FORMATIVE EVALUATION

In collaboration with a classmate, we created this plan detailing the process of evaluating a training curriculum for a fictional game developer’s internship program. Although this was a made-up scenario, we carefully considered how formative evaluations might impact program decisions. This is a critical component of instructional design as it allows designers to make informed decisions to tweak the curriculum to optimize outcomes. 

To ensure the success of a learning experience, formative evaluations can help refine the curriculum. Tracking and monitoring learners' progress is essential in discovering gaps that need to be addressed. If not, an instructional designer risks wasting valuable resources in a failed attempt to achieve learning goals. In this case, the interns at Tsunami Games had to learn Photoshop to help them animate cinematic trailers for an internship project that lasted approximately 14 weeks. Through surveys, observation checklists, and team meetings, managers could track their interns’ progress toward mastering the tools needed to successfully execute their cinematic trailers. Our fictional consulting group scheduled meetings throughout the program to meet with stakeholders and share important data highlighting interns’ behaviors and attitudes toward this learning experience. A detailed Gantt chart and evaluation timeline are included on pages 15-20 in the Evaluation Plan. 

As teachers, our administrators would conduct formative evaluations midway through each semester. Using a rubric with key performance indicators, they would rate our teaching practices during a spontaneous observation. They would then meet with teachers to give feedback. This feedback would inform the goals for the formal observation, which occurred once a year. Although observations always made me a bit nervous, I understood the value as they gave me a clear direction for growth. Without it, I would not know how best to improve my teaching practices to ensure that I was helping my students meet their learning outcomes. No matter what industry I work in, evaluations are a critical part of professional development. 

This was our first time creating such an extensive evaluation in a creative, corporate setting. It was a challenge to do research about game developers and internship programs to ensure that this project was authentic. I am currently an intern at DreamWorks Animation, and it makes me appreciate the hard work we put into creating this scenario since I see many of these measures used by the Early Careers program. In the future, I would like to use this for a real-world client instead of a fictional client, but I am confident that will happen once I enter the workforce.