Collecting and Analyzing Data

Lee/Owens says there are five activities required in data collection and analysis: 1) Set up the database, 2) Develop an evaluation plan, 3) Collect and compile the data, 4) Interpret the data, and 5) Document your findings.
In step one, you need to decide what software and/or hardware you will need for your database and set it up. In step two, you need to plan out how you want the evaluation to take place, figure out how many people you think need to be envolved, figure out how to keep confidentiality of your subjects, and figure out how much it will cost to implement. In step three, you start the evaluation and collect and compile the information as subjects finish. In step four, interpret the data to see which or not the goals of the evaluation have been met or not. Next, determine wheither or not the evaluation was a success and should be used again, or if it was a failure and needs to be changed before further implementations are made. In step five, once again always document everything you do and the reasons for why you did what you did.

Lee, W. W., & Owens, D. L. (2004). Multimedia-based instructional design: Computer-based training, web-based training, distance broadcast training, performance-based solutions. San Francisco, CA: Pfeiffer.