CHECKLIST FOR EVALUATING MATERIALS DESIGNED USING DIFFERENT EDUCATIONAL MEDIA

This checklist is by no means exhaustive, but may offer some useful criteria against which to assess different materials and ways of using educational media. Do the materials to be used:

• offer clear guidance on how they can be used?
• make their focus and relevance explicit?
• take account of the diversity of learner backgrounds and learning styles?
• take account of the learner's prior knowledge and conceptions?
• engage a variety of senses?
• allow the learners to manage their own pace and pathway through the materials?
• stimulate recall of earlier learning?
• contextualise what is to be learnt?
• offer the opportunity for dialogue between what is to be learnt and the learner's conceptions of this?
• provide a variety of examples?
• provide opportunities for practice or application?
• provoke reflection on what is being learned and on how it is being learned?
• provide the opportunity for active learning?
• provide feedback to the learner?
• help learners to make their own connections, conclusions and contributions?
• allow for group as well as individual use and learning?
• enhance existing materials?
• fit appropriately into the existing learning context?

Checklist compiled by consulting the following books:

Laurillard, D. (1993) Rethinking University Teaching - a framework for the effective use of educational technology, Routledge.

Viskovic, A. R. (1996) An Introduction to Educational Media, HERDSA Green Guide, No 20.