Abstract:

Evaluation and assessment of educational technology is a challenging task that requires careful consideration of a variety of aspects from different disciplines. Clear understanding of product instructional design and content is necessary in order to successfully define the best suited student population, best program implementation model and selection of standardized assessment measures that could be used in student evaluation. A research study design with random selection at the student level is also required in order to avoid influence of unsolicited factors such as teachers’ education, their knowledge of topic presented, teaching strategies, motivation etc. One of the most challenging factors is the control and definition of the type of instruction that the comparison group receives, which is in most situation identified as ‘business as usual classroom instruction’.
In this paper I explain this process by describing a study in which Academy of MATH; an online mathematics intervention product was evaluated. I describe product design, its relation to study design, data collection and analysis. The study was conducted in order to evaluate efficacy of this product.