Section 3: Evaluating, Implementing and Managing Instructional Programs and Projects

  

1. Chapter 10 discusses evaluation in instructional design and provides you with two evaluation models, the CIPP and Kirkpatrick models for evaluation. Search for at least two other models used for evaluation and summarize these models. Describe how you would use them to evaluate your instruction. 

          Educators must constantly evaluate the effectiveness of instruction to make sure the students are reaching the goals set out for them. After researching different models for evaluation I have chose to discuss the" Conditions of Learning, Nine Events of Instruction by Robert Gagne. Gagne is considered to be a major contributor to the systematic approach of instructional design.  Prior to my research for this class I wasn't familiar with Robert Gagne but I do believe his work is very important to the field of education. In my opinion Gagne's work focuses on all the elements that should be incorporated into any lesson plan. This model provides very important steps to help the students learn what is presented to them and helps to prepare them for the assessment. Educators can look back and assess what stages need to be reviewed or changed. I believe Gagne's nine events of instruction would be beneficial to use at any grade level. Listed below are the "Nine Events of Instruction."

Gagne's Nine Events of Instruction - these events apply to each of the 5 types of learning but not necessarily in the same order for each type.

1.            Gaining attention - pique the learners interest

2.            Informing learners of objectives - discuss what will be taught

3.            Stimulating recall of prior learning - ask questions to call upon what they already know

4.            Presenting the stimulus - teach the lesson

5.            Providing learning guidance - allow teacher facilitated student practice

6.            Eliciting performance - have learner complete a task on what was taught

7.            Providing feedback - let learner know how they did on the task

8.            Assessing performance - evaluate learner on their knowledge of what was taught

9.            Enhancing retention and transfer - provide activity to help learners remember what was taught

http://edtech2.boisestate.edu/spechtp/575/learningtheorist.html

     The second evaluation method I discovered that I think is very interesting is the Goal-Free Evaluation  Model that was created by Michael Scriven. This model would be very helpful for evaluating programs in classrooms which use technology. The Goal-Free Evaluation  is intended to evaluate the effects of the program and to determine if they are meeting the goals they claim. The first step is the evaluator needs to identify the outcomes that resulted from the project and then construct a profile of the needs of the students. If an effect has a positive impact on one or more of those needs, that part of the program that yielded that effect should be positively evaluated. (Bryant). Students can't learn efficiently if the program that is being used does not produce the outcome of the goal that is to be achieved.

Bryant, M. (n.d.). Program Evaluation. UNL | CEHS | College of Education and Human Sciences External Home Page. Retrieved September 13, 2013, from http://cehs.unl.edu/mbryant/973/models.html

Reflect on what other questions that instructional design evaluation should address besides whether the instructional design leads to comparable amounts of learning and learner satisfaction as traditional methods. What else would be useful to know?

          The main question that I feel is left out of instructional design evaluations that would be useful to know is how enjoyable it was for the students. Students do not all have the same learning styles,  so it would make sense that when students are being evaluated some methods would work better for students than others.  I believe that a student's success could depend on how they are evaluated.

Chapter's 12 & 13 focus on project management and how to manage projects when resources are scarce. You have been assigned to develop a series of professional development sessions focusing on technology use in the classroom for teachers during a time of economic decline. How will you use Situational Leadership to facilitate this project and manage scarce resources?

           Trends and Issues in Instructional Design and Technology by Robert A. Reiser and John V. Dempsey states that Situational Leadership combines leadership and management skills using three key principles:

1. The amount of guidance and direction a leader gives

2. The amount of socio-emotional support a leader provides

3.The readiness level followers exhibit in performing a specific task, function, or objective. (p.115)

      If I were in the position to develop a series of professional development sessions focusing on technology use in the classroom for teachers during a time of economic decline I would use the Situational Leadership four phase approach developed by Hersey and Blanchard.  I would prefer to use teamwork than to take everything on myself. I believe working as a team can bring greater, more rich information and resources to the project.  I would build my team and get feedback from team members. Their knowledge on technology in the classroom will help to generate more ideas for the professional development session. The team member will be assigned their designated tasks. The focus will be all the  free programs that can be used in the classroom. There are many Web 2.0 free tools out there for educators to take advantage of that are capable to meet many goals that educators have for their students.

Reiser, R. A., & Dempsey, J. V. (2007). Trends and issues in instructional design and technology. (2nd ed.). Upper Saddle River: Prentice Hall.