One subject that is kind of a side bar to instructional design and assessments is the concept of andragogy. When we combine elearning, such as instructional designers construct, and the adult learner (like ourselves), our assessments are aimed at self-directing individuals. This learner-centered approach to learning causes us to reflect upon how we connect with our learner and what is gleaned from that experience.
“ Since Malcolm Knowles introduced andragogy to North America in the 1970's, it has gained wide acceptance as a set of assumptions designed to guide the development of programs for adults. At its core is "the idea that the attainment of adulthood is concomitant on adults' coming to perceive themselves as self-directing individuals" (Brookfield, 1986, p. 92). Andragogy facilitates a learner-centered, humanisticly oriented approach and has served to produce much information regarding program planning and development for adults” (Simonson, 2007, p. 4).
If you have experience in the traditional face-to-face classroom (like me), then you use: body language, social/cultural traits, visual and auditory cues to make assessments without really thinking about it. When we adapt our instructional methods to the elearning experience, we compensate for the lack of non-verbal cues and body language. This also applies to the types of assessments that are effective in this format.
“ The psychological climate is even more important the physical climate. Adults must feel secure and safe within any learning situation. They must be treated with respect and dignity. In distance learning settings, the facilitator must work diligently to assure that learner responses are valued and are not belittled. This is particularly important in settings using asynchronous discussion forums in which learners post responses to facilitator questions or post responses to the responses of other learners. In an environment in which the written word is the primary means of communication, it is easy for words to be misinterpreted as non-verbal cues, a powerful form of communication, are not available” (Simonson, 2007, p. 6).
According to Kirkpatrick, in Evaluating training programs: The four levels. San Francisco: Berrett-Koehler, his system of evaluating teaching and training came be applied to instructional design and assessments.
“ Kirkpatrick’s (1998) evaluation approach with its four levels of evaluation, supplemented by Phillips’ (2002) fifth evaluation level— return on investment (ROI)—seems to be the preferred approach of many trainers, and some educators” (Simonson, 2007, pp. 7-8).
Here are the four levels in the evaluation approach suggested by Kirkpatrick, supplemented by Phillips’ fifth evaluation level:
LEVEL 1: REACTIONS (i.e. - Did they like it?)
LEVEL 2: LEARNING (i.e. - Did they learn it?)
LEVEL 3: TRANSFER (i.e. - Will they use it?)
LEVEL 4: RESULTS (i.e. - Will they use it?)
LEVEL 5: RETURN ON INVESTMENT (i.e. – Monetary value vs. costs?)
“ Kirkpatrick’s evaluation approach has been traditionally used to evaluate classroom training and teaching, especially in the private, government, and military sectors. It is a straightforward approach that produces usable information for the trainer. The four levels of the approach are designed to obtain answers to commonly asked questions about training: Did they like it? Did they learn it? Will they use it? Will it matter?” (Simonson, 2007, pp. 7-8). I think this may get us looking out of different windows concerning assessments and instructional design. Learner-centered adult students are a good portion of the market that we will work in be it an institution of learning or a corporation doing training. How do you think these concepts apply to our discussion?
References
Brookfield, S. (1995). Becoming a critically reflective teacher. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
Kirkpatrick, D. (1994). Evaluating training programs: The four levels. San Francisco: Berrett-Koehler.
Phillips, J., Phillips, P., Duresky, L., & Gaudet, C. (2002). Evaluating the return on investment of elearning. In A.
Rossman, M. H. (2000). Andragogy and distance education: Together in the new millennium. New Horizons in Adult Education, 14 , (1).
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