Reflection

Reflection is essential to all learning. Whether students are reflecting on their work or teachers reflecting on their lesson, it is important that all parties continue improving. Modeling this practice is an important part of teaching. Reviewing individual evaluations allows a fresh set of eyes to offer a different perspective. What is clear to the author or instructor may not be clear to the reader or student. Therefore, it is beneficial to have multiple parties evaluate one project or, in this case, distance education lesson. As a collective body of educators we can learn from each other about how to best reach students to enable them to be successful. The variety of constructive comments and feedback given will help the instructor grow and develop improved future lesson planning and presenting, and creating rubrics, essential assessment tools.

Reviewing evaluation tools allows the instructor to be aware of all the criteria to consider when designing or choosing a distance learning environment. The evaluation criteria provide a standard that can be used to prior to, during and after implementing distance learning lessons. Certain criteria were included in all evaluations tools, such as alignment of objectives, which is an important aspect to consider prior to designing a lesson. Each evaluation tool specified different, but related items to which the objectives were aligned: standards, lesson goals, assessments, content, curriculum, etc. We can conclude that in a distance education lesson including objectives is not enough. The objectives must be connected in a meaningful way with the content of the lesson so as to maximize learning in a measureable way. Objectives are the crux of a course, and as such, should be evaluated prior to, during, and after a lesson.

Another important criterion, as evidenced by its presence in all evaluation tools, is the organization of a distance education course and its ease of navigation. Can students find the content they need, when they need it and in a timely manner? In a distance education course, a clear entry point and path to follow are necessary for increased student achievement. Without apparent direction, students may become frustrated and lost in the material. Evaluating course organization will help instructors develop a more user-friendly course that entices students to easily and actively participate.

Communication, another common criterion in our evaluation tools, is a vital aspect that needs to be considered prior to, during, and after a course. Communication should be evaluated to make sure that there are several different ways to communicate with the student. When designing a course there should be ways built in to the course to have communication between the student and instructor and between students and their peers. During a class, communication should be open and encouraged between instructor and student and student to peers. After a course is over, communication should be evaluated to see how effective it was and what would need to change in the next course to make it more successful.

Interesting to our group was the number of similarities versus the differences. Other than superficial differences such as the rating scale or detail involved, the evaluation tools were much more similar than they were different. Only minor criteria differed. For example, one evaluation tool included this criterion which was found in no other evaluation tool.: “There is evidence assessment data and feedback is utilized in future lessons.” Additional innovative criterion examples include, “Content is presented without high distractions,” “Lesson offers flexibility for student creativity //with respect to the end product i.e. final product may be completed utilizing student choice of medium”// (italics added for emphasis to indicate the unique portion), and “Content requires frequent practice and learning strategies that involve both recall and application.”

Concerning the rating system, one of the superficial differences, half of the group used three ratings and the other half used four. Along with the numerical values, most evaluation tools included descriptor words such as “4 Above average, 3 Average, etc.” or “4 Exceptional, 3 Secure” or “3 Exemplary, 2 Satisfactory and 1 Basic.” Another minor difference was amount of detail and more focused criteria. Most evaluation tools included more than 15 criteria. Some had 8 or 10 general categories, but with 2-3 more detailed criteria listed underneath those categories. On a more personal level, members of the group found not only the evaluation tools helpful but also being able to view each other’s actual lessons. One team member said, “My team member lessons are filled with academic rigor and opportunities for the use of technology...It helped me to experience the lessons, activities and evaluation tools of my team members...I feel the tools should have been used prior to submitting as an assignment as the learner gains much more perspective after implementing the tool.”

In conclusion, constructing an evaluation tool before a project allows the instructor to think about the important aspects of a distance learning course and what needs to be included. Using an evaluation tool during a class allows the instructor to assess how well the different aspects of the class are going and what to change in the immediate future. At the end of the class an evaluation should be done to assess how the class went, what worked and what did not work, and what needs to be changed for the next class.