Examine other online evaluation systems. According to the U.S. Department of Education, basic approaches developed by other educational programs can serve as a model for most educators who are developing an online learning evaluation program. For educators who are attempting to evaluate their current courses, these evaluation forms provide a convenient way to measure your success by providing a benchmark with which you can measure student progress.
Determine which criteria you will use to measure to evaluate the course. Clive Shepherd of Fastrak Consulting suggests five different levels of measurement to use for evaluation purposes. He suggests that companies and organizations that use online learning platforms measure the initial reactions of users or students. The emotional response can be key to the learning process, so it is necessary to know what kind of reaction the course evokes. The course can also be evaluated by the success of the students through objective examinations. Having students complete a pretest before the course starts and a final examination at the end of the course is one way to objectively measure and evaluate student progress. Shepherd also suggests that the application of course material on the job, measurable business results and return on investment be considered as part of the evaluation process. These primarily apply to business organizations.
Collect your data over a period of time rather than basing your assessment on the evaluation of one class. Two to three years is a more reasonable amount of time to evaluate student responses to course evaluation forms and measure success of the students. Basing your evaluation on the successes and failures of one class will provide you with an inaccurate picture of your class.