Formative evaluation

Under formative evaluation , the evaluation and improvement is a process understood that within pre-defined periods of time and pre-defined criteria occurs.

definition

In contrast to the result evaluation ( summative evaluation ) - which ultimately only determines a comparison between the postulated and achieved target state - based on the (interim) results achieved in the formative evaluation, interventions or corrections of ongoing measures are carried out in order to increase the probability of target achievement. The principle can be explained using the example of the formative evaluation of a course / degree course . In order to achieve a significantly measurable increase in their verbal communication skills among students, a six-month course is launched that includes the appropriate elements such as lecture, dialogue and group discussion training, etc. An intermediate measurement is carried out every two months. Here, the criteria previously defined as valid criteria for verbal communication skills are collected, for example word speed (a), used variety of words (b), ability to react (c), the subjective assessment of the students (d) and the lecturer (e) etc. Based on the Evaluation of the interim results may result in the different elements having to be re-weighted, as the effect could not be determined in the predicted strength. In the formative evaluation, an active program is actively influenced with the aim of actually achieving the previously set goals in the best possible way.

application

Formative evaluation can be used formally (directly) or informally (indirectly), i.e. H. as descriptive, learning-relevant feedback in the conversation between teacher and students or as self-observation. The formative feedback should focus on three aspects (questions):

1. What is your learning goal? What is your original intention? What did you want to learn
2. Where are you in your learning process? What have you already achieved? What can you even do?
3. What else do you need to achieve the goal? Support (material, methods, human resources)

Examples

At the Faculty of Psychology at the University of Vienna , Twitter was used to formatively evaluate courses.

One form of formative evaluation is learning progress diagnostics , in which the teacher documents the learning progress of the students with short, mostly standardized tests and uses the results to evaluate and change their own teaching and to give the student feedback on the development.

See also

• Evaluation
• Ex post evaluation

Individual evidence

1. ↑ John Hattie: Making Learning Visible. Revised German-language edition of "Visible learning" . Ed .: Klaus Zierer. Schneider Verlag Hohengehren, Baltmannsweiler 2013, p. 215 .
2. ↑ Christoph Burger, Stefan Stieger: Using Web 2.0 application Twitter for formative course evaluation: a case study. ( English ) 1st Mobile phone conference, London (UK). February 18, 2009. Archived from the original on December 3, 2009. Info: The archive link was automatically inserted and not yet checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. Retrieved February 18, 2009. 
3. ↑ Christoph Burger, Stefan Stieger: Let's go formative: Continuous student ratings with Web 2.0 application Twitter . GOR09. April 8, 2009. Retrieved January 7, 2009.