Evaluation

Constructing an Evaluation Template

(a template submitted by Marèse Carroll, Principal Teacher, Religious and Moral Education, St. Joseph’s College, Dumfries and Galloway)

Having researched, developed and delivered a lesson or series of lessons on Sectarianism issues you may wish to evaluate the impact that this has had on pupils. This evaluation may prove useful in adapting future activities and in assessing the effectiveness of the activities. An example of such an evaluation tool for a specific series of lessons is included below.

The evaluation tool is designed to be completed by pupils before starting any work on anti-sectarianism and as soon as practically possible after the event.

 PDF file: Evaluation tool

Areas for assessement

1. Understanding

This includes an assessment of pupils pre- knowledge about the issues and the beliefs and values that the pupils may have held before the series of lessons and simple description of any emotion they bring. This prior understanding or lack of it will affect their response and can assist in explaining how or why pupils respond in a particular way.

In constructing this part of the evaluation tool consideration has been given to the learning outcome of the series of lessons. The terms that are used may or may not have been familiar to pupils and their understanding of them may or may not have been clear. Simple yes/no responses have been used so that any analysis is straightforward. Here it has not been considered critical to analyse if pupils have the “correct” understanding, rather it there own perception of how much they knew, that is being analysed.

Pupils may have first hand experience of sectarianism as victim or perpetrator or both. This may affect their understanding of the subject. As such context and personal experience are important. Some simple questions related to these issues have been included to provide information on the extent of the pupils' prior experience.

Pupils will bring a range feelings and attitudes to the issues that are to be highlighted and considered, undoubtedly this will be influenced by experience. A range of responses would be expected so the opportunity to expand about their feelings has been given.

2. Impact

The impact section is constructed in such a way as to evaluate any changes that have come about as a result of experience. This part of the tool will again depend on the learning outcomes and further it may refer to specific activities that have taken place.

This part of the evaluation gives space for a series of short but comprehensive answers. As this section is dealing with the pupils knowledge, reactions, attitudes and the actions that pupil's would now take in response to the lessons yes/no or fixed responses have not been considered appropriate. Even if pupils were not able to explain terms or express feeling before the activities this could be expected after the exercise. While it may be possible to construct a fixed responses, especially of the understanding of terms, if pupils were not sure they may guess at what the thought was the “right” answer.

3. Enjoyment

This section for ease of analysis includes a general question and an attempt to evaluate the most popular activities. Care has been taken to help pupils identify the activities as well as giving space for suggestions which can help develop future lessons.