Evaluating Learner Progress

Why is Evaluation needed?

 Learners need to hear the feedback and judgment of their work.
 They need to know how they are doing at one level before progressing to the next.
 To determine how well the objectives are met.

Choices to be Made Regarding Evaluation

Formative and Summative Evaluation
 Formative : Is the ongoing feedback given to the learner throughout the
learning experience. This evaluation helps the learner identify strengths and
weaknesses and meet the learning objectives efficiently. It prevent learner
surprise at the end of the learning experience about their performance for
which they were not prepared. Formative evaluation may be graded or not
graded. Formative evaluation may be given orally or written. Written
evaluation called anecdotal note.
 Summative evaluation: is a summary evaluation given at the bend of the
learning experience. The purpose to assess whether the learner has achieved
the objectives and is ready to move to another objectives. Summative
evaluation results in a grade. Clinical evaluation in nursing always using this
type. It may also include formative evaluation whether it is formally or in
informally.
Norm referenced evaluation and Criterion referenced evaluation
 Norm referenced evaluation: A learner compared with a reference group of
learners, either those in the same cohort or in a norm group. An evaluation
process in which a students behavior is characterized as "below average",
"average", or" above average" or in which grades are distributed on a normal
curve is norm referenced.
 Criterion referenced evaluation: Is that which compares the learner to well-
defined performance criteria rather than comparing him or her to other
learners. Many educators Many educators believe criterion-referenced
evaluation to be fairer that norm- referenced evaluation.

Choices to be Made Regarding Evaluation

Grading system
The two most common options for grading :
 assigning letter grades
 pass /fail or satisfactory/ unsatisfactory approach
Behaviors to be Evaluated
 Use of the nursing process.
 Use of health-promoting strategies.
 Psychomotor skills
 Organization of care
 Maintain patient safety
 Ability to provide rationale for nursing care
 Ability to individualize care planning and intervention
 Therapeutic communication
 Ability to work with a professional team
 Professional behaviors
 Written documentations of care

Sources of Evaluation Data

 Direct observation
 Patient perception towards the behaviors of nurses.
 Learner self evaluation.
 Agency staff
 Written work such as nursing care plan, problem solving, critical thinking
paper

Clinical Evaluation Tools

 The items should derive from the course or unit objectives.
 The items must measurable in some way.
 The items and instructions for use should be clear to all who use the tool.
 The tool should be practical in design and length.
 The tool must be valid and reliable.

Common errors in evaluation

 Hallo error: Is result of allowing one trait to influence the evaluation of other
traits or of rating all traits on than basis of a general impression.
 A logical error: Is a rating a nurse possesses another chch that is logically
related.
 Horns error: the evaluator is hyper perfectionist may rate personnel lower
than they should.
 Contrast error: Tendency of managers to rate the nurse opposite from the
way they receive themselves.
 Central tendency error: A small range of scores was applied in evaluation.