Strategies in Curriculum Evaluation / Review

Outsiders may be consultants, inspectors or administrators. They are considered experts because they have spent years teaching, running projects or training. Outsiders can bring a different perspective and encourage participants to discuss.

Evaluation by Outsider

1. Testing – Measurement of the products or the outcomes of schooling.

2. Inspection – Independent observation of the process of schooling.

2 Basic approaches to evaluation by Outsider

The legal base specifies that the activity needs an external evaluation.

There is a reason to believe that an internal evaluation would not meet the principles of objectivity and independence.

The evaluation needs tool and resources that are not available in-house.

When to use External Evaluators?

Insiders may be teachers, students, staff and anyone else closely involve in the development and implementation of the programme. Insiders have far greater experience of the situation. They are the ones who know if the innovations are appropriate to their own context and are also the ones that will be affected by the decisions taken.

Evaluation by Insider

Additional valuable knowledge can be gained by doing the evaluation in-house that would not be obtained if it was commissioned to external evaluators.

The information that will be used during the evaluation is confidential and therefore cannot be disclosed to external parties.

The evaluation results are urgent. No budget to pay for external evaluators.

When to use Internal Evaluators?

Effective evaluation requires a combination of insiders and outsiders.

An effective evaluation design encourages stakeholder participation, concentrates on skill development, and establishes the usefulness of the report and its recommendations.

Combined Strategies – External and Internal

Evaluators