Before an evaluation can be assessed for effectiveness, you must understand the adult learner. He wants to see how the information presented will benefit him, how it fits into his acquired knowledge and how he can learn in the way that is most beneficial for him. he adult learner is generally motivated, wants to take charge of his learning and has a definite expectation about the learning process.
Teacher-directed learning is supported by a lecture/exam scenario. Information is given as a unit, concluding with an examination. In this model, learning is less interactive, and instruction on the subject ends with the test. The focus is on the test grade, not on the overall learning. Because the teaching is primarily lecture-based, the adult learner has little opportunity to show what they have learned. The evaluation, must therefore, carry great weight, and the adult learner must adopt rote or memorization practices to pass the test. Rote learning, if not applicable to other situations, is often lost after the test.
Self-directed learning assessments are student-determined and have a primary focus on self-reflection: "What am I taking away from this class?" This summary of knowledge requires the adult learner to bring together all of the elements introduced in the classroom. Self-directed learning has no set format and is more open-ended than the question/answer approach of the traditional exam. Professors of education Ralph Brockett and George Hiemstra caution that this approach requires more time and creativity from the teacher and more input and effort from the adult learner. Although the goal is to help each learner become more independent and self-directed, many adults feel overwhelmed by the choices and the challenge of presenting what they have learned.
Wendy Kopp, founder of Teach for America, contends that adult learning and evaluation must be seen as relevant to the adult learner's needs. Be sensitive to times when a formal evaluation is unnecessary and emphasize the learner's responsibility for acquiring the knowledge. The following strategies provide a collaborative approach to evaluation. Ask the class to identify the strategies considered to be most effective; incorporate a learning contract to clarify objectives and work completion schedule; and provide a grading contract that gives options with regard to the weight of each evaluation. Allowing for varying weight per evaluation gives a learner the chance to assign more importance to those types at which he excels. By under-emphasizing weaker skills, growth is encouraged without fear of failure.