Evaluating and Adapting Materials

Evaluating materials

Evaluation of learning materials is usually integrated in the overall learning design and development plan. It is considered
to be a vital component of a quality assurance strategy and the expectation is that evaluation activities can contribute
significantly to the development of quality learning materials.

The purpose is often to get an idea of how well the materials are aligned to the intended learning outcomes and how well
they support students in achieving these outcomes. Additional questions may be: how accessible the materials are, how
the students are using the materials, how up to date the content is, whether the learning text is based on sound learning
principles.

Evaluation can be conducted during each phase of the design and development process, during the post development
period when students are using the learning materials for the first time, and as part of a review of a course or program.
Where the development of the materials has been sponsored, it is normal practice to evaluate the materials and provide the
funder with an evaluation report.

Adapting Materials

Adaptation is a process that often attracts a great deal of interest, yet remains less used than expected. Although many
organizations consider adapting materials, the cost, copyright implications, and practical issues of techniques may form a
sizeable barrier. However, the increasing use of multimedia and a number of other forms of electronic publishing is
stimulating both increasing options for and renewed interest in adaptation as a source of learning materials.

Developing high quality learning materials can be complex, time consuming and costly. Many organizations are not
staffed to produce their own materials having insufficient resources or expertise. Adapting materials can itself be a
substantial materials development and production task. The decision to adapt will usually is considered when a set of
materials partially meet a specific need, but could not be used in their current form. At this point, you will need to identify
the features that are absent or inappropriate and specify what form of adaptation is needed.

Principles in adapting materials

This adaptation may take a variety of forms:

1. Modifying content. Content may need to be changed because it does not suit the target learners, may be because of
factors from learners such as age, gender, social class, religion, or background cultural.

2. Adding or deleting content. As a teacher can add or omitted some materials suitable from the environment contexts
the learners need.

3. Reorganizing content as a teacher may decide to reorganize the syllabus and arrange the unit more suitable order.

4. Addressing omissions. If in some materials there are important particular, the teacher can add it. For example,
adding vocabulary or grammar in those materials.

5. Modifying task. Exercises and activities may need to be changed to give them an additional focus. For example, a
listening activity may focus only on listening for information, so it is adapted so that students listen a second or third time
for a different purpose. Or an activity may be extended to provide opportunities for more personalized practice.

6. Extending task [1] teacher can give insufficient practice and more extend in assignment they’re given.
Procedures and techniques in adapting materials

To decide whether to adapt, you following procedures:

· Step 1

Specify learning need in as precise terms as possible including a profile of characteristics of learners and any implications
this might have for learning materials e.g. does place of work restrict options for media.

· Step 2

Identify material for potential adaptation

· Step 3

Identify effectiveness of material/need for adaptation covering the following features:

- learning objectives

- content level

- depth of coverage

- comprehensiveness of coverage

- media used

- presentation and style

- approach

- terminology

- fit with your organization’s culture

· Step 4

Defining the extent of adaptation and the form this might take

· Step 5

Produce a specification, budget and schedule for an adaptation to examine feasibility and cost of effectiveness. In the
remainder of this unit, you can examine the areas of material which may need adapting before moving on to consider
different types.

There are many techniques in adapting materials:

1. Learning objectives

Most learning materials and most planning for a course or program will include the definition of learning objectives.
Matching the objectives of your course/program with those of existing material is a useful early step. In most subjects it
may give a clear idea of match or variation and will usually indicate a need for additional material or adaptation. Points to
consider are:

· Check all aspects of the objectives not just the behavior or knowledge desired. The standard or conditions may be
particularly important in indicating whether the material is appropriate

· Examine how closely and explicitly the materials follow and meet the objectives set

· Do not let different forms of wording obscure any similar objectives i.e., two sets of objectives may be written in
different formats and styles, but may have very similar goals or outcomes.
2. Media used

· Adding different media to a learning package e.g., supplementing text with video

· Drawing together different parts of existing material in a multimedia package

· Revising existing computer-based material into new formats.

When you are considering specific material for adaptation, you will need to consider whether the value of adding or
revising media justifies the cost. In many instances, this cost may be difficult to justify when set against that of an existing
new ‘tailor-made’ set of materials or compared with the value gained from the adaptation.

· Choice of media remains appropriate to the learning needs and user group

· Media selection or technology selected does not become the dominant factor in your open learning provision.

3. Presentation and style

The physical appearance of most learning material is often an area of concern. Most larger organizations have their own
house styles and may prefer learning materials to be consistent with their own visual style. However, the impact and value
of simply re-designing materials can be insufficient to justify the expenditure. You will need to assess whether the visual
appearance does have a major impact on learning. There are groups or sectors where this may be a significant factor, but
in many other cases, presentation alone may not be sufficient to decide to adapt.

CLOSING

1. Evaluation of learning materials is usually integrated in the overall learning design and development plan. It is
considered to be a vital component of a quality assurance strategy and the expectation is that evaluation activities can
contribute significantly to the development of quality learning materials.

2. Adaptation is a process that often attracts a great deal of interest, yet remains less used than expected. Although
many organizations consider adapting materials, the cost, copyright implications, and practical issues of techniques may
form a sizeable barrier. However, the increasing use of multimedia and a number of other forms of electronic publishing is
stimulating both increasing options for and renewed interest in adaptation as a source of learning materials.

3. Principles in adapting materials: modifying content, adding or deleting content, reorganizing content, addressing
omissions, modifying task, extending task.

4. There are many techniques in adapting materials: learning objectives, media used, presentation and used.