Evaluating the Effectiveness of Online Resources

Hi Prospective Facilitators!

Can you believe we are at our fourth and final post in the series on Online Facilitation! Yes, ALL good things must come to an end😊

Today we will be looking at the whole matter of: Evaluating the Effectiveness of Online Resources

Image courtesy of Google images

Evaluating Online Resources: Ensuring Effectiveness

Evaluating resources becomes necessary when we consider the volume of information and data that is generated on a daily basis. Gone are the days when information and access to same was a privilege and not a right. Before the invention of the 'Printing Press' and the ability to generate multiple copies of printed resources. Now it is the era of technology and we have the Worldwide Web where there is an overload of information in all formats. Though this is now the case, as consumers and creators of content, we have to be very mindful of the quality, reliability, and effectiveness of these resources; especially in the online space. Pappas (2018) says it perfectly when he states, "There certainly isn’t a shortage of articles, online training videos, and tutorials. However, not every online resource is going to add value to your eLearning course"(para. 1)

According to Carmichael & Farrell(2012), the use of online learning resources is a great assistance in the process of continually developing students’ and allowing them to perform effectively and successfully in the learning environment. With that said, continue to read this post for some considerations to note when assessing the effectiveness of online resources.

Considerations When Evaluating the Effectiveness of Online Resources

Here is a list of  some things to take into account when assessing how effective resources are to the success of learning in the online environment(please note that this is by no means an extensive listing)

1. Relevance- Is the resource relevant to your course of study or in the case of a facilitator, is it appropriate to support the content being taught? According to Pappas(2018), learners are looking for resources that will solve a problem or help them achieve a goal hence, resources have to be relatable and relevant. If the resources are credible, factual, up-to-date and still not relevant to the lessons and programme levels then it become irrelevant
   
   
2. Credibility- According to an Edith Cowan University publication(2022), credible sources are are evidenced-based and peer reviewed; checked and endorsed by experts in the field of study. This not only applies to online resources but also to printed sources. They go on to indicate that though no source is without bias, credible sources will provide their users with evidence to understand  why their arguments are positioned how they are.
   
   
3. Current- Resources should be up-to-date. This will allow facilitators and students to have access to current information and be exposed to new development in the field as they occur. 
   
   
4. Variety- Effective resources used in the online space should cater to a multitude of abilities and various learning styles. Pappas(2018) encourages us to incorporate a variety of curated content to cater to different needs and preferences. These he indicate should include serious games, online training simulations, virtual games, text-based walkthroughs covering various aspects of a topic.
   
   
5. The final criteria that will be noted is that of Accessibility. No matter how useful, valuable, or how many variety the resources are available in, if they are not easily accessible then this defeats their purpose. Online resources should be compatible with a myriad of applications and systems. For eg: a laptop, desktop, smart phone, etc. Students accessing online learning platforms do so from different types of devices hence, resources should not be restrained based on a certain type of device. For true effectiveness,resources  should be readily accessible, whenever, wherever, however.

Evaluating resources to determine their effectiveness is essential to teaching learning successes, whether online or face-to-face. Resources use to support programme delivery should be intentionally geared at providing learners with the relevant tools and equipment that are geared at aiding them in completing their programme of study successfully. If resources for your programmes are not readily available, you can think about and explore creating your own content or resources.

Check out the videos below showing how to evaluate resources and making effective videos for learning.

Video showing evaluation of reliable sources:

The video  below is depicting  the evaluation of online resources suitable for children.

Courtesy of YouTube

References

Carmichael, E.  & Farrell, H. (2012). Evaluation of the effectiveness of online
     resources in developing student critical thinking: Review of literature and case
    study of a critical thinking online site.
    https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ974914.pdf

Edith Cowan Uni. (2022, July 1). Information essentials: Credible sources of
     information. https://ecu.au.libguides.com/information-essentials/credible-
     information

 Pappas, C. (2018, Dec.5). 7 Criteria to consider when evaluating curate eLearning
    content. https://elearningindustry.com/criteria-consider-evaluating-curated-
     elearning-content

Keep Learning!
Simone Sampson