Topic 7: Curriculum Evaluation

1. Definition 
Evaluation is a process whereby people gather data in order to make decisions. 
2. Purposes
 Curriculum evaluation focuses on whether the curriculum is producing the desired results.
 Evaluation identifies the curriculum’s strengths and weaknesses before and after
implementation. 
 Evaluation also enables educators to compare different programs in terms of effectiveness.
 Evaluation also enables people to know how their students measure up against other
students at the local, state, national, and international levels.

3. Focus of evaluation
In curriculum evaluation, attention focuses on both teachers’ and students’ actions that result in
students’ learning specific contents and skills. 

4. Forms of evaluation
 Formative evaluation refers to tests that are administered at intervals throughout a given
unit. The teacher conducts formative tests during the instructional period to assess student
progress. The teacher repeats giving the formative test until mastery is achieved. 
o Purposes – to assess progress, and to provide feedback.
 Summative evaluation refers to tests that are given immediately after the
completion of an instructional unit, a program, or a course of study. 
o Purpose -  to assign grades.
o Examples: School Annual Examination, Semester Examination, Monthly test.
o Summative evaluation tests can be norm-based or criterion-based:
 A norm-based test interprets achievement in terms of an individual’s
position relative to other member of the class. In other words, it compares
an individual’s score with the group score. 
 A criterion-based test interprets achievement in terms of a predetermined
standard (criterion) of performance, without reference to the level of
performance of other members of the class. In other words, the student
does not compete against others but competes against essential
instructional objectives. The student is evaluated in terms of “mastery” or
“non-mastery”. Criterion-referenced testing aims at “mastery learning”.
Examples: Pronouncing the alphabet A to Z; write all the numbers from 10
to 100 in ascending order.  

5. Evaluation methods and tools

5.1  Evaluation Methods
 Quantitative: Quantitative data collection methods consist of counts or frequencies,
rates or percentages that document the actual existence of problems, behaviors, or
occurrences. 
 o Surveys, questionnaires, observation checklists, performance tests, etc.
 Qualitative: Qualitative data collection methods result in descriptions of problems,
behaviors or events, can provide narrative descriptions of people’s thoughts and
opinions about their experiences, attitudes, and beliefs. 
o Diaries, journals, open-ended questions, individual interviews, etc.

5.2  Evaluation Tools

 An evaluation tool is a device to collect data or to assess the teaching outcomes. For
instance, A teacher-made test is an evaluation tool constructed by the classroom
teacher. The purpose of the teacher-made test is to assess the student’s achievement in
a particular unit/content. 
o Other examples: Achievement tests, Questionnaires, Checklists, Rating Scales,
Observation Schedules.
 Advantages of tools of evaluation
o Evaluation is useful for assessing the following teaching outcomes:
 (1) knowledge; (2) Skills;   (3) Attitudes;   (4) Study-habits;   (5)
Interests
 Characteristics of good evaluation tools
 Validity – the test should be valid. It should be relevant for the purpose of
the test
 Reliability – the test should be reliable. It should provide consistent results
at any time.
 Objectivity – the test should be objective. The same score should come if
two examiners evaluate.
 Simplicity – the test should be simple for administering and scoring.
 Interpretability – The test should be easy to interpret and communicate.