Emergent Evaluation: An Initial Exploration of a Formative Framework for Evaluating Distance Learning Modules

Abstract

Evaluation of student learning is becoming increasingly important in higher education, partly as a consequence of increasingly performative structures within universities, and partly as the result of a developing interest in rolling development of curricula and teaching resources. Historically, for both face-to-face provision and distance learning, such evaluation has generally been captured through the use of end-of-module questionnaires. Whilst these evaluative media may capture some reflections of student learning, they are often poorly focused, and rely wholly on summative perspectives which are captured at a point remote to the learning process itself. The current paper reports on an initial investigation which centred on developing a formative framework for evaluating distance learning modules. It is distinguished from typical summative questionnaire evaluations by the collection of live feedback from students as they undertake a module, allowing for insight and feed forward to develop materials as students undertake the module. This is achieved by using a modified version of an approach called ‘Lesson Study’, a collaborative planning and evaluation tool which originated in Japan (Lewis et al, 2009).