Evaluation In Nursing Education for Report Find and Cost Evaluation Part-V

 Report Find and Cost Evaluation for Evaluation In Nursing Education Part-V

Report Finding and Evaluation cost In Nursing Evaluation Process In Nursing Education, Reporting the Findings, Who Receives the Findings?, When to Report Findings, How to Report Findings, Using the Findings, Considering the Costs of Evaluation, Considering the Costs of Evaluation.

Part IV: https://www.nurseseducator.com/2024/08/evaluation-in-nursing-education-and-collection-and-interpretation-of-data-part-iv.html

Report Finding and Evaluation cost In Nursing Evaluation Process In Nursing Education

Reporting the Findings

    In this step of the evaluation process, the results of the evaluation are communicated to appropriate persons. Factors to consider when findings are reported include when, how, and to whom the findings will be provided.

Who Receives the Findings?

    The evaluator must know to whom the data should be reported. Typically, both the persons and group being evaluated and those requesting evaluation receive evaluation reports. Issues of reporting and confidentiality should be established at the outset of evaluation. Confidentiality of the report must be maintained. 

    Only those persons designated to receive the report should do so. The evaluator should then destroy unnecessary background information after the report is completed. In reporting findings, it is also important to consider the recipient of the report. What will the recipient want and need to know? 

    For example, students receiving a test grade are usually prepared only to understand the grade, not the complex methods that were used to determine the grade or the item analysis statistics. Preparing the recipient for the evaluation report may also be helpful if the recipient does not have adequate background information to receive the report.

When to Report Findings

    The timing of the report is also crucial. There tends to be a readiness to know the results of evaluation, and if the report of results is delayed, the recipients may lose interest. For example, students prefer having immediate results and may have increased anxiety or lose interest if results are delayed. 

   The timing of the report may also be based on when information is needed, for example, at the end of the semester when grades are to be reported to the registrar.

How to Report Findings

    Evaluation reports can take many forms. They may be written or oral, formal or informal. An example of an informal evaluation is talking with the student about his or her performance in a clinical experience, without a structured evaluation. This type of evaluation is far from ideal and leaves the student and the instructor without objective criteria and a sense of fairness. 

    In the event that the student should fail the course, the instructor is not able to defend the decision. A statistical analysis of the data will be presented along with the findings in a formal report. Specific methods of reporting findings to students, faculty, administrators, and external audiences are discussed in subsequent chapters.

Using the Findings

    Evaluation is a mutual effort between the evaluator and the individual, group, or program being evaluated. Although using the findings is the last, and often forgotten, step of the evaluation process, both parties have obligations to use the findings as explained by Sanders and Sullins (2006). 

    It is a waste of valuable resources to conduct an evaluation without follow-up. Target the evaluation results toward uses that will have the greatest influence on the program. Barrett-Barrick (1993) states that the use of evaluation findings requires purposeful, strategic planning. Four perspective strategies are purpose, people, planning, and packaging. 

    The purpose of the evaluation must be identified by faculty and administration. Types of evaluation used in nursing programs include accreditation, criterion referenced evaluation, decision-focused evaluation, external evaluation, formative evaluation, internal evaluation, outcome evaluation, process evaluation, and summative evaluation. 

    For an evaluation to be successful, the people involved in the evaluation should be included in the process. The main strategy in promoting evaluation is planning the activities and disseminating the evaluation information. Packaging the evaluation report to meet the needs of those who will use the report is a priority. 

Improvement In Evaluation In Nursing Education

    The report should be in a format that is easily understood, and graphs and other visual aids should be used as needed. Evaluation results can be used in a variety of ways. Common uses in nursing are to assign grades; revise instructions, courses, curricula, or programs; and demonstrate program effectiveness. Several ways to improve the use of evaluation efforts are as follows:

1. Encourage persons involved in results to be involved in designing the evaluation plan.

2. Involve all concerned in the evaluation process. For example, students can do self-evaluation; faculty can do peer review.
3. Report findings in a timely manner.

4. Make recommendations that are realistic and can be used. For example, when reporting results of a test to a student, the evaluator (teacher) can make recommendations as to how to study for the next test to improve scores. In this way, the report of the results can be useful to the student.

5. Build in time for sharing results. This can be done by having an examination review, an evaluation conference, or a curriculum evaluation workshop.

6. Encourage the recipient to generate alternatives to behavior. For example, the student can make his or her own suggestions about improving test scores. Faculty and staff can establish goals and objectives for course change.

7. Establish trust and be cautious with sensitive findings.

8. Place findings in context. Explain to the recipients what the findings mean and how they can use the results in their own setting.

Considering the Costs of Evaluation

    Evaluation can be costly throughout the entire process, and therefore the evaluator and audience must be assured that the cost will match the benefit. Answers to the following cost-related questions need to be determined at the outset: 

• What fees (or faculty time) are associated with evaluation? 

• How much time will the evaluator spend in developing tools, administering tools, interpreting data, and reporting results? 

• Will undue time be spent on the part of those being evaluated in filling out evaluation tools? 

• Will complex evaluation methods involving lengthy evaluation tools or computer time for data analysis contribute to the outcome? 

• Will the results of the evaluation require changes? 

• Will the student fail the course and need to repeat it? 

• Will the curriculum require massive revision?

    Evaluation is a means of appraising data or placing a value on data gathered through one or more measurements. The evaluation process involves a systematic series of actions including identification of a clear purpose, the time frame, and the evaluator. Models or frameworks can be used to guide the process, choice of instruments, data collection methods, and reporting procedures. 

    Would a builder construct a house without plans? The same principle applies in evaluation. The framework establishes the guide to the construction of purposeful evaluation. Researching and developing the framework are the most valuable first steps. Selection of the appropriate instruments is integral to success. 

    The instruments should be appropriate for what is being evaluated, easy to use, cost effective, time efficient, valid and reliable. Results must be interpreted and reported accurately. Finally, after analysis, the findings must be used. To design and implement an evaluation plan and then ignore the results would defeat the purpose of evaluation. It would be analogous to leaving a newly constructed house empty.