Project Evaluation

Don Millard John Yu dmillard@nsf.gov zyu@nsf.gov

March 27, 2012

Guy-Alain Amoussou Lou Everett gamousso@nsf.gov leverett@nsf.gov

March 28, 2012

Handout 1

Most of the information presented in this workshop represents the presenters’ opinions and not an official NSF position

Local facilitators will provide the link to the workshop slides at the completion of the webinar.

Participants may ask questions by “raising their virtual hand” during a question session. We will call on selected sites and enable their microphone so that the question can be asked.

Responses will be collected from a few sites at the end of each Exercise. At the start of the Exercise, we will identify these sites in the Chat Box and then call on them one at a time to provide their responses.

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Important Notes

Learning must build on prior knowledge ◦ Some knowledge correct ◦ Some knowledge incorrect – Misconceptions

Learning is ◦ Connecting new knowledge to prior knowledge◦ Correcting misconceptions

Learning requires engagement◦ Actively recalling prior knowledge◦ Sharing new knowledge◦ Forming a new understanding

Framework for the Session

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Effective learning activities ◦ Recall prior knowledge -- actively, explicitly◦ Connect new concepts to existing ones◦ Challenge and alter misconceptions

Active & collaborative processes◦ Think individually◦ Share with partner◦ Report to local and virtual groups ◦ Learn from program directors’ responses

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Preliminary Comments

Active & Collaborative Learning

Coordinate the local activities

Watch the time◦Allow for think, share, and report phases◦Reconvene on time -- 1 min warning ◦ With one minute warning, check Chat Box to see if you will be

asked for a response

Ensure the individual think phase is devoted to thinking and not talking

Coordinate the asking of questions by local participants and reporting local responses to exercises

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Facilitator’s Duties

The session will enable you to collaborate more effectively with evaluation experts in preparing credible and comprehensive project evaluation plans…. it will not make you an evaluation expert.

Goal for Project Evaluation Session

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After the session, participants should be able to: Discuss the importance of goals, outcomes, and

questions in the evaluation process◦ Cognitive and affective outcomes

Describe several types of evaluation tools◦ Advantages, limitations, and appropriateness

Discuss data interpretation issues◦ Variability, alternative explanations

Develop an evaluation plan in collaboration with an evaluator◦ Outline a first draft of an evaluation plan

Session Outcomes

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The terms evaluation and assessment have many meanings◦ One definition

Assessment is gathering evidence Evaluation is interpreting data and making value judgments

Examples of evaluation and assessment◦ Individual’s performance (grading)◦ Program’s effectiveness (ABET and regional accreditation)◦ Project’s progress and success (monitoring and validating)

Session addresses project evaluation◦ May involve evaluating individual and group performance – but in the

context of the project Project evaluation

◦ Formative – monitoring progress to improve approach◦ Summative – characterizing and documenting final accomplishments

Evaluation and Assessment

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Think about your favorite course. What types of in-class activities could be called:◦ Assessment versus Evaluation◦ Formative versus Summative Evaluation

Exercise ---- 6 min◦ Think individually -------- ~2 min◦ Share with a partner ----- ~2 min ◦ Report in local group ---- ~2 min

Watch time and reconvene after 6 min Use THINK time to think – no discussion, Selected local

facilitators report to virtual group

With one minute warning, check Chat Box to see if you will be asked for a response

Activity

Evaluation vs AssessmentFormative vs Summative

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