Curriculum Evaluation

CURRICULUM EVALUATION A. Background Evaluation that is often understood so far in the world of education is limited to assessment only. In fact, in the education process, it is not only the value that is seen, but there are many factors that determine the success or failure of a program. Assessment is only a small part of the evaluation. The essence of the curriculum itself is continuous and will continue to experience changes in order to achieve educational goals effectively and efficiently. Because evaluation will assess many factors, program evaluation needs to be introduced to all educators, because evaluation is very important in developing the quality of education. This paper will discuss the concept, model, and implications of curriculum evaluation. B. Curriculum Evaluation Concept 1. Definition of Curriculum Evaluation In KBBI (online) Evaluation is "assessment". In addition, evaluation can also be defined as describing, obtaining, and providing useful information to assess alternative decisions. As expressed by Wiraman (in Munthe, 2015, p. 2) "evaluation as research to collect, analyze, and present useful information about the object of evaluation, assess it and compare it with evaluation indicators and the results are used to make decisions about the object of evaluation". "Program evaluation can be concluded as a process of searching for information, finding information and determining information that is presented systematically about planning, values, goals, benefits, effectiveness and suitability of something with predetermined criteria and objectives". (Munthe, 2015. p. 3). Simply put, curriculum theory can be classified into theories that emphasize more on curriculum content, educational situations, and curriculum organization. (Sukmadinata, 2012, p. 175). The emphasis on curriculum content continues to be refined and updated. Material centered, namely viewing students as passive recipients of prescriptions printed through the blueprint of society. The emphasis on the content of the curriculum is based on knowledge (knowledge based curriculum) and approaches the engineering approach. Emphasis on the educational situation, emphasizing where, is specific, pays close attention to and is adjusted to the environment. The goal is to produce a curriculum that truly reflects the world of life from the environment of students and approaches the gardening approach. Emphasis on curriculum organization, emphasizes the teaching and learning process. Gives great attention to students. (Sukmadinata, 2012, pp. 175177). So it can be defined that curriculum evaluation is a systematic process in describing, obtaining, and providing information to determine the effectiveness, efficiency, relevance and feasibility of alternative decisions taken (educational programs) whether they are in accordance with educational goals. 2. Objectives of Curriculum Evaluation There are three main points in the objectives of curriculum evaluation (Ibrahim, & Masitoh, pp. 4-5), namely: a. Program Improvement The role of evaluation is constructive. Information from the evaluation results is used as input for improvements needed in the curriculum program being developed. It is a need that comes from within the system itself as a factor that allows optimal development results to be achieved. b. Accountability There needs to be accountability from the curriculum developer to various interested parties (sponsors or consumers), namely the government, community, parents, education officers and students. This accountability is not a need, but an external requirement. The developer needs to reveal the strengths and weaknesses of the curriculum being developed and the further efforts needed. c. Determining Follow-up to Development Results Determining this follow-up can be in the form of answers to two questions. First, will the new curriculum or will it not be disseminated into the existing system?, Second, under what conditions will the new curriculum be disseminated into the existing system? In addition to the three points, there are also other objectives in educational evaluation. Namely: (1). Determining the effectiveness of a curriculum/learning program, (2). Determining the excellence of a curriculum/learning program, (3). Determining the level of success in achieving student learning outcomes, (4). Determining input to improve the program, (5). Describing the conditions of curriculum implementation, and (6). Determining the relationship between curriculum components. (Tekpen07B, 2011). 3. Curriculum Evaluation Function a. Formative Function Functions as an improvement of the learning system. This function is carried out if the evaluation activity is directed to improve certain parts of the curriculum being developed. b. Summative Function Functions to determine the level of student ability. In the form of a test, carried out if the curriculum has been considered complete in its development. c. Diagnostic Function Functions to determine the difficulty factors of students in the process of functioning to determine the difficulty factors of student learning in the learning process. d. Placement Function How can teachers find out the learning outcomes that have been carried out. To what extent do teachers understand the learning and materials that have been taught or to what extent the objectives of the learning activities that are managed can be achieved. (Musyarofah, 2016, pp. 5-6). 4. Curriculum Evaluation Principles The following are the principles in curriculum evaluation, namely: a) Scope, Level/level, type of education, carrying capacity, geography. b) Relevance, In accordance with the components of the curriculum itself, and in accordance with the demands of society. c) Balance, The assessment is ideal-actual with the curriculum components. d) Knowledge transfer process (transferability), the existence of a teaching and learning process as a form of interaction between teachers and students. Students receive the knowledge delivered. e) Articulation, There is meaning in the development and change of the curriculum. f) Integration, Combining all components as a whole for the development and change of the curriculum so that everything is in one integrated unit. g) Sequence, In accordance with the procedure or steps, because this evaluation is a systematic process. h) Continuity, Carried out comprehensively and taking into account or prepared for the future. C. Scope of Curriculum Evaluation 1. Curriculum Evaluation as a Program or Document A program or document, the curriculum has several main components, namely the objectives to be achieved, the content or material of the curriculum itself, the planned learning strategy, and the success evaluation plan. a. Evaluation of educational objectives The formulation of objectives is one of the components in the curriculum document. Curriculum evaluation as a document is an evaluation of the objectives, each subject has a number of criteria to assess this objective. • Are the objectives of each subject related and directed to achieve the objectives of the relevant school institution? • Are the objectives easily understood by each teacher? • Are the objectives formulated in the document in accordance with the level of student development? b. Evaluation of curriculum content/material What is meant by curriculum content or material is all the topics given in each subject. A number of questions that can be used as criteria to test curriculum content or material include: • Is the curriculum content or material appropriate or can it support the achievement of objectives as set? • Is the curriculum content or material in accordance with the times? • Is the content or material of the curriculum in accordance with the experiences and characteristics of the environment in which the child lives? c. Evaluation of learning strategies As a guideline for teachers, the curriculum should also contain instructions on how to implement learning or how to implement the curriculum in the classroom. One aspect related to curriculum implementation is the aspect of guidelines for formulating learning strategies. A number of criteria that can be proposed to assess guidelines for teaching and learning strategies include: • Are the formulated learning strategies appropriate and can support the successful achievement of educational goals? • Can the proposed learning strategies encourage student activity and interest in learning? • How do teachers understand the guidelines for implementing the planned learning strategies? (Ahmed, 2017) 2. Learning Evaluation as Curriculum Implementation The curriculum as a document has an inseparable relationship with the implementation of the document in learning activities. Although both have different positions, they are equally important. Thus, the second side of the curriculum is the implementation of the curriculum itself. Some criteria that can be put forward to assess the implementation include the following: • Is the implementation of the curriculum carried out by the teacher in accordance with the planned program? • To what extent can students actively participate in the learning process in accordance with the goals to be achieved? • Is the overall implementation of the curriculum considered effective and efficient? (Ahmed, 2017) D. Evaluation Models Based on the book by the MKDK Curriculum and Learning Development Team (2002), there are two Curriculum evaluation models: 1. Congruence Model Evaluation figures who are developers of this model include Raph W. Tyler, John B. Carroll, and Lee J. Cronbach. Tyler describes educational efforts as a process in which there are three things that we need to distinguish: educational goals, learning experiences, and learning outcomes (Lewi, 1975). TP a b PB HB c In the diagram above, evaluation activities are depicted by line (c), where evaluation is intended as an activity to see to what extent educational objectives have been achieved by students. Given that educational objectives describe the expected behavioral changes in students, what is important in evaluation is to check to what extent the expected behavioral changes have occurred. By obtaining information about the extent to which educational objectives have been achieved by students, decisions can be made about what actions need to be taken regarding the program and the students concerned. Viewed from the interests of the program, the evaluation results are intended as feedback for the purpose of improving parts of the program that still contain weaknesses. a. The Nature of Evaluation According to this model, evaluation is nothing more than an effort to check the congruence between the desired educational objectives and the learning outcomes that have been achieved. Since educational objectives concern the desired behavioral changes in students, the desired evaluation has occurred. The evaluation results obtained are useful for the interests of perfecting the student guidance system and for providing information to parties outside of education regarding the results that have been achieved. b. Scope The object of evaluation in this model is student behavior. More specifically, what is assessed here is the desired behavioral change that is observed by students at the end of educational activities. This learning outcome behavior is not only limited to the knowledge aspect, but also includes aspects of skills and attitudes, as a result of the educational process. c. Approach In assessing learning outcomes that include various types as stated in the formulation, educational goals that are desired and need to be achieved, this model adheres to the position that various possible evaluation tools need to be used. There are two important things that need to be stated regarding the evaluation approach adopted by this model: • First, this model suggests the use of pre- and post-test procedures to assess the results achieved by students as a result of the educational activities they have participated in. • Second, this model does not suggest the implementation of what is called a comparative evaluation to see how far the new curriculum is more effective than the existing curriculum. The steps that need to be taken in the evaluation process according to this model, Tyler proposed 4 main steps, namely: • Formulate or emphasize teaching objectives. • Determine the "test situation" needed. • Compile evaluation tools. • Use evaluation results. Since each education system has various goals that it wants to achieve, it would be more appropriate if the evaluation results were not stated in the form of overall test results but in the form of results from parts of the test in question, so that it can be seen which parts of the education system still need to be improved. By obtaining information about the achievement of educational goals that have been achieved by students, both individually and in groups, decisions can be made about what actions need to be taken. Follow-up of evaluation results that concern the interests of the students, for example: providing services or guidance to improve the results that have been achieved, providing enrichment materials, and planning other programs for each student. Viewed from the interests of the education system, the evaluation results are intended as feedback for the need to improve parts of the system that are still weak. In addition to the interests of student guidance and system improvement, this evaluation is also intended to provide information to parties outside of education about the extent to which the desired goals have been achieved by the existing education system (Nana Sudjana & Ibrahim, 2004: 239). Briefly, it can be said that the evaluation model attempts to examine the congruence between the desired educational goals and the learning outcomes that have been achieved.