This report describes a two-phase study designed to (1) investigate the appropriate evaluation literature and develop a formative evaluation model; (2) investigate the formative evaluation procedures utilized by Advanced Systems Incorporated (ASI), a successful producer of training materials; (3) develop a model based upon these procedures; and…

This discussion of formative evaluation as part of the instructional design process focuses on developmental testing and expert review. A review of the literature helps define each approach, research on formative evaluation is reviewed, and 37 references are provided. (LRW)

Linking Outcomes to Organizational Planning (LOOP) was initiated during the 1984-85 school year in the Austin (Texas) Independent School District. LOOP was designed to ensure that evaluation, research, and informal findings became part of the instructional planning loop; to provide information to the Superintendent on progress toward priorities…

A review of the research literature on systematic instructional design indicates that few empirically supported guidelines exist for testing materials under development and for improving materials on the basis of feedback from potential learners. In an analysis of 17 textbooks on instructional design, eight specific aspects to be considered in…

This paper makes a distinction between the formative evaluation that can be carried out in the early stages of the development of educational television programs, i.e., from the emergence of the idea through the development of a script, and those that have to be executed in the later stages of development, i.e., during the production process. The…

Presents a decision model for planning learner feedback in distance education courses with emphasis on college-level teaching. Knowledge components in information processing models of learning are described, task analysis for learning from text is discussed in terms of comprehension, and criteria for designing learner feedback are examined. (LRW)

WICAT Systems, Inc., produced a "proof of concept" instructional videodisc in college biology with support from the National Science Foundation. The project involved simultaneous development of content design, instructional strategies, software, and hardware, with a principal focus on evaluation of the instructional videodisc in the classroom.…

A review of the literature on systematic instructional design suggests that few empirically tested guidelines exist for testing and revising materials during the development stages. The revision process can broadly be based on one of two distinct strategies, internal review or developmental testing. Internal review strategies include referring…

The College of Education and Human Services Professions at the University of Minnesota, Duluth, has undertaken to develop several videodisc programs to be incorporated into the undergraduate core curriculum and inservice education for teachers and human service professionals. "Understanding Groups," which is the initial curriculum disc…

This paper draws heavily on quantitative synthesis of empirical research on teaching, and for comparison, related influences on learning, such as the student's motivation, home environment, and exposure to television. The first section explains the techniques of explicit search and selection of evidence and the statistical evaluation and summary…

Reviews an investigation of whether different formative evaluation procedures are needed when learning materials designed for one population are used by different cultural groups. Groups from the United States and Brazil were used to compare learner reactions and attitudes and to determine the amount of modification needed to revise materials.…

Describes development, use, and evaluation of a self-instructional manual that provides management students with the basic skills required for using the Statistical Analysis System (SAS), a major statistical program available for mainframe computers. (Author/MBR)

This review of the literature on educational radio covers reports on research from many areas of the world. Prepared as an internal report for the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) and Educational Radio and Television (ERTV), it was intended to provide a basis for both fruitful discussions and more specific and practical local…

Describes a course which provides training opportunities for academic staff who wish to acquire professional orientation toward their teaching functions. Course origins, current practices, and an independent course evaluation are described. Tentative conclusions are drawn concerning distance academic staff training and ways distance study can…

A survey was conducted of expert instructional design practitioners about their use of developmental testing and revision procedures. The degree of correspondence was examined between published recommended practice and actual practice, as reported by 90 respondents to a questionnaire. The surveyed sample were members of the National Society for…