Introduction | Pre-Production
Activities | Lesson Development
| Alpha, Beta, and Pilot Testing
Project Evaluation | Marketing | Packaging
| Dissemination
Project evaluation is critical to the long-term success of the Arizona Regions Project. The purpose of the project evaluation is to find out the extent to which the product meets its intended outcomes. Our evaluation plan consists of pilot tests with focus groups consisting of educators and students on the content, design, format, lessons, and usability of a draft project. We will also conduct interviews with students testing their content understanding and use, design, and format of the project. Performance assessment with students will test their application of the knowledge and technology skills gained by using the product. Project evaluation will also include external surveys with educators and curriculum specialists with an expertise in ecology of Arizona.
Both quantitative and qualitative measurements will be used in the project's evaluation program. Individual interviews allow you to obtain more detailed information from each person interviewed. Focus groups also give you detailed information as the participants use each other's comments and thoughts to stimulate and elaborate on their own comments and thoughts. Direct observation of the test-run participants is probably the best way to find out where any "problems" exist in your product. However, any or all of the other methods will provide you with valuable information on whether your product really does what you intended it to do. We will create a sample survey format and sample interview or focus group questions.