Which types of evaluation are used in instructional design?

Which types of evaluation are used in instructional design?

• A. Norm-referenced evaluation
• B. Formative and summative evaluation to improve programs and demonstrate effectiveness
• C. Predictive evaluation
• D. Diagnostic evaluation

Answer: (B)

Evaluation in instructional design focuses on improving the program and proving its impact. Formative evaluation happens during development and ongoing instruction, gathering feedback from learners, instructors, and pilot tests to refine content, activities, and delivery. It’s all about making the design better as you go. Summative evaluation, on the other hand, looks at the finished instruction after it’s delivered, measuring whether the learning objectives were met and showing how effective the program is overall. These two together give you a cycle of ongoing improvement and clear evidence of success. Other approaches—like comparing learners to a norm, predicting outcomes before or after, or diagnosing a learner’s preexisting knowledge—are useful in broader educational contexts, but they don’t pair as the standard dual focus in instructional design, where the goal is to refine the program during development and demonstrate its effectiveness after implementation.

Evaluation in instructional design focuses on improving the program and proving its impact. Formative evaluation happens during development and ongoing instruction, gathering feedback from learners, instructors, and pilot tests to refine content, activities, and delivery. It’s all about making the design better as you go. Summative evaluation, on the other hand, looks at the finished instruction after it’s delivered, measuring whether the learning objectives were met and showing how effective the program is overall. These two together give you a cycle of ongoing improvement and clear evidence of success.

Other approaches—like comparing learners to a norm, predicting outcomes before or after, or diagnosing a learner’s preexisting knowledge—are useful in broader educational contexts, but they don’t pair as the standard dual focus in instructional design, where the goal is to refine the program during development and demonstrate its effectiveness after implementation.