LESSON 6

CURRICULUM EVALUATION

TOPICS
1. Definition Curriculum Evaluation
2. Purposes of Curriculum Evaluation
3. Models of Curriculum Evaluation

LEARNING OUTCOMES
At the end of the lesson, you should be able to:
1. Analyze the different curriculum evaluation models; and
2. Identify several factors that are considered in evaluation curriculum in
the Philippine context.

TOPIC 1: DEFINITION OF CURRICULUM EVALUATION

In general, evaluation is concerned with giving value or

making judgments. Consequently, a person acts as
evaluator when he or she attributes worth or judgment
to an object, a place, a process, or a behavior. Usually,
evaluation is done using a set of criteria. This enables
the evaluation process to be always objective rather
that subjective.
Various curriculum scholars define curriculum
evaluation based on how they view curriculum, the
purposes of curriculum, curriculum influences, and how curriculum is implemented.
Basically, curriculum evaluation is:
 the process of delineating, obtaining, and providing information useful for
making decisions and judgments about curricula (Davis, 1980);
 the process of examining the goals, rationale, and structure of any curriculum
(Marsh, 2004);
 the process of assessing the merit and worth of a program of studies, a course,
or a field of study (Print, 1993);
 the means of determining whether the program is meeting its goals (Bruce
Tuckman,1985);
 the broad and continuous effort to inquire into the effects of utilizing content
and processes to meet clearly defined goals (Doll, 1992); and
 the process of delineating, obtaining, and providing useful information for
judging decision alternatives (Stufflebeam,1971).
 In this book, curriculum evaluation is defined as the process of making objective
judgment to a curriculum – its philosophy, goals and objectives, content,
learning experience, and evaluation.
 Curriculum evaluation is also concerned about finding out whether the
curriculum is relevant and responsive to the needs of the society and the learners. It is a
scientific and dynamic process of understanding the merit of any curriculum.

TOPIC 2: PURPOSES OF CURRICULUM EVALUATION

Print (1993) identified several important purposes and functions of evaluation in

school setting:
 Essential in providing feedback to learners – provides
useful information in helping the students improve
their performance and helps teachers identify the
strengths and weaknesses of learners
 Helpful in determining how well learners have achieved
the objectives of the curriculum - describes whether the
students learned or mastered the desired outcomes
and objectives of the curriculum
 To improve curriculum – the result of evaluation serves
as basis for improving and for suggesting innovations
to improve learning

In addition, curriculum evaluation is also useful to administrators and teachers in

many different ways. For example:
 Evaluation helps in making decisions about improving teaching and learning
processes.
 It helps in shaping academic policies.
 It guides in initiating curricular changes and innovations.
 It ensures quality of any curricular program.
 It helps schools align their curriculum to different curriculum sources and
influences.
 It determines the level of success of the school’s vision and mission.

Conducting curriculum evaluation is a determinant of an academic institution or

school’s commitment to quality and continuous improvement. It shows how serious a
school can be in realizing its philosophy, vision, and mission.

Curriculum Evaluation in the Classroom

Doll (1997) asserted that the classroom in fact could be the first site of gathering
important data that will lead to curriculum evaluation. Within the classroom, teachers
and administrators can collect data using several instruments like:
 test results;
 anecdotal records;
 checklists;
 interview guides;
 observation guides;
 personality inventories;
 rating scales;
 IQ tests; and
 Interest inventories.
 Teachers play an important role in conducting curriculum evaluation in the
classroom level. They must be guided in gathering data from these instruments and
interpreting the data. The results of classroom-based evaluation may help in improving
instruction and in the effective implementation of the curriculum.

Curriculum Evaluation at the School or School System Level

Curriculum evaluation is done mostly at a school or
school system level. This is usually done to evaluate how the
curriculum goals are attained in the macro level. At this level,
the following instruments can be used to gather data for the
evaluation of the curriculum:
 Opinion polls
 Surveys
 Focus-group discussion
 Follow-up studies (Graduate tracer studies)
 Standard evaluation instruments
 Results of district or national tests

The schools that gather and analyze data on the implementation of the
curriculum can also do research activities.

TOPIC 3: MODELS OF CURRICULUM EVALUATION

Curriculum scholars and curriculum workers have identifies various models that
can be used for evaluating curriculum. Each of these models is a product of endless
works of curriculum scholars trying to assess the value of a particular curriculum.

A. Provus’ Discrepancy Evaluation Model

This model for curriculum evaluation was developed by Malcolm Provus (1971)
to evaluate projects under the Elementary-Secondary Education Act in the United
States. Using the taxonomy of program content developed by Robert Stake, Provus
identified four major stages of conducting curriculum evaluation as shown in Figure 16.

•Determining program standards

1

•Determining program performance

2

•Comparing performance with standards

3
•Determining whether a discrepancy exists between
4 performance and standards

Figure 16. Provus’ Discrepancy Evaluation Model

Ronald Doll (1997) noted that the Provus model has been called to determine
whether there is a discrepancy between the two. This model enables the curriculum
evaluators and administrators of the school to collect or gather concrete evidence on
how the curriculum satisfies the set standards.
B. Tyler Model of Curriculum Evaluation
Aligned to his model of curriculum development, Ralph Tyler (1950) proposed
seven steps for evaluating a curriculum:
1. Establishment of goals and objectives
2. Classification of the objectives
3. Definition of the objectives in behavioral terms
4. Identification of situations in which achievement of the objectives could be
shown
5. Selection of criterion of measurement procedures
6. Collection of data about pupil performance
7. Comparison of findings with the stated objectives
The completion of the seven stages will lead to the revision of the objectives.
This evaluation model is a cyclical type of model.

C. Stufflebeam’s CIPP Model

The Phi Delta Kappa National Study Committee on Evaluation, chaired by Daniel
L. Stufflebeam, developed and published a curriculum evaluation model known as the
CIPP (context, input, process, product) model (Stufflebeam,1971). Stufflebeam (2001)
defined evaluation as the process of delineating, obtaining, and providing useful
information for judging decision alternatives.

Context Input Process Product

Figure 16. Stufflebeam’s CIPP Model

Context evaluation, according to Stufflebeam, is the most basic kind of

evaluation. Its purpose is to provide a strong rationale for determining curriculum
objectives. At this point, the curriculum evaluator describes the environment and
determines the different needs of the society, school, and students. If there are unmet
needs, the curriculum evaluator seeks to find reasons for not meeting the needs. The
curriculum context also includes the problems, issues, and challenges that the
curriculum seeks to address.

Input evaluation aims to provide information for determining how resources are
utilized to achieve curriculum objectives. At this level, the resources of the school and
the different designs for implementing the curriculum are considered.

Process evaluation focuses on providing periodic feedback while the curriculum

is being implemented. This phase aims to detect the problems in the implementation of
the curriculum, provide information for programmed decisions, and maintain a record
of the procedures as it occurs.
Product Evaluation aims to gather, interpret, and apprise curricular attainments
not just the end of an implementation of a curriculum.

When using the CIPP model, while it is desirable and ideal to conduct curriculum
evaluation by looking at the four phases identified by Stufflebeam, one cam also focus
on one or two phases of evaluation.
D. Stakes’ Congruency-Contingency Evaluation Model
Robert Stake (1975) claimed that curriculum evaluation is not complete unless
three categories of data are made available. These categories of data are:
1. Antecedents – include data on students and teachers, the curriculum to be
evaluated, and the community context
2. Transactions – include time allotment, sequence of steps, social climate, and
communication flow
3. Outcomes – encompass students’ learning in the form of understanding, skills,
and values or attitudes, as well as the effects of the curriculum on the teachers,
students, and the school

The data gathered will provide necessary information for the evaluation process.
The term congruency refers to the degree of alignment between what was desired and
what was actually achieved. Contingency refers to the relationship between one variable
to the other, for example, between the curriculum and the community context.

E. Eisner’s Educational Connoisseurship Model

Elliot Eisner (1985) provided a qualitative way of evaluating a curriculum. This
model does not have methodical procedures compared with other evaluation models.
Eisner’s model calls for a deeper and wider observation results of evaluation that are
expressed in written form. The results, however, are not merely descriptions; they
provide excellent and accurate interpretation and appraisal.

Using this model calls for thorough and comprehensive observations of

classroom and school activities in relation to curriculum. It tries to capture every aspect
of curriculum activities including the hidden curriculum. The emphasis of this model is
always on the quality rather than on the measurable quantity of learning and
interaction.

Overall, curriculum evaluation is important as it is intended to provide

meaningful information in almost every aspect of the curriculum. These information or
results of evaluation provide strong bases for all decisions done about the planning,
design, development, and implementation of the curriculum. Curriculum leaders can
utilize the results of the evaluation in instituting educational reforms and in finding ways
to make the curriculum more relevant and responsive to the needs of the learners.

The challenge for curriculum evaluation is how to get reliable data and how to
involve other stakeholders in the evaluation process. It is also important to ensure the
accuracy of data that will be used for the evaluation.