Secondary Literature and Primary Research

¶ … secondary literature and primary research pertaining to educational methodologies under consideration for use. That research, review, and analytical process allows educators to select methodologies that have an empirically valid basis for hoping that they will provide effective results in their proposed applications (Lloyd, 2005).

Thereafter, the second phase of preparation requires educators considering new methodologies to devise specific strategies, tools, and educational plans that allow the incorporation of the new methodologies into educational practices that can be implemented within the educational environment. That phase necessarily includes taking stock of the available tangible and intangible resources and the abilities and inclinations of teachers. The proposed methodologies identified in the research phase are then developed into actual lesson delivery plans that fit the available resources and circumstance realistically (Lloyd, 2005).

Presentation

There are different phases of presentation that must be addressed, specifically in relation to different sets of stakeholders. First, the new proposed methodologies identified in the research and development phases must be presented to administrators and educators in a manner that is conducive to their maximal "buy-in" and support (Robbins & Judge, 2009; Vollmer, 2001). Second, the new proposed methodologies must be presented to parents and the rest of the non-student educational community to clearly explain the benefits sought to be achieved and to define the specific objectives and long-term strategy of the proposed changes to exiting programs and policies. Third, the new methodologies must be presented to teachers in the operational sense to allow them to be effectively implemented in a manner capable of being achieved realistically. Finally, the new changes must be introduced to students in a manner conducive to the most positive response possible (Lascarides & Hinitz, 2000).

Application

The new methodologies must be applied in a manner that is fully consistent with the specific operational plans developed in the earlier preparation phases (Vollmer, 2001). It should be anticipated that additional time might be necessary during the transitional period before the new methodologies are capable of being executed as proficiently as the previous systems and processes that they are intended to replace. In that regard, educators should also plan to address any unanticipated problems or delays that teachers and students might conceivably encounter and they should consider strategies for mitigating the amount of time and value that could potentially be lost to those delays or difficulties (Vollmer, 2001).

Review and Evaluation

The review and evaluation process is crucial to the success of the new educational processes. Prior research can be helpful in selecting possible directions for improvements it is not until those changes are actually implemented in the specific learning environment that educators and administrators can truly determine how consistently their unique experiences will match up with those of previous examples of similar educational changes in other settings and circumstances. Every educational institution and population presents unique characteristics and requirements that make even the most comprehensive prior research incomplete in terms of the actual advisability of implementing changes in that educational environment (Lloyd, 2005).

Summative Evaluation

Summative evaluation must begin from the moment of initial implementation (IRI, 2008). It should cover both the immediate apparent response of and effect on learners as well as the apparent efficacy and appropriateness of the operational approach implemented by teachers initially. The former allows teachers to gauge, in real time, the degree to which the new changes seem to be received by students and the degree to which they seem to benefit their teaching objectives and learning outcomes. Sometimes, that process allows educators to identify practical difficulties and complications in their chosen methods of delivery that might not have been anticipated prospectively. Other times, that process allows educators to identify problems, deficiencies, and complications from the perspective of learners that suggest possible solutions and changes capable of resolving those problems and increasing the value of the new initiatives to learners (IRI, 2008; Lloyd, 2005).