Evaluating Object-Based Activities

Like all teaching strategies and their implementation, object-based activities should be frequently reveiwed and evaluated. Here is a checklist that can be adapted for self-evaluation, peer evaluation, or formal evaluation when using object-based activities for teaching.

• Which type of object-based activity was employed?
• What was the overall theme of the tour, and how did the activity reinforce that theme?
• What learning skills were requested/applied to the activity?
• Was the question or task used to initiate the activity “open ended?”
• Did the audience understand what they were being asked to do?
• Was adequate time provided to accomplish the task or answer the question?
• Was a warning given before ending the activity that told visitors that they should wrap up their thoughts or search?
• Was the question or task repeated for the audience before asking them to respond?
• Were the responses from visitors eagerly forthcoming; did many participate?
• Did the audience do most of the talking or did the docent?
• Did the docent accommodate, validate, and enlarge upon all answers offered? If you were to conduct the same object-based activity again, how would you change or improve upon it?

These questions are offered merely as suggestions. Try coming up with your own.

“Evalluating Object-Based Activities,” The Docent Educator 11.4 (Summer 2002): 20.