Comments on: Using Quantitative Data when Evaluating Non-Formal Learning

By: virginia Yonkers

virginia Yonkers — Fri, 23 Jul 2010 15:53:32 +0000

One other place to capture quantitative information is in the registration process. We used to get a lot of valuable information in face to face training, and I get a lot of information from my students by having them fill out a general information form.

I also think a pre-test gives some good quantitative information in terms of a starting point for participants. This does not have to be “graded” but rather can be useful in analyzing as an aggregate questions participants had trouble with, which answers where given, and other trends in their knowledge base (i.e. people from the same department got the same question wrong with the same answer…maybe there is differences in terminology, understanding of what is “correct”, or a difference in philosophy). In fact, I think pre-tests are much more useful than post tests.

By: Michael Hanley

Michael Hanley — Fri, 23 Jul 2010 08:39:00 +0000

Thanks Ellen,
I don’t know why there isn’t more information about e-learning quantitative data capture in the public domain: it’s a bit of a “no-brainer” in my view, considering the richness of the data that’s available. Anyhoo, in regrad to your queries:
1 – “Number of slides/pages or learning objects accessed” – I’ll will discuss this in more detail in a future blog post
2 – The term “rate” or “rates” – hmmm… interesting. Not that you highlight it, this term can be interpreted in a number of ways including

a certain quantity or amount of one thing considered in relation to a unit of another thing and used as a standard or measure

and

degree of speed, progress

as well as

to rank in estimation

In fact a quick skim through my dictionary provides 26 separate meanings for the word. So, I need to tighten up my terminology here, so leave it with me…
Best regards,
Michael
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By: Ellen

Ellen — Thu, 22 Jul 2010 18:09:42 +0000

Michael — Great to see this post on quantitative data measurement of elearning I see value in many of the items in your final list, but wonder what usefulness you see in “Number of slides/pages or learning objects accessed”? And I’m intrigued by your reference to “rates” — “Rate if individual learner attendance or online access” is especially unclear, but even if this is a typo for “Rate of” I’m not sure I’d understand what measure you’re describing. Could you clarify?

Thanks so much!