Evaluating the Learning Module

Evaluating the

Learning Module

A crucial part of any learning module is reflecting on the unit once it has finished to determine where it was successful, where it could have been improved, and whether or not it was worthwhile and could be done again. The evaluation of the module can be divided into two broad areas: the pedagogical success of the unit and the technological success.

The pedagogical success can be evaluated in terms of how well the objectives were achieved throughout the course of the unit and at the end. Students and teachers will undertake their own assessments during the final presentations and the scores

generated here will largely indicate the success of the module. For example, the teacher can look at how well the learners achieved the linguistic and content-related objectives, whether students demonstrated a mastery of the language being focussed upon, and whether they demonstrated a deeper understanding of the material, in this case the various aspects of British culture. The teacher can also gauge the level of students’ engagement and commitment to the unit by looking at their self-evaluations.

Evaluating the technological success of the unit is a complex process. The aim of this learning task was for us to design a learning module which incorporated technology in some way – but the point here was to ensure that it was incorporated not for the sake of using technology just because we can, but in a meaningful and pedagogically sound way, a way which supported, enhanced and transformed the learning experience. Therefore, evaluating the technological success of the unit takes into account several different resources and frameworks.

The SAMR and TPACK frameworks are a good place to start when evaluating this unit. For example, Puentedura (2013) poses the following questions about incorporating technology with regards to the SAMR framework:

(Puentedura, 2013, slide 21)

With regards to the TPACK framework, I can start to look at the intersections in the model between the three main types of knowledge, and derive my evaluation questions from there, with particular regard to how technology has impacted the other aspects of the model.

Finally, Harmer (2015) presents a number of critical questions for teachers to use when considering new technology for the classroom. New technology can often represent a big cost, and teachers need to be sure that the investment is worthwhile. Harmer (2015) argues that “we need to be very clear-headed about what we are doing and why” (p. 199) when we integrate technology into the classroom.

With these resources in mind, I have come up with the following set of evaluation questions that teachers can use when evaluating the use of technology in this unit. Some of the questions can be answered before the unit has even started, and some must be answered afterwards, upon reflection.

Before the unit:

Who benefits the most from the use of this technology?
- Will the use of Google Slides positively benefit students and teachers?

How much training does it require?
- How much training does the teacher need to use Google Slides?
- How much training do the students need to use Google Slides?
- Is the time needed for training worth it compared to the benefit of using Google Slides?
How has the technology modified the original task?
- Does the modified task depend significantly on the use of Google Slides?
- How does the modification affect the task design?
How does the technology support the pedagogical principles?
- Does the pedagogy inform the use of technology?
- Does the pedagogy come before the technology?
How does the technology interact with what is being taught?
- How does Google Slides support students’ learning (both of the language and the content?)

After the unit:

Did the students achieve the learning objectives?
- How well did they achieve the language learning objectives?
- How well did they achieve the content learning objectives?
- How well did they achieve the technology learning objectives?
How much were the students engaged by the unit?
- Did they enjoy the learning task?
- How much time did they spend on the learning task outside of the classroom?
- What do the students’ self- and peer-evaluations indicate?

Did the technology support students’ learning?
- How can we show that the use of Google Slides facilitated students’ learning
  - with regards to language?
  - with regards to content?

Was the use of the technology worthwhile?
- What (if any) hiccups were experienced with Google Slides during and outside of the lessons?
  - Were these technical difficulties a major obstacle to learning or were they easily overcome?
  - Did the benefits of using Google Slides outweigh the technical difficulties?
- Did the students enjoy using Google Slides?
  - Did they find it too easy or too difficult?
- Was Google Slides used to a full extent?
  - Did students take advantage of the many features offered by Google Slides for collaborating online?
  - Did they prefer to work face-to-face instead?
Would I use this technology again? Why/why not?

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