Cloutier et al. (1987) provide a list of program components to observe (see Figure 14 below).
Program Components to Observe
Examples
Characteristics of participants
• Gender, age, profession/vocation, dress, appearance, ethnicity • Attitude toward subject, toward others, about self • Skill and knowledge levels • Statements about commitments, values, changes to be made
Interactions
•
Level of participation, interest
• Power relationships, decision-making, current issues • General climate for learning, problem-solving • Levels of support, cooperation
Nonverbal behavior
•
Facial expressions, gestures, postures
• Interest and commitment-initial impacts
Program leaders, presenters
• Clarity of communication, access to questions • Group leadership skills, encouraging full participation • Awareness of group climate • Flexibility, adaptability • Knowledge of subject, use of aids, other teaching/learning techniques • Sequence of activities
Physical surroundings
•
The room-space, comfort, suitability
•
Amenities, beverages, etc.
•
Seating arrangements
Products of a program
•
Demonstrations, facility, plans, etc.
•
Brochures, manuals, newsletters, etc.
Figure 14: Program components to observer, Cloutier et al. (1987).
Recording Observations When recording observation, you can take a structured, unstructured or hybrid approach. Structured observations are used when we want to standardize information and do a numerical summary on how many people are doing certain things. They provide quantitative data from frequency counts, rankings and ratings. In other instances, you may wish to observe people, activities, or physical aspects as they naturally exist, recording whatever you see that relates to your evaluation questions. You do not confine yourself to looking at preset items. With an open ended, unstructured format, you can pick up things which you might not have thought about in advance. Less structured observations produce qualitative data.
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