Conducting Formative Evaluations of Online Instructional Materials

Abstract

Although most online instructional material probably will never see a formative evaluator, most online get some vetting by an expert in a quality review (a Stage 1). This chapter includes a discussion of two of the best-known 3-stage models of formative evaluation of instructional material, namely: the Dick and Carey model and the Alessi and Trollip model. These models help to make formative evaluation tried and true. Other ingredients for a tried and true formative evaluation are “learning domains” and “events of instruction.” These are still crucial and must always be part of a formative evaluation of online instructional materials. Also important however, is knowing the main emphasis of the instructional material in the distributed environment, and sufficient evidence of acknowledgment of multimedia learning principles.