1. Evaluating the Curriculum
Chapter 13 Presentation
J. Bradshaw and A. Hamrick
GFC

2. Evaluating The Curriculum
Describe several processes for evaluating the curriculum
Explain the major features of curriculum evaluation models
Describe how these models can be used
Describe how these models can be applied
Describe 8 principles of curriculum construction and significance to planners

3. The Process 2. What is curriculum evaluation?
Instructional evaluation
Assessment of the program and related areas
Evaluation is the means for determining what needs improvement and for providing a basis for effecting that improvement

4. Problems in Evaluation Albert I. Oliver – The 5 Ps
Program
Provisions
Procedures
Products
Processes

5. Evaluation Models Limited Models and Comprehensive Models
Evaluation of curriculum objectives
Specify performance or behavior to be demonstrated
Include a degree of mastery
State conditions under which the performance will take place, if not readily understood
Refer to programs, not specific content and accomplishments of groups of students rather than individual students

6. Limited Models
Curriculum evaluation is the assessment of achievement of the specified curriculum objectives
Observation surveys
Portfolios
Test results
If the curriculum objectives have not been met, planners must determine whether the objectives still merit pursuing and if so, what measures must be taken to achieve them

7. 8 perennial problems of curriculum construction and organization
Scope
Relevance
Balance
Integration
Sequence
Continuity
Articulation
Transferability

8. Scope The breadth of the curriculum content topics
learning experiences
activities
organizing threads and centers – focal points for learning through which the school’s objectives are to be attained
Explosion of knowledge – limiting subject matter

9. Scope Continued
Aims Procedure – a selection of skills, concepts, and knowledge to be incorporated into the curriculum Caswell and Campbell – aim of education is stated, specific objectives indicated the scope of the curriculum
Necessary Decisions – What do young people need in order to succeed in our society? What are the needs of our locality, state, nation, and world? What are the essentials of each discipline?

10. Relevance
Varying interpretations – What is relevant in the suburbs may not be relevant in the inner city.
B. Othanel Smith – What is most assuredly useful?
Uses of knowledge
the ability of the learner to relate freely, bringing about solutions to problems. Abstract knowledge helps individuals to interpret their environment which they cannot do without fundamental knowledge

11. Balance Something that schools may not have, but, apparently should
Halverson – a balanced curriculum implies structure and order in its scope and sequence leading to the achievement of educational objectives
Goodlad – what kind and how much attention to give learners and subject matter
Ronald C. Doll – a balanced curriculum for a given learner at a given time would completely fit the learner in terms of his or her particular educational needs at that time

12. Integration The blending, fusion, or unification of disciplines
Optional and controversial
Hinges on the philosophy of the nature of knowledge
Traditionally schools have felt that integration of subject matter was not too important or detrimental to student achievement
Progressives feel that understanding is improved when barriers between disciplines are removed

13. Correlation
Relating of subjects to one another while still maintaining their separateness
Relationships between subjects taught at a particular school level are shown to students as in history and literature
Correlation becomes integration when the subjects lose their identities
Regardless of how the material is presented , the learner must integrate the knowledge into his or her own behavior

14. Sequence
The order in which the organizing elements are arranged by the curriculum planners
Problems of Sequencing
the maturity of the learners
the interest of the learners
the readiness of the learner
the difficulty of the items to be learned
the relationship between items
the prerequisite skills needed in each case

15. Continuity
The planned repetition of content at successive levels, each time at an increased level of complexity
Spiral Curriculum – concepts, skills, and knowledge are introduced and reintroduced
Expertise Needed – demands both knowledge of the subject field and of the learners

16. Articulation The meshing of organizing elements across school levels
Horizontal and Vertical – correlation and continuity
Gaps between levels - become a problem with articulation
Personal articulation – students personal articulation, schools look for ways to respond to students’ varied capabilities
Improved articulation eases the movement of students from one level to the next

17. Comprehensive Models The Saylor, Alexander and Lewis Model
The CIPP Model

18. Transferability
Learning in school should have applicability in either a broad or narrow sense outside of school and after school years
Education in some way should enrich the life of the individual

19. Saylor Model 1. The goals, subgoals, and objectives
2. The program of education as a totality
3. The specific segments of the education program
4. Instruction
5. Evaluation program

20. The Saylor Model

22. Evaluation of Goals, Subgoals and Objectives
Analysis of the needs of society
Analysis of the needs of the individual
Referring the goals, subgoals and objectives to various groups
referring the goals, subgoals and objectives to subject matter specialists
Use of summative data

23. Author’s version of Saylor model
Evaluation of instruction
Evaluation of specific segments
Evaluative instruments
Evaluation of total program
Evaluation of the evaluation program

24. The CIPP Model Context Input Process Product
Definition - “Evaluation is the process of delineating, obtaining, and providing useful information for judging decision alternatives

26. Four types of decisions and change
Large change low information - Neomobilistic change
Small change low information - Incremental change
Small change high information - Homeostatic change
Large change high information - Metamorphic change

27. Author’s Model

28. Standards for Evaluation
Needs to be some agreed upon standards.

29. Works Cited
Oliva, Peter F. “Evaluating the Curriculum”. Developing the Curriculum, 5th ed. New York: Longman, 2001,