THE IMPORTANCE OF EVALUATION IN THE INSTRUCTIONAL TECHNOLOGY

written by 

Widya Rahmawati/ 150704033

Evaluation is the important part in the instructional media. The selection of a instructional media is one of the most important decisions a teacher will make in shaping the content and nature of teaching and learning. It involves matching the material against the context in which it is going to be used, following the aims of the teaching program, as well as fitting the personal methodology of the teacher. The evaluation is used in the end the media selection, whether it is good or not. 

The Definition of Evaluation

Evaluation is basically a straightforward, analytical ‘matching process: matching needs to available solutions’ (Hutchinson and Waters 1987:97). According to the Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English (2003), the most basic definition of evaluation is “the act of considering something to decide how useful or valuable it is”. 

McGrath (2004: 22) basic explanation of textbook (instructional media) evaluation concerns the discovery of whether what you were looking for was there. When found, you then need to put a value on your findings. Evaluation implies judgment-making which therefore also means that evaluation is subjective. Although when evaluating, McGrath claims, that you might miss the unusual and the innovative. According to Rea-Dickins and Germaine (1994: 4) in Montasser: 2013 "evaluation is an intrinsic part of teaching and learning”.

The Importance of Evaluation

There are some statements which show that the evaluation is important. Evaluation is made easier, more objective and valid when it is based on a reliable instrument. Most checklists available in the literature lack the expected validity or reliability (Mukundan & Ahour, 2010). According to Demir and Erta (2014) evaluation process enables to predict the potential strengths and weaknesses of a given coursebook. 

Materials evaluation is also likely to contribute to teachers’ professional development by providing them with a critical point of view and enabling them to scrutinize the course material with an academic perspective. In the selection of a new textbook, it is important to conduct an evaluation to ensure that it is suitable. Evaluation is widely acknowledged as a powerful means of improving the quality of education (Montasser: 2013) 

On the other hand, evaluation is universally accepted as an integral part of teaching and learning. It is one of the basic components of any curriculum and plays a pivotal role in determining what learners learn. Cunningsworth (1995: 7) suggested that the materials selected should reflect [the needs of the learners and the aims, methods and values of the teaching program. One other reason for textbook evaluation is that it can be very useful in teachers‟ development and professional growth. Ellis (1997) suggested that textbook evaluation helps teachers went beyond impressionistic assessments and it helped them to acquire useful, accurate, systematic and contextual insights into the overall nature of textbook material.

The Mind Mapping of Evaluation

Reference 

Demir and Erta. 2014. A Suggested Eclectic Checklist for ELT Coursebook Evaluation. Volume 14, Number 2, September 2014 

Ellis, Rod. (1997). The empirical evaluation of language teaching materials. ELT Journal, 51(1), pp. 36-42 [Electronic version]. 

Ellis, Rod. (1997). The empirical evaluation of language teaching materials. ELT Journal, 51(1), pp. 36-42 [Electronic version]. 

Hutchinson, T. and A. Waters. 1987. English For Specific Purposes: A Learning-Centred Approach. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. 

Longman dictionary of contemporary English (4th ed.). (2003). Harlow, England: Longman 

McGrath, I. 2004. Materials Evaluation and Design for Language Teaching. Edinburgh: Edinburgh University pers. 

Montasser, AbdelWahab Mohamed. 2013. Developing an English Language Textbook Evaluative Checklist. IOSR Journal of Research & Method in Education (IOSR-JRME) Volume 1, Issue 3 (Mar. –Apr. 2013), PP 55-70 Mukundun, J & Author, T. 2010. A Review of Evaluation Checklist Across Four Decades (1970-2008). In B. Tomlinson & H. Masuhara. Research for Materials Development in Language Learning: Evidence for Best Practice (1st ed., pp. 336-352). London: Continuum.