Pros and Cons of the Retrospective Pre-Test Design
When choosing to integrate the retrospective pre-test design method into your learning program evaluation and measurement methodology, the selection must take place in the after very carefully evaluating arguments both for and against its utility. The method has many advantages for the practitioner-researcher (see Table 1) but one must be cognizant of the threats to validity.
However, in the context of the case study method, triangulation of data from other sources (questionnaires, surveys, quantitative analysis of access logs, LMS records, summative assessments, and so on) can be used to counteract or balance such threats.
Table 1 Advantages and disadvantages of the retrospective pre-test model
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Advantages |
Disadvantages |
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Simple and cost-effective |
Possibility that results were due to history in the job or organization |
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Reduces costs and time for data collection and analysis |
Possible distortions in retrospective reports because of response shift bias |
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Gathers data as part of the learning intervention |
|
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Compares post-intervention data with retrospective pre-data |
|
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Avoids attrition from the sample being measured |
|
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Decreases likelihood of testing effects |
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More Next Time…
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July 15 2010 03:00 pm | e-learning
One Response to “Pros and Cons of the Retrospective Pre-Test Design”
M. Engle on 15 Jul 2010 at 7:20 pm #
In the table for “Pros and Cons of the Retrospective Pretest Design”, possible distortions in retrospective reports may occur because of response shift bias. This is cited as a disadvantage. Yet in the previous blog,you say, “RPT enables researchers to reduce the response shift bias because the participants are able to give pretest responses which are based on a post intervention frame of reference.” That sounds like an advantage, NOT a disadvantage as listed in the table. Please clarify.