Human resource management deals with ensuring that employers and employees in any organization work effectively to reach the set goals. In any institution there has to be a human resource department which focuses on the workforce. All laborers hired go through the human resource before being recruited. Moreover, the department deals with evaluation of the workers to see their improvement so as to place them in their appropriate position. Several journals cover and demonstrate evaluation theories and practices used by human resource managers. Evaluation techniques are analyzed in many human resource journals; they display differences and similarities of evaluation techniques. Learners attitude is the most crucial way of detecting learner experience. Moreover, using practical works to evaluate if the students have understood the theory part of learning is important. Self assessment is another common way of evaluation as the individuals give themselves a challenge and ensure that they learn and understand. Self evaluation gives a chance to know own weak areas and, work on them by paying more attention to the area they do not comprehend. The human resource department can organize programs where people of the same level can assess themselves on their performance for a period.
Self-Evaluation Strategy
In her article, Arlene Borthwick (2004) speaks of a number of students and teachers who carried out an evaluation test among themselves. The teachers evaluated the students while the students were asked to assess their own performance. The students were about three hundred and forty one in number. The project was carried out in twelve sessions where the students were to evaluate themselves as well as the teachers evaluating them. This form of strategy by the human resource allows students to feel responsible for their own learning experience and assess if they are working towards their desired targets. As for the human resource department, a strategy like this is easier to use without any complication as the students fell free and confident when assessing their own performance.
Despite the instructions offered to students by teachers, the idea of self evaluation worked effectively. The self evaluation ended up with similar results from both parties. A high rating from both teachers and students was concluded. The students performance was increasingly impressive as they were confident in the improvement in learning. The teachers gave a similar opinion in the evaluation by giving almost similar ratings to the students. In addition, an independent rater gave many high ratings in the reports handed in by the students. Most learning institutions use learner centered assessments to evaluate the learners and check performance.
The approach illustrates the practice of participation among all parties in an organization. This practice allows for transparency as well as openness to ideas among the staff and students. The students conducting a self evaluation portrayed the confidence their administration had in them as well as consolidation of the school stuff to conduct such an experiment together. The outcome of the experiment by the three parties was similar in terms of high ratings. The general conclusion is that the students were improving in their learning at the institution and, there was a significant progress in their school work. This technique shows an evaluation theory where transparency among people in an institution is crucial for unanimous conclusions about the learner experience.
Learner Centered Principle
Motivation of learners is another approach based on models that are used to promote learning where there is no improvement amongst students. The teachers thus have been given opportunities by the human resource management to have effective models for education purposes. These models are learner centered whereby all the practices are based on improving learners experience by self-regulated learning. The evaluation part comes in where the theory into practice model is put into place. Whatever the students are taught in theory must be put in practice. Through this method, the teachers are able to evaluate if the students have understood the theoretic part fully (Mark, 2003).
During the learning experience in theory, teachers are allowed to offer manuals or instructions to guide students through the practical part. This is applicable in most of science and technical courses. For instance, in case of a school for engineering students, the human resource management will ensure that students are provided with workshop areas where they apply their theoretic knowledge and thereafter showcase the results in the workshop. Another example is medicine students. They are thought to be more practical than theoretic, but the two aspects work hand in hand. They are taken to hospitals so as to put into practice what they have understood in class on actual patients.
This journal has provided information on how teachers view students changes after having seen how the students put theory into practice. This strategy is among many others developed by human resource to portray learners improvement in learning. The idea behind the theory into practice is to promote the reflection of teachers on students in a practical manner as compared to that of class and examinations. Ideally, this principle encourages both the learners and teachers hence giving a general evaluation technique for both parties. Students are able to assess if they have understood what has been taught. Teachers get encouraged that the knowledge they have imparted has been well comprehended.
Learners Response Evaluation
Evaluating learners experience can be diverse and, this journal is detailed on the fact that the learner must respond in a way to what is being taught. The response that students give to the teachers will clearly portray if they understand anything as well as if they are enjoying the course. A learner who is enjoying teaching sessions either theoretical or practical portrays the need to learn and understand. In his article, Levitt (1993), therefore, shows that the evaluation of students does not necessarily have to be via tests or practicals. It can be done through observations on how the learners are responding to the course, for example, in cases where the learner comes off as a pupil that clearly shows that he or she has no personal interest in what is being taught. It appears as an exercise between the teacher and the learner but not an educational practice.
Moreover, if a learner tends to answer questions and participate in a creative manner, it exhibits independence and that the learner can be able to work well without any supervision whatsoever. In addition, some learners are authentic in that they are able to make their own works and designs of work without necessarily having a teacher to guide them. This form of learning is said to be authentic as the students are able to make their own learning. With evaluation, this can top all forms of evaluation theories as the students will appear to learn, understand and innovate more in the same field as what the teacher puts across. This article hence brings about the form of evaluation where learners experience is noted. Where they are able to create their own form of learning hence they apply and create new theories, which the teachers did not know.
Similarities and Differences of the Studied Approaches
From the studied sources, it can be said that they all are similar in that they offer information on how to evaluate students especially those in higher learning institutions. They all show the union of teachers and students in creating an opportunity to assess the degree to which they comprehend whatever is taught. However, the journals have brought about different theories of evaluation. The first theory focuses on a technique of self-evaluation where students are asked to assess their understanding of the course. This might appear inaccurate as they definitely give themselves high ratings. On the other hand, the second approach of putting theory into practice appears to be logic as it portrays the practical manner of learning. Students are evaluated based upon the manner in which they perform their practicals. Those who get to understand the theoretic part do well in the practical as they apply what they are taught. Finally, another difference observed is the principle of learners response. This is the most realistic form of evaluation. Response is a crucial part of learning. The attitude of learners can tell a lot about the experience a student has in the course.
In conclusion, evaluation of learners experience can be done in many ways. The principles employed by institutions are widely based on the human resource department. If the department chooses a particular practice, for instance, that of theory in practice, the learners will be evaluated in that manner. The importance of evaluation is to ensure that students have an effective learning experience by understanding the course. The human resource team must hence put into place principles of evaluation that will be effective.
