ABSTRACT
Chapter 6 describes the parallel process that needs to occur with the setting of learning objectives and a learning plan that is the development of an evaluation plan. Evaluation is the systematic collection of descriptive and judgmental information necessary to allow for effective decisions related to the selection, adoption, value, and modification of learning interventions. Evaluation can certainly lead to a decision to retain or eliminate a learning opportunity but more likely it can provide the data needed to revise a program to better meet the learning goals for subsequent participants. An evaluation plan should answer three key questions: (1) what is the purpose of the evaluation, (2) what evaluation data needs to be collected to be informative to decision makers, and (3) what is the appropriate intensity or complexity of the evaluation process that makes sense for this particular learning intervention? The chapter describes each of these three questions regarding evaluation of being purposeful, informative, and proportionate. It discusses the important issues of criterion measurement and issues of relevancy, contamination, and deficiency as well as describing a variety of research designs that can be employed to study whether learning and transfer has occurred. The chapter concludes with a focus on evaluation as part of a continuous improvement strategy.
