Evaluation

I will give slightly cynical answers (wherever I can) and see if there is any debate:

Why is evaluation important to you and how do you define it?

From an industry perspective evaluation is a quality control check on a production line, it is a check carried out after each process. It ensures that the process carried on the part (or product) has been effective and the part confirms (at the end of the process) to the parameters defined at the beginning of the process. If the part fails to meet the specifications other processes are carried out to correct it or the part is discarded. The final aim of all evaluations is to ensure that the product is fit for purpose and the processes carried out on it have been successful. Evaluation is important because as a production line-man my success depends on the effectiveness of the processes that I have carried out on the part


Why is quality important in eLearning? (Answer based on anecdotal evidence, is open to arguments)
Quality is very important in eLearning because there have been many fly-by-night operators who actually are only providers of learning materials but are posing as learning institutions. Their (product) output fails to meet the client’s (or industry) minimum standards for use (i.e. not fit for purpose). This has given the education industry and the eLearning business a bad name. To maintain the clients trust, which will lead to on-going business for eLearning courses, it is imperative that quality in eLearning is maintained.