Enhancing teaching and learning using Illuminative Evaluation: A case study in alternative methods of education evaluation

Jeffrey Alcroft
Curtin University of Technology

Keywords: design fundamentals; illuminative evaluation; alternative evaluation methods

The need to evaluate education innovations for teaching and learning purposes is a key factor in current higher education practice. Faced with what research methodology is best for evaluation purposes, researchers and evaluators are torn between a dichotomy of two competing research paradigms, and a confusing and sometimes contradictory variety of methods, approaches and techniques.

The main problem for education researchers and educators responsible for conducting educational research is to determine which one is most suitable for their particular situation or purpose.

This paper describes how a team of design educators at an Australian University are using an alternative research methodology called 'illuminative evaluation' to evaluate new curriculum development. Conceived and developed in the 1970's in response to criticism of the traditional 'agricultural-botanic' model (still in use today), illuminative evaluation employs holistic research methods that can be used to help education researchers to better understand how a teaching innovation actually operates in the field.

The main and most important discovery from the study being presented was the provision of a practical, versatile and valid diagnostic tool for education researchers with many positive implications for professional development, especially reflective teaching practice.