Why Evaluate?Excuses, Excuses, Excuses….

• I don’t have the time.• I don’t have to…it’s not required.• The district does it.• Grades are my evaluation• Follow-ups are a waste of time• Others???

Evaluation Myth #8

“I don’t need to justify my existence, I have a proven track record.”

- Phillips, 1991

Data (Where do I find it?)

Hard Data– Output (in basic work units)

– Quality (quality of the output)

– Cost (operating, administrative, & capital expenditures)

– Time (savings)

*** If these are not available ***

try to convert soft data

Data (Where do I find it?)

Soft Data– Work Habits– New Skills – Work Climate– Development/Advancement– Feeling/Attitudes– Initiative

Evaluation Myth #9

“The emphasis on evaluation should be the same in all organizations.”

- Phillips, 1991

Evaluation Myth #11

“Evaluation would probably cost too much.”

- Phillips, 1991

Retrospective Analysis

An Example from a law firm:

When does it work?

When:

• Learners don’t….– Know what they don’t know

• There is insufficient time for pre-test.

• In other words: When you must have post-knowledge to self-measure pre-knowledge

Why does it work?

• More accurate measure of actual learning

• Provide more differentiation in learning

• There is insufficient time for pre-testing.

In other words: When you must have post-knowledge to self-measure pre-knowledge

Dr. Jeff M. Allen

University of North Texas

Department of Technology

and Cognition

P.O. Box 311337Denton, Texas 76203-

1337

Email: Jallen@unt.eduPhone: (940)565-2093