The Division of Continuous Professional Learning (CPL) has committed itself, through its strategic plan and operational priorities, to evaluating and monitoring its educational programs. Implementation of the evaluation process ensures that collection, storage, use, and dissemination of information derived through evaluations will improve the continuing education provided to health professionals.
All CPL staff are embracing CPL's "Go Green" guideline by ensuring that information will be collected through electronic evaluations that will reduce the use of paper products. Electronic evaluations ensure consistent and robust evaluation processes that reduce the errors that occur when data is entered manually, especially in regards to handwritten comments.
Desired Outcomes
CPL is committed to:
- Providing timely, useful, and meaningful information in order that we can learn from the learning experiences, and identify and respond to challenges, thereby improving and enhancing our work, while maintaining our existing strengths.
- Collecting appropriate and meaningful data; and
- Processing and analyzing information in a coherent and robust way.
Principles of the Evaluation Guideline
The evaluation of activities and handling of information derived within CPL will employ the following principles:
Principles and Aims
- The purposes, objectives and methods of any evaluation activity should be clearly stated
- Information collected through evaluation activity should only be used for the purpose for which it was intended
- Those with responsibility for specific evaluation activities must be clearly identified
Collection, Dissemination, Storage and Preservation
- All evaluation activities and methods used for the collection and analysis of data should be robust, transparent, meaningful, and fit for purpose
- There should be clear explanations about the dissemination of information arising from evaluation activity to the participants that provide the evaluations and to the individuals that receive the evaluation summaries
- The collection, storage, dissemination and disposal of information derived through evaluation activity must comply with University Ethical Standards
- Confidentiality must be provided for the subjects of an evaluation, where this has been agreed as a condition of their participation in an evaluation
- When undertaking evaluation activities (including the drafting of questionnaires) consideration must be given to data protection requirements and whether an appropriate statement is required.
General
- Evaluation should not replace or inhibit a prompt and appropriate response to concerns or issues raised from respondent groups and other sources
- Evaluation should not form part of the complaints procedures but it should be capable of pinpointing areas of CPL processes that need developing or improving.