The Teacher and the School Curriculum

Curriculum Evaluation

MODULE 12: CURRICULUM EVALUATION

At the end of this module, you are expected to:

1. Define what is curriculum evaluation
2. Know the process of evaluation
3. Differentiate measurement, assessment and evaluation
4. Identify the different types of assessment

Course Module

What is Curriculum Evaluation?

 This is the process of establishing the extent to which the objectives of a programme have
been achieved.
 It can be also be defined as “an objective process for determining the performance of a
programme.”
 It is a judgmental process, aimed at decision – making.
 Doll (1992) also defines evaluation as a broad and continuous effort to inquire into the
effects of utilizing educational content and process to meet clearly defined goals.
 According to (Shiundu & Omulando, 1992, p. 185) “evaluation is a process of collection
and provision of data for the sake of facilitating decision making at various stages of
curriculum development”.
 Curriculum evaluation refers to the process of collecting data in a systematic manner for
the purpose of assessing quality, effectiveness and worth of a programme.
Objectives of Curriculum Evaluation

1.To determine the outcomes of a programme.

2.To help in deciding whether to accept or reject a programme.
3.To ascertain the need for the revision of the course content.
4.To help in future development of the curriculum material for continuous improvement.
5.To improve methods of teaching and instructional techniques.

The following are guide questions in evaluating a curriculum?

1. What are the objectives of the programme?
2. Are these objectives relevant to the needs of the individual and society?
3. Can these objectives be achieved?
4. What are the methods being used to achieve these objectives?
The Teacher and the School Curriculum
Curriculum Evaluation
5. Are the methods the best alternatives for achieving these objectives?
6. Are there adequate resources for implementing a curriculum?
ASSESSMENT, MEASUREMENT AND TESTING
Assessment-It is the process which will show whether there has been a change in student’s
behavior. In other words, it is the process of evaluating student’s performance.
Types of Assessment:
A. Formative Assessment- It points out what is good about the work and what is not.
B. Summative Assessment- It contributes to the final marks given to the students. It is
the summing up of the students’ performance.
C. Work Integrated Assessment- This is where the tasks and situations are closely
associated with what you experience. It helps to develop student’s skills and
capabilities along with educational development.
D. Diagnostic Assessment- This will determine what the learner already knows and
the difficulties that they are facing in learning.
E. Dynamic Assessment- It measures what students can achieve when teaches about
unfamiliar topic or field.
F. Criterion-referenced Assessment- The performance of every student is judged by a
specific principle.
Measurement- It is the means of determining the degree of achievement of a particular objective
or competency. It therefore refers to the determination of the actual educational outcomes and
comparing these with intended outcomes as expressed in the objectives of the programme. It gives
a quantitative value to the change in student’s behavior.
Evaluation- It is the process of giving value judgement based on the information gathered through
measurement and testing.

Types of Curriculum Evaluation

According to Scriven, following are the 3 main types

1.Formative Evaluation. It occurs during the course of curriculum development. Its

purpose is to contribute to the improvement of the educational programme.
2.Summative Evaluation. In summative evaluation, the final effects of a curriculum are
evaluated on the basis of its stated objectives. It takes place after the curriculum has
been fully developed and put into operations.
3.Diagnostic Evaluation. Diagnostic evaluation is directed towards two purposes either for
placement of students properly at the outset of an instructional level (such as secondary
school) or to discover the underlying cause of deviancies in student learning in any
field of study.
The Teacher and the School Curriculum
Curriculum Evaluation

What is monitoring?
It is the continuous review of progress of planned activities. It is the routine, daily, weekly or
monthly assessment of ongoing activities and progress. Monitoring focuses on what is being done.

Validity and Reliability

Validity- This criterion answers the question “Do the evaluation instruments used e.g.
examinations and tests measure the function they are intended to measure?”
Reliability- Are the instruments reliable when administered at different times.

Criteria for EVALUATION

Relevance- This indicates the appropriateness of the intervention in relation to other stakeholders
need, national priorities, international partners’ policies, including the millennium development
goals, national development plans in the various countries etc.
Efficiency – answers the question; “Does the programme used the resources in the most
economical manner to achieve its goals?”
Effectiveness – Is the activity achieving satisfactory results in relation to stated objectives?
Impact – What are the results of the intervention, intended and unintended; positive and negative
including social, economic, environmental effects on individuals, institutions and communities?
Sustainability – This addresses the issue: “Are the activities and their impact likely to continue
when external support is withdrawn, and will it be more widely replicated and adopted
The Teacher and the School Curriculum
Curriculum Evaluation
References:
Online Supplementary Reading Material
http://www.studylecturenotes.com/curriculum-instructions/curriculum-evaluation-meaning-
importance-objective
https://oer.avu.org/bitstream/handle/123456789/745/EDU%2001_EN%20Curriculum%20Studies.pdf?seq
uence=1&isAllowed=y

https://www.toppr.com/bytes/types-of-assessment/