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3. Programme Evaluation

3.1 Methods Used

From the start, plans were made for evaluating the development and impact of the T.S.P. An action research approach was adopted. Participants were asked to keep reflective diaries throughout the programme. Individual experiences were shared at regular meetings among all participants. For the evaluation of the impact of the programme the following three types of data were collected.

A questionnaire was handed to all the regular teachers in one of the participating schools at the end of the 14 session programme. (see Appendix III)

A questionnaire was distributed to the Year 4,5,6 pupils and an evaluation discussion was conducted with the Year 1,2,3 pupils of the same school. (see Appendix II).

To evaluate the impact of the T.S.P. on pupils' classroom thinking processes, data was collected on classroom thinking among those groups that had completed the programme and from a control group in another school. Three Year groups were chosen from each school, namely one from Year 2, Year 4 and Year 6. The same problem solving activity was delivered with the Year 4 and Year 6 groups, namely, the pupils had to list and discuss five items that they would take with them if they were to stay on a desert island for an indefinite period of time. A different problem was set to the Year 2 groups, which was to think of different solutions or alternatives for Nannu Cens whose house is infested with insects and mice. Each class discussion was video recorded.

A self-administered questionnaire to evaluate the impact of the T.S.P. on the T.S. and P.S.E. teachers themselves was administered (Appendix V).

So as to have triangulation of data at the end of the course, the pupils of Years 4, 5 and 6 were given a self-administered questionnaire (Appendix II) to gather evidence of use of the T.S. in class, at school, at home or in other places. The younger pupils were administered the same questionnaire, but it was completed as a whole class exercise, with the T.S. teacher recording responses on a flip chart. The reason for this choice was that several of the pupils could not yet read and write well enough to handle such a task on their own.

Indexing

The teachers’ and pupils' questionnaires have been indexed by a number to respect anonymity. Each teacher will hereafter be referred to as T1– T11 and pupil groups in Year 1, 2 and 3 as P1 to P10, and the pooled data of Years 4, 5 and 6 pupil questionnaires as P11.

The video recordings were indexed as E2, E4 and E6 for the Year 2, 4 and 6 pupils in the experimental groups and C2, C4 and C6 in the control groups.