Why Do We Need to Evaluate What We Do in Education? How Do We Do It Most Effectively?

Importance of Educational Evaluation:

Evaluation is essential in education to measure the effectiveness of teaching, learning, and curricula. It identifies strengths and weaknesses in instructional practices and student outcomes, providing data that help improve educational quality and guide strategic decision-making. Evaluation ensures accountability to stakeholders such as students, parents, institutions, and society at large. Furthermore, it supports innovation by highlighting successful approaches and areas needing improvement. Effective evaluation informs curriculum development, teacher training, and policy formulation, ensuring education meets evolving learning goals and societal needs (Ifeoma, 2023; QuestionPro, 2023; QAHE, 2025).

Effective Methods:

The most effective evaluation systems are continuous, multi-dimensional, and aligned with clearly defined educational objectives. They combine formative assessments (ongoing checks for understanding) with summative assessments (final evaluations of learning outcomes). Incorporating qualitative methods such as feedback and observations alongside quantitative data enriches evaluation insights. Additionally, involving multiple stakeholders—teachers, learners, administrators—in evaluation design and interpretation fosters inclusive and actionable results. Transparency, ethical data use, and adaptability to context are vital for sustained effectiveness (QuestionPro, 2023; FacultyFocus, 2022).

• Veronica Hardel

We need to evaluate what we do in education to ensure that teaching practices, programs, and policies are effectively promoting student learning and development. Evaluation helps identify what works, what needs improvement, and how resources can be better used to achieve educational goals. It ensures accountability, guides decision-making, and supports continuous improvement.

To evaluate most effectively, we should use clear objectives, valid and reliable assessment tools, and multiple sources of evidence such as tests, observations, feedback, and performance tasks. Involving teachers, students, and other stakeholders in the process, and using both quantitative and qualitative data, also make evaluations more meaningful and actionable
Analysis of an Existing Educational Evaluation

Study: Evaluation of the strengths and weaknesses of community-based education by Mokhtarpour et al., Tehran, Iran.
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Summary

The study looked at community-based education in a health/medical setting. It asked students in health/nutrition/clinical training about their perceptions of the program, including what works well and what doesn’t.
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It used mixed methods: quantitative (surveys) and qualitative (open-ended questions, interviews) to gather data from students.
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Key findings: Some strengths (faculty performance, general satisfaction), but also several weaknesses: mismatch between theoretical vs practical components, facilities lacking, high student numbers in practical groups, inadequate physical or conference space, other resource constraints.
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They also made suggestions: start practicum earlier, reduce student-to-group ratios, improve facilities, better alignment of theory-practice.
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Strengths of this Evaluation

Mixed methods — combining quantitative and qualitative data helps capture not just what is happening, but how students experience it, and why. This improves depth of insight.

Direct feedback from primary stakeholders (students) — they are the ones being trained, so their perceptions matter.

Focus on practical / real constraints — facility, space, group size etc. These often get less attention, but affect implementation heavily.

Actionable recommendations — the evaluation doesn’t only list problems, but suggests concrete changes (earlier practicum, better space, etc.).

Transparency about limitations — the authors note that the study is limited in scale (“a limited number of students in a special period of time”) and generalizability.
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Weaknesses / Limitations

Limited generalizability — as they acknowledge, sample size and timing (one period) limit how much the findings can be applied to other institutions or over time.

Possibility of response bias — student perceptions may be influenced by recent events, or reluctance to criticize, or lack of anonymity.

Lack of long-term outcome data — the evaluation seems focused on perceptions and immediate resource/practice issues. It does not measure whether students trained under this model perform better in clinical work, or whether their outcomes (patient care, etc.) improve.

Possible imbalance in stakeholder voices — while students are included, I didn’t see mention of faculty, patients, employers, or administrators. Their perspectives could provide different insights (e.g. what capacities or constraints faculty face, how well graduates perform in real work settings).

Assessment of teaching quality seems broad — e.g. “faculty members’ performance” is mentioned, but perhaps with little disaggregated detail (by specific competencies, by individual courses).

Structural constraints — some problems (facilities, numbers of students) may require policy or budget changes; while evaluation can identify these, it may not be able to enforce or guarantee change.

• Helen Gumangan

We need to evaluate what we do in education to ensure that teaching methods, curricula, policies, and learning environments are truly effective in helping students learn and grow. Education is not just about delivering content—it’s about making sure students understand, apply, and benefit from what they are taught. Evaluation allows us to identify what works, what doesn’t, and what can be improved. It helps schools and educators remain accountable, make evidence-based decisions, and ensure that time, resources, and efforts are directed toward approaches that support student success. Evaluation also plays a key role in promoting equity by highlighting gaps in access or outcomes among different student groups.

To evaluate education effectively, we must use a combination of methods. This includes collecting quantitative data (like test scores, attendance, and graduation rates) and qualitative data (such as student feedback, classroom observations, and teacher reflections). Effective evaluation is continuous—not just something done at the end of a program—and involves input from all stakeholders: students, teachers, parents, and administrators. It’s also important to evaluate both the process (how education is delivered) and the outcomes (what students actually learn and achieve). Finally, the results of evaluations should be used to inform improvements, adapt teaching strategies, guide training, and shape future policies. Without meaningful evaluation, education risks becoming outdated, ineffective, or inequitable.

• Helen Gumangan

In education, assessment goes beyond just measuring outcomes. It focuses on promoting ongoing enhancement. In the absence of evidence-based assessment, instruction could depend on beliefs instead of facts. In my view, evaluation combines measurable metrics (like exam results) with subjective perspectives (such as learner input and classroom observations). When assessments are formative and aligned with specific objectives, they measure achievement while enhancing teaching methods, promoting deeper comprehension among students.

One prominent example of educational evaluation is the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA), coordinated by the OECD. PISA tests 15-year-olds in reading, mathematics, and science across more than 80 countries, assessing not only content knowledge but also students’ ability to apply learning to real-life contexts.

Strengths:
Provides global benchmarks that allow countries to identify strengths and weaknesses in their education systems (OECD, 2019).
Goes beyond curriculum recall by measuring application of knowledge in real-world problem-solving.
Has influenced policy reforms, highlighting equity gaps and prompting improvements in access to quality education (Breakspear, 2012).

Weaknesses:
Its standardized focus risks overlooking creativity, collaboration, and critical thinking—skills essential in the 21st century (Darling-Hammond, 2014).
Cultural and linguistic differences may affect fairness in international comparisons (Hopfenbeck et al., 2018).
Overemphasis on rankings can lead to “teaching to the test,” where improving scores outweighs holistic learning.

Although PISA offers important macro-level information, its findings must be applied at the classroom level. For example, educators can incorporate PISA-style tasks (real-world problem-solving questions) in their classrooms to enhance standard assessments. This method combines worldwide standards with localized formative assessment, making sure that systemic evaluation influences daily instruction.
Therefore, evaluation in education should transcend numerical values to capture the depth of student comprehension. Extensive assessments like PISA serve as significant international benchmarks, yet they should be supplemented with classroom-centric methods that promote creativity, teamwork, and fairness. In the end, the most effective evaluations are those that improve instruction, foster equity, and consistently enhance the educational experience.

References:
Breakspear, S. (2012). The Policy Impact of PISA: An Exploration of the Normative Effects of International Benchmarking in School System Performance. OECD Publishing.  https://doi.org/10.1787/5k9fdfqffr28-en
 
Darling-Hammond, L. (2014). What PISA can tell us about U.S. education policy. Teachers College Record, 116(9), 1–17.
Hopfenbeck, T., Lenkeit, J., El Masri, Y., Cantrell, K., Ryan, J., & Baird, J. (2018). Lessons Learned from PISA: A Systematic Review of Peer-Reviewed Articles on the Programme for International Student Assessment. Scandinavian Journal of Educational Research, 62(3), 333–353.  https://doi.org/10.1080/00313831.2016.1258726
 
OECD. (2019). PISA 2018 Results. OECD Publishing.  https://www.oecd.org/pisa/

• Jhon Edmun Evio

Evaluation is the measure of one’s success; without this, we won’t be able to progress towards our goals. As an educator, evaluation helps me to determine how I will be able to help my students in becoming successful. It gives me the whole picture of the things that needs to be done and what other improvements can be made.
Why is there a need to evaluate? Simple, as educators we need to measure learning outcomes. We need to understand if are students are learning the lessons that we’ve taught and if rubrics are being met. We also need to identify gaps. By doing so, we can pinpoint the weakness and strengths of the educational system as well as identifying the most promising interventions and strategies. Another point that I would like to share is that evaluation is promoting accountability within the educators and the institutions. We aim for transparency and straightforward approaches that can make the educational system reliable and consistent.
Evaluations are most effective when it reflects an understanding of learning as multidimensional and integrated. Since learning is a complex process, students are not just being seen with what they know or what capabilities they have; it’s also talks about one’s values and behavior inside and outside the classroom. Evaluations gives us a glimpse of progress from one point to another. Identifying changes and growth within the individuals. Another thing that I want to emphasize is that evaluations are effective when goal is measured against educational performance and expectations. The entire vision is to have a clear, straightforward, and consistent implementable goals.

• Michelle Santos

Evaluating education is needed to ensure that the educational process is effective and to measure its quality as well. Evaluation helps educators to measure learners' progress, set goals for improvement and bridge learning gaps. It also provides crucial feedback for student development and drives continuous improvement across the educational system. Without evaluation, we cannot determine if our teaching methods are working or where improvements are needed.

The most effective evaluation is to follow a holistic, ongoing process. This involves a mix of formative and summative assessments. Formative evaluation, such as quizzes and classroom discussions, provides continuous feedback to improve learning while it's happening. Summative evaluation, including final exams and capstone projects, makes a final judgment on a student's or program's effectiveness. Effective evaluation also uses a variety of methods starting from tests and projects to classroom observations. This variation gives the evaluator a complete picture. Most importantly, evaluation process should be a collaborative effort that involves learners, teachers, and administrators to ensure the process is meaningful and leads to real change.

References:

https://www.rroij.com/open-access/the-importance-of-educational-evaluation-in-ensuring-quality-teaching.php?aid=93302#:~:text=In%20recent%20times%2C%20there%20has,aim%20of%20improving%20their%20effectiveness.

https://teachers.institute/managing-teaching-learning/evaluation-role-in-education-learning/

• Hafsah Matar

Educational evaluation is vital for improving learning, guiding informed decisions, ensuring accountability, and driving continuous improvement. It helps us understand what works and why, allowing us to refine methods, allocate resources effectively, and validate successful practices.
Effective evaluation is goal-oriented, using a mix of quantitative and qualitative data. It actively involves all stakeholders and provides timely, actionable feedback. Ultimately, it fosters a culture of learning and growth, not just judgment.
I'd like to evaluate the impact of an AI-powered adaptive learning platform (e.g., MathGenius AI) on Grade 7 student engagement and academic performance in mathematics.
My goals are to:
1. Measure its effect on math achievement.
2. Assess its influence on student motivation and enjoyment.
3. Gather teacher perceptions on its usability and effectiveness.
4. Identify any unintended consequences.
I'd use a mixed-methods approach:
• A quasi-experimental design with pre/post-tests comparing a group using MathGenius AI to a control group.
• Qualitative data from student surveys/focus groups, teacher interviews, and classroom observations to understand experiences and perceptions.
• Quantitative data from the platform itself, tracking usage and performance within the AI.
This evaluation would help determine if such platforms should be widely adopted, inform teacher training, and guide future platform development.

• Dena My

• Despite its global prevalence, the evaluation field remains largely a self-regulated profession.
• There is a need for more in-depth examination of simplistic understandings of evaluation and the lack of higher standards.
• There is a belief that professional evaluations and evaluators must be held accountable to higher standards to serve the public interest.

• Minh Phung Bui

Effective education demands continuous evaluation using diverse data (quantitative, qualitative, student & teacher feedback) to inform improvements in curriculum, teaching, and resources, ensuring accountability and responsiveness to learners' needs.

• Glyka Angel Raganas

We evaluate education to see if it's working. This helps us improve teaching, learning materials, and the whole system. Effective evaluation uses various methods like tests, observations of teaching, and student feedback. It's important to look at the results, figure out what's working well and what needs changing, and then make improvements based on that information.@Ahmad Rifai,

• Glyka Angel Raganas