Running head: ASSESSMENT AND EVALUATION

Assessment and Evaluation Using Technology Dana Borowiec EDU697: Capstone: A Project Approach Dr. Keith Pressey May 6, 2013

ASSESSMENT AND EVALUATION Assessment and Evaluation Using Technology

Select a prior MATLT activity that demonstrates attainment of Program Learning Outcome 6 to technology resources to facilitate effective assessment and evaluation and Program Learning Outcome 7 Utilize technology to collect and analyze data, interpret results, and communicate findings. Redesign the activity using instructional design principles and theory. Using learning in prior courses and the Week Four Discussion, be sure to include an explanation of which principles and theory you chose and why. Additionally, include a discussion of any design and implementation challenges experienced during the redesign process and how they were overcome. Emergency situations, unfortunately, prevail in the world. The United States, alone, has experienced emergency situations, which include the Boston Marathon bombings, school and mall shootings, and natural disasters. One MATLT activity which demonstrates Program Learning Outcome 6, Technology resources to facilitate effective assessment and evaluation, can reflect through the JIT training class, EDU 656. A practice drill that utilizes technology, such as cell phones and social networking, can include fire drills. The second activity to exemplify Program Learning outcome 7, Utilize technology to collect and analyze data, interpret results, and communicate findings, can collect data obtained through a survey. Fire drills are periodically conducted in schools and many businesses, with intent to instill a course of action in the event of an emergency. In terms of the workplace, knowing how to act in the event of an emergency could be crucial to saving time as well as lives. Integrating alerts through technological means would reflect a drill about to be executed, which departments are involved, and a specific plan of action in the event of an evacuation. Using email, text messages, and social networking could serve as a reminder of the drill or event, and reinforce the necessity of this type of activity by using previous emergencyscenarios as examples. The second activity demonstrates Program Learning outcome 7, Utilize technology to collect and analyze data, interpret results, and communicate findings, can collect data obtained through a survey. The participants willingly become a part of the process when

ASSESSMENT AND EVALUATION

they provide information designed to educate both learner and instructor. In addition, surveys of this type provide knowledge that can ultimately benefit the masses. Surveymonkey.com provides a service where questions posed to a certain demographic can provide information when considering the design of a program. Using instructional design principles and theory, I chose a survey created for the purpose of utilizing text alerts, email, and social networking to notify stakeholders of impending emergency situations. As a result of findings, assessments and evaluations of programs provide information with regard to needed changes and ways to improve performance. The findings of my survey were varied and interesting, though, initially, my topic was not on-point for the sake of the original assignment. I created two surveys because I did not include the potential for internet tools in the events of emergencies. I discovered that creating the questions is only the beginning of conducting an effective survey. My revised survey was based on communications and the potential need for using social media as a means for communication in the event of an emergency. Though the template was one I edited, the questions were organic, in my own words, and designed to discover the frequency of social media usage; the intent is to show how social media is an effective, time-saving, efficient, and speedy method of communication. The Instructional Design Knowledge Base (2006) describes several learning theories. The repeats of such drills exemplify the Cognitivism/Pragmatism theory which states: Emphasis on structuring, organizing and sequencing information to facilitate optimal processing (2006). Meaningful learning takes place through the structured organization. The survey allows the participants either past, present, or future to become part of the process through the Constructivism/Interpretivism theory (2006). This theory can, Create novel and situation-

ASSESSMENT AND EVALUATION specific understandings by "assembling" knowledge from diverse sources appropriate to the problem at hand (flexible use of knowledge) (2006). Cognitive goals efficiently transfer the knowledge to the learner and Constructive goals, Encourage reflective thinking, higher-order learning skills (2006). One MATLT activity which demonstrates Program Learning Outcome 6, Technology

resources to facilitate effective assessment and evaluation, can reflect through the JIT training class, EDU 656. A practice drill that utilizes technology, such as cell phones and social networking, can include fire drills. The second activity to exemplify Program Learning outcome 7, Utilize technology to collect and analyze data, interpret results, and communicate findings, can collect data obtained through a survey. The utilization of technology for emergency notification results in a safer, broader outreach. Periodic surveys help provide and gain knowledge to everyone involved.

ASSESSMENT AND EVALUATION References Dabbagh, N. (2006). Instructional design knowledge base. Retrieved from http://classweb.gmu.edu/ndabbagh/Resources/IDKB/models_theories.htm Borowiec, D. (2012). Social networking to communicate during an emergency. Survey

Monkey. Retrieved from http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/5D53JQQ http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/97DZVR5 Borowiec, D. (2013). Emergency communication. Survey Monkey. Retrieved from http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/982NHKY