An evidence-based approach to the design of a learning program: evaluating preliminary data sets

The Global Perspectives (GP) program is an evidence-based curriculum initiative that integrates the process of designing and implementing a learning program with a process for developing and implementing a plan to evaluate it for effectiveness and impact. The GP program educational evaluation and research (EER) plan was based on the framework for evaluating e-learning proposed by Phillips, McNaught, and Kennedy (2012), which includes the LEPO framework for learning. The focus is to evaluate learning design for ‘fit’ with achieving the learning objectives and, for the mature GP program design, research the effectiveness and impact of the GP program on students. This paper presents the method and results of a core activity of the EER plan: review data collected during Phases 1 and 2 (pilot and implementation) where the GP program was embedded into two first-year units in the Faculty of Health Science. We describe the method and discuss the results of our analysis in terms of a protocol for a systematic analysis of each data set in terms of ability to inform learning design, the impact and effectiveness of the GP program and usefulness of data in terms of contributing to the development of a diagnostic tool to measure cultural competence.