child Left Behind Act has put an exclamation point on this issue for us. At first, I think we were all a little sensitive about remarks that we were “teaching to the test.” The truth is, though, as long as our state tests are aligned with the instructional goals we were trying to achieve in the first place, that’s fine. We should be teaching toward those goals! Our state tests are not our only method of measurement, of course. We construct a variety of assessments for our students – paper and pencil, observational, project-based, and so on – and when we’re developing a new unit, we use formative evaluations to make adjustments along the way. In other words, evaluation is anything but “just theory” to us. I’ve worked in companies where assessment wasn’t considered very important and other companies, like the one I’m in now, where it’s critical. I work in a regulated industry, so we have to be able to prove, legally, that learners achieved a satisfactory level of knowledge of safety regulations and proper operating procedures. Our default method of proof is monitored objective testing. Because the stakes for passing are high – those who fail twice lose their jobs – we feel a great responsibility to create fair, valid, and reliable test items. We regularly conduct confirmative evaluations to analyze our tests, ensuring they continue to measure achievement as they were intended to do. When my department is working with the instructional design team to develop a new course, we employ evaluation procedures, both formative and summative, to make sure the course materials are strong. We also build valid assessments to measure the performance of our students. It’s common for new members of the team to be a little confused about this since both processes are commonly called “evaluation.” At the college level, measurement of student performance may be done via projects, essays, research papers, group presentations, case studies, or written exams. We often use rubrics to help students know what is expected and to ensure that results are consistent from professor to professor. I know the use of rubrics isn’t confined to the university setting, but it is something we consciously foster.
 * Experts Speak – Week 7 **
 * Fifth-grade Teacher Soraya **
 * Corporate Training Manager Cathy **
 * College Professor Jim **