Professional Documents
Culture Documents
CURRICULUM EVALUATION
LEARNING OUTCOMES
When you complete this module will be able to:
State what is curriculum evaluation
List reasons for evaluating the curriculum
Explain the characteristics
of the CIPP model
OVERVIEW
Describe the features of Stakes model of curriculum evaluation
8.0 Introduction
Explain the characteristics of Eisners
model
8.5Connoisseurship
Data collection methods
8.1
is curriculum
evaluation?
8.5.1collection
Interviews
What
Compare
the different
instruments of data
8.2 The CIPP evaluation model
8.3 Application of the CIPP
evaluation model
8.3 Stakes evaluation model
8.4 Eisners connoisseurship
evaluation model
8.5.2 Observations
8.5.3 Tests
8.5.4 Surveys
8.5.5 Content analysis
8.5.6 Portfolio
Discussion Questions
Readings
Dont Make Physical Education (PE) an Examination Subject
8.0 Introduction
1
ACTIVITY 8.1
Read the newspaper report at the beginning of the chapter and answer the
following questions
Do you think physical education be made an examination subject?
Do you agree with the writers opinions on the state of sports in schools?
McNeil (1977) states that curriculum evaluation is an attempt to throw light on two
questions: Do planned learning opportunities, programmes, courses and activities as
developed and organised actually produce desired results? How can the curriculum
offerings best be improved? (p.134).
Gay (1985) argues that the aim of curriculum evaluation is to identify its weaknesses
and strengths as well as problems encountered in implementation; to improve the
curriculum development process; to determine the effectiveness of the curriculum
and the returns on finance allocated.
SELF-TEST
SELF-TEST 8.1
8.1
Identify
Identify the
the key
key words
words in
in the
the five
five definitions
definitions of
of curriculum
curriculum evaluation.
evaluation.
Why
Why do
do you
you need
need to
to evaluate
evaluate curriculum?
curriculum?
Whats
Whats the
the difference
difference between
between formative
formative and
and summative
summative evaluation?
evaluation?
How should you go about evaluating curriculum? Several experts have proposed
different models describing how and what should be involved in evaluating a
8.3 Curriculum Evaluation Models
curriculum. Models are useful because they help you define the parameters of an
evaluation, what concepts to study and the procedures to be used to extract important
data. Numerous evaluation models have been proposed but three models are discussed
here.
Context
Input
Process
+
Product
FORMATIVE
SUMMATIVE
Context
Input
GOALS
PLANS
CORE
VALUES
OUTCOMES
ACTIONS
Product
Process
How did the real environment compare to the ideal? (eg. The programme
required five computers in each classroom, but there were only two computer
labs of 40 units each for 1000 students)
What problems are hampering success of technology integration? (eg.
technology breakdowns, not all schools had internet access)
About 50% of teachers do not have basic computer skills
Input: Examine what resources are put into technology integration (Identify the
educational strategies most likely to achieve the desired result)
Is the content selected for using technology right?
Have we used the right combination of media? (internet, video-clips, etc)
Process: Assess how well the implementation works (Uncovers implementation
issues)
Did technology integration run smoothly?
Were there technology problems?
Were teachers able to integrate technology in their lessons as planned?
What are the areas of curriculum in which most students experienced
difficulty?
Product: Addresses outcomes of the learning (Gather information on the results of
the educational intervention to interpret its worth and merit)
Did the learners learn using technology? How do you know?
Does technology integration enhance higher order thinking?
8.4.3 Stakes Countenance Model
The model proposed by Robert Stake (1967) suggests three phases of curriculum
evaluation: the antecedent phase, the transaction phase and the outcome phase. The
antecedent phase includes conditions existing prior to instruction that may relate to
outcomes. The transaction phase constitutes the process of instruction while the
outcome phase relates to the effects of the programme. Stake emphasises two
operations; descriptions and judgements. Descriptions are divided according to whether
they refer to what was intended or what actually was observed. Judgements are
separated according to whether they refer to standards used in arriving at the judgements
or to the actual judgements.
INSTRUCTION
Antecedents
Student &
teacher
characteristics,
curriculum
content,
instructional
materials,
community
context.
Transactions
Outcomes
Communication
flow, time
allocation,
sequence of
events, social,
climate
Student
achievement,
attitudes, motor
skills, effect on
teachers and
institution.
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1) Description: The evaluator records the actions, the features of the environment
and experiences of students, teachers and administrators. People who read the
evaluation report will be able to visualise what the place looks like and the
processes taking place. The aim here is to help the reader see the school or
classroom and get a feel of what the curriculum evaluator or critic is attempting
to understand and help others understand.
2) Interpretation: The evaluator explains the meaning of events reported by
putting it in its context. For example, why academically weak students were
motivated to ask questions; why reading comprehension skills improved; why
enthusiasm for doing science experiments increased and so forth.
To be able to describe and interpret the implementation of a curriculum the evaluator
has to collect data and the following are examples of activities an evaluator may engage
in:
o The evaluator observes what is going on the classroom and records
teachers and students in action using videotapes, audiotapes and
photographs.
o The evaluator keeps notes of what is done, what is said and more
importantly what is not said. The evaluator should strive to describe the
tone of the curriculum in action (Ornstein and Hunkins, 1998).
o The evaluator interview students, teachers and administrators about the
quality of the curriculum
o The evaluator would analysis students work
.
One of the great benefits of Elliot W. Eisner's activities has been the way in
which he has both made the case for a concern with connoisseurship and criticism, and
mediated these concerns for educators and researchers. The importance of his advocacy
of these ideas cannot be underestimated - especially at a time when rather narrow
concerns with instrumental outcomes and an orientation to the technical dominate.
Together they offer educators a more helpful and appropriate means to approach
evaluation, for example.
Advocating moving beyond technocratic and behaviouristic modes of thinking and for having a concern for 'expressive outcomes'.
Calling to attend to fundamentals. Eisner has consistently warned against
educational fads and fashion. He has criticized dominant paradigms and
invited educators and others to ask questions such as 'what is basic in
education?'.
Arguing that schools should help children create meaning from experience,
and that this requires an education devoted to the senses, to meaning-making
and the imagination. Eisner argues for a curriculum that fosters multiple
'literacies' in students (especially by looking to non-verbal modes of learning
and expression) and a deepening of the 'artistry' of teachers.
Over the time that Eisner has been writing there have been significant shifts in
the context in which schools have to operate. While there have been other voices
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calling for changes in the culture of schooling (notably Howard Gardner in this
arena), the impact of globalization, growing centralization in many schooling systems,
reaction against more process-oriented forms of pedagogy, and a growing
instrumentalism education have served to make Eisner's message both more pertinent
to schools, and more difficult to respond to.
1. Aspects of the
curriculum to be
evaluated
2. Data Collection
3. Analysis of
Information
10
4. Reporting of
Information
11
Regardless of which type of interview is used, evaluators should ensure that each
question is relevant for its intended purpose. In the end, the data must be translated into
a form that can be analysed and this has to be dome carefully to preserve accuracy and
to maintain the sense of the data. The advantage of interviews is that it can get a full
range and depth of information and it develops a relationship with teachers and students
and it is more flexible. However, interview can take much time, can be hard to analyze
and compare, can be costly and interviewer can bias client's responses.
8.6.3 Observations
To gather accurate information about how a program actually operates,
particularly about processes. In other words to view operations of a program as they
are actually occurring. For example, can the people involved adapt to events as they
occur.
8.6.4 Documents
When we want impressions of how a programme operates without interrupting
the programme; we can review the memos, minutes, etc to get a comprehensive and
historical information about the implementation of the programme. However, we
should be quite clear about what looking for as there may be a load of documents.
Method
Overall Purpose
Advantages
Challenges
interviews
observation
12
focus groups
case studies
to fully understand or
depict client's experiences -fully depicts client's
in a program, and conduct experience in program input,
comprehensive examination process and results
through cross comparison -powerful means to portray
program to outsiders
of cases
common impressions
-can be efficient way to get
much range and depth of
information in short time
- can convey key information
about programs
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f. teachers are continuing to teach the topics they are used to and are reluctant to
use the MALATI materials
g. the curriculum suggested that group work be used in teaching probability and
data handling. Learners were not accustomed to group discussion and listening
to one another.
h. the teaching of the topic took a longer time as teachers struggled to deal with
learners everyday experiences in the teaching of probability
Recommendations:
1) Teachers need workshops on selected aspects of the content
2) Selected parts of the curriculum documents need to be rewritten to reduce
confusion
3) To convince teachers not to treat the teaching of probability and statistics as
new content but teach it for its mathematical value
[Source: Karin Brodie and Craig Pournara, 2003. Towards a framework for developing and
researching groupwork in mathematics classrooms .http//www.hsrcpress.ac.za.
ACTIVITY 8.2
What are some of the problems identified with the implementation of the MALATI
programme?
Based on the findings list the recommendations made.
DISCUSSION
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
QUESTIONS:
Identify
Identify some
some problems
problems in
in the
the implementation
implementation of
of the
the Primary
Primary School
School Integrated
Integrated
Curriculum
(KBSR)
and
the
Secondary
School
Integrated
Curriculum
Curriculum (KBSR) and the Secondary School Integrated Curriculum (KBSM)?
(KBSM)?
Describe
Describe how
how the
the teaching
teaching of
of science
science and
and mathematics
mathematics in
in English
English was
was
implemented
implemented in
in your
your school?
school?
New
New curriculum
curriculum often
often fail
fail to
to become
become established
established in
in schools
schools because
because the
the
importance
importance and
and complexity
complexity of
of the
the implementation
implementation phase
phase is
is not
not understood
understood
Discuss.
Discuss.
READINGS
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