Course evaluation
Course evaluation is an ongoing process. We are professors have to look at our courses to be sure they are current and all links work. Also we have to be sure the textbook is the latest ed.
Agree this is an essential part of any course and the instructor has the responsibilty to continue to evaluate content and keep pace with changes--adult learners expect it.
Sue,
There are just enough small changes in some of the software that can lead to a lot of confusion.
Shelly Crider
It's true that evaluation is an ongoing process that doesn't always happen quickly.
I took part in designing a blended curriculum, where students come to school a couple of days a week with the rest of the program being online. Unfortunately, we (as developers and instructors) didn't take into consideration the learning curve for some of the software programs students had to learn. After receiving feedback from learners, we're now in the process of slowing things down at the front end of the marking period to allow students some breathing room while learning the software.
This is very true. As educators, we must always commit ourselves to continuous learning and development. What might work for a particular cohort of students may not for others. In my experiences designing courses, it is not until you get a good chunk of feedback from learners about what works and what doesn't that you realize things should be changed or modified. This can sometimes take time.
I also think that it is important to create relevancy to the material being studied. Students learn through experience and when things have meaning, learning sticks. With that said, we have to always stay current with trends and also with the ever-changing nature of society.
I also think that with the strong presence of technology, we see trends evolving even faster than we used to so it is even more important that we keep up with it.
Lastly, distance learning is booming and we find ourselves in the middle of exploration where we can incorporate more interactive software and tools that requires that we continuously refine instructional delivery in the online classroom.
Zara,
Evaluations are very important. What makes sense to the facilitator may be very confusing to a student.
Shelly Crider
