Difference Between Quantitative and Qualitative Evaluation in Education
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Difference Between Quantitative and Qualitative Evaluation in Education
Fenton (1996) opines,
“Evaluation is the application of a standard and a decision-making system to assessment data to produce judgments about the amount and adequacy of the learning that has taken place.”
Evaluation is a process which is continuous as well as comprehensive and involves all the tasks of education and not merely tests, measurements, and examination. Mary Thorpe states,
“Evaluation is the collection, analysis and interpretation of information about any aspect of a programme of education, as part of a recognised process of judging its effectiveness, its efficiency and any other outcomes it may have.”
Quantitative evaluation refers to the use of scientific measurements and tools and includes the results which can be measured and counted. Few techniques and tools involved in quantitative evaluation are oral, written, and performance tests. Qualitative evaluation refers to an observation that is made using all the five senses and includes value judgment.
Difference Between Quantitative and Qualitative Evaluation
| Quantitative Education | Qualitative Education |
| 1. It involves specific measurements obtained from surveys. | It includes information gathered from interviews. |
| 2. It is a form of short-term standardized exams. | It is a form of continuous long-term assessment. |
| 3. It focuses on the right and correct answers. | It focuses on creative and open-minded answers. |
| 4. It is timed and in a multiple choice format. | It is untimed and not in a multiple choice format. |
| 5. It is oriented to product. | It is oriented to process. |
Evaluation refers to a systematic process of determining the extent of the achievement of the instructional objectives. It is a systematic process which includes steps such as collecting, analyzing, and interpreting information to check how much the students have achieved instructional outcomes. It is a board term which involves the academic as well as the non-academic achievements of the learners.
