Language Program Evaluation

This subject is not offered in 2008.

For the purposes of considering request for Reasonable Adjustments under the Disability Standards for Education (Cwth 2005), and Student Support and Engagement Policy, academic requirements for this subject are articulated in the Subject Overview, Learning Outcomes, Assessment and Generic Skills sections of this entry.

It is University policy to take all reasonable steps to minimise the impact of disability upon academic study, and reasonable adjustments will be made to enhance a student's participation in the University's programs. Students who feel their disability may impact on meeting the requirements of this subject are encouraged to discuss this matter with a Faculty Student Adviser and Student Equity and Disability Support: http://services.unimelb.edu.au/disability

This subject explores the systematic attempt to examine what happens in (and as a result of) a language program. While this information will typically be used to make judgements or decisions about a program, the notion of evaluation as exploring the program, rather than judging it, will also be presented. Evaluation will be discussed through a variety of language education contexts including LOTE and ESL programs. The subject will focus on research designs and methods for gathering and analysing data appropriate for the evaluation of language programs or projects, and on understanding debates about the nature of such evaluation. Both quantitative and qualitative approaches to evaluation will be considered.

This subject is not available as a breadth subject.

• acquire research skills through competent use of the library and other information sources, and the definition of areas of inquiry and methods of research;
• think in theoretical terms about the nature and goals of language program evaluation;
• analyse and critically evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of different research paradigms within the area of language program evaluation;
• communicate intelligibly and economically the findings of language evaluation research;
• understand the social, ethical and cultural context of language program evaluations.