15 Further reading

In writing this manual a deliberate stylistic decision was made to avoid dense referencing and to use a more conversational style. One of the challenges of assembling a manual such as this as much of the wisdom is contained in informal networks, in blog postings and in conversations that are not necessarily part of the academic publishing loop. This section points to some of the more influential writing in the field of evaluation and on the changes to the learning environment generally. It is not intended to be comprehensive but rather to point to useful and thought provoking ideas.

Evaluation Generally

Harvey Jen, ed (1998) Evaluation Cookbook, The Learning Technology Dissemination Imitative, Edinburgh http://www.icbl.hw.ac.uk/ltdi

This is a very influential guide, particularly in its format and approach. Written in 1998 it shows how much things have changed in a short period and has an orientation toward evaluation of teaching technologies rather than the issues which dominate the conversation today such as learning outcomes and evidence-based evaluation. Nevertheless a very useful guide and a key piece of work.

Angelo, Thomas A and Cross, K Patricia (1993) Classroom Assessment Techniques (2^nd ed), Jossey-Bass: San Francisco

Sadly out of print, this book on interactive learning design is came at a moment of educational transformation where the first digital natives were beginning to make their presence felt. Full of useful tips and inspirational ideas, many of these are even more relevant today and now can be even more easily implemented through web2.0 options.

Arthur, Linett (2009) ‘From performativity to professionalism: lecturer's responses to student feedback', Teaching in Higher Education, 14:4, 441-454

Well-designed research into what it is that academics actually do with feedback data and identifies several strategies by which we can undermine and rationalise away unfavourable feedback. This article is focussed on student surveys but its observations ring true for any feedback activity.

Berk, Ronald A (2005)’Survey of 12 Strategies to Measure Teaching Effectiveness', International Journal of Teaching and Learning in Higher Education, 17(1), 48-62

Excellent bibliography if a little dated now. Does focus on teacher evaluation rather than unit feedback, but nevertheless useful. Doesn't discuss reflection, but this may be because of the article's age.

Blackmore, Jill (2009)’Academic pedagogies, quality logics and performative universities: evaluating teaching and what students want', Studies in Higher Education, 34(8), 857-872

There has been much ink spilled about the dangers of relying on reductive evaluation methods, particularly the anonymous student survey. This article explores these issues in the light of the performativity-based management of universities and the impact of neo-liberal ideologies in undermining the public role of education.

Reflection & Practice-based Knowledge

Raelin, Joseph A (2007)’Toward an Epistemology of Practice', Academy of Management Learning and Education, 8(4), 495-418

Excellent overview of the difference between learning based on empirical knowledge and the more experiential knowledge of practice. Based on a discussion out of management education but just as relevant to every discipline and field. Helpful to assuage concerns that reflective knowledge is somehow inferior to more empirical sources (such as the anonymous student survey), they are both relevant and can be used differently.

Data and Information Design

Edward Tufte's body of work, including Visual Explanations (1997) and Beautiful Evidence (2006)

Information design is an increasingly important field and Tufte's work lays the foundation of professional information design by emphasising the importance of elegant clarity and the dangers of poorly represented data. Academics need to participate in their institutional communities and in the public sphere and good information design is an important factor in getting your message heard.

Specific Evaluation Methods

Nuhfer, Edward (2008) A Handbook for Student Management Teams, California State University, and the introduction is available at http://profcamp.tripod.com/New_PM_Intro_SMT.pdf

The definitive guide to implementing Student Management Teams which contains excellent training materials for staff and students.

Siemens G & Long P (2011)’Penetrating the Fog: Analytics in Learning and Education', EDUCAUSE Review, 46(5)

A good primer on the emerging field of student-centred learning analytics data and then conversation is evolving in spaces like the Society for Learning Analytics Research, www.solaresearch.org

Learning Research

Siemens, George (2004) Connectivism: A Learning Theory for the Digital Age, http://www.elearnspace.org/Articles/connectivism.htm, and Siemens, George (2006) Knowing Knowledge, http://www.elearnspace.org/KnowingKnowledge_LowRes.pdf

The theory of connectivism is a thought provoking explanation for how contemporary students learn and the impact that evolving media technologies have had on the way that we develop, share and evaluate knowledge. What is true for students also hold true for teachers and learning researchers and the theory of connectivism has been very influential on the design of this manual.