Formative Evaluation
Academic Professional Development e-learning Module with Learning Activities
Dr Jude Westrup
Institute for Teaching & Learning - Deakin University - 2009
Introduction
"When the cook tastes the soup, that's formative;
when the guests taste the soup, that's summative."
http://www2.fhs.usyd.edu.au/arow/o/m06/formative.htm
Knowing how your students are progressing during the trimester (formative evaluation - FE) can help you to adjust your delivery, give feedback, clarify and communicate with them before the unit is over. Then their evaluation or comments and learning needs can only be responded to or applied in subsequent trimesters or years (summative evaluation). Indicators of student success are routinely measured as discrete end points (DEST 2007) - yet learning is a process of growth and transformation. The evaluation of it's 'success' needs to be continuous, relevant, timely and flexible.
The enhancement of learning & teaching, scholarship of teaching & learning and recent research suggest learning and teaching outcomes for staff (academic professional development) and students (enhanced student success, satisfaction and graduate outcomes) depend on good communication, feedback and timely evaluation (http://www.deakin.edu.au/itl/research-eval/index.php). Evaluation is the "systematic inquiry into the value or usefulness of something" (HBS 2007). The term formative indicates that data is being gathered during the formation of the learning, thus allowing revisions to be made. The FE process may also include a needs-assessment, as part of what is also known as front-end analysis, which seeks to determine the learners' needs and what might work to meet those needs.
Listening to your learners, seeking feedback, comments and 'progress reports' from them can be done formally and informally. Feedback - via formative evaluation - before and during the trimester can avert and/or solve problems before or as soon as they arise (see techniques and references below). Involving your students in the design and execution of the FE within the trimester is also recommended. An example of this is: Adaptive participatory diagnosis - a decision and problem solving system that enables the identification and prioritisation of problems by those who're most affected by them and who're responsible for solving them (ACIAR - Participative Diagnosis).
Summative evaluations, ie those conducted post-unit, such a Student Evaluation of Teaching Unit (SETU), or post-course such as Course Evaluation Questionnaire (CEQ), are still required. These are particularly helpful for longer term, continuous improvement and quality assurance processes and learning & teaching success (relevant e-modules are available) https://www.deakin.edu.au/itl/pd/tl-modules/scholarly/index.php.
The use of feedback and subsequent revision of unit materials and delivery modes in the light of learners' perspectives and other evidence need to be seen nested within theoretical frameworks such as ALTC's criteria for excellence in teaching and learning eg: Respect & support for the development of learners as individuals (www.altc.edu.au).
Remember that your learners are individuals and need attention in differing ways. Technology - no matter how sophisticated or 'user-friendly' doesn't always deliver perceptive, subtle or nuanced 'good communication'. They need you to listen to their experiences and suggestions, non-verbal communication is about 70%. How can you factor this in to your FE? To 'perceive' the spaces in between their words….to understand what's not being said as clearly as what is being said? To listen to your learners, and really get to know them, to know when they are lacking confidence, don't understand, don't know what to ask, what to say, or even where to begin, or to continue… these issues can be solved through appropriate and timely formative evaluations. Especially by the more informal, local and personal-small group techniques.
Academic Professional Development (APD) activity
The benefits of FE for quality L&T can be depicted using image and text combinations … What are some of your current trimester formative evaluation techniques? What innovations could you introduce that would enhance your understanding of their learning needs? Include timing, extent and type of evaluation, with attention to non-verbal and well as verbal communication cues.
