Online Evaluation Degree Programs - Testing, Assessment, Measurement

Online evaluation degrees, online assessment degrees, and online measurements degrees focus on developing and evaluating curriculum and facilitating learning.

Educational assessment and evaluation deals with identifying what works and what does not work in learning environments, both inside and outside the classroom. The assessment and evaluation methods are applied to students to determine how individuals learn, how to prepare assessment materials, and items, and how individuals learn and they to best test students. Assessment and evaluation degree programs prepare students about evaluation systems and effective organizational deployment. Student learning and progress is determined by educational evaluation and assessment. The goal of professional testing departments and companies is to help learners and schools determine curriculum strength and individual achievement. Related areas include psychometrics, and program monitoring and evaluation.

Selected Online Evaluation Degree Programs

Capella University - Online

• MS - Evaluation, Research, and Measurement

University of the Rockies

• MA in Psychology - Evaluation, Research and Measurement Specialization
• Doctor of Psychology - Evaluation, Research and Measurement Specialization

American InterContinental University Online

• Master's (M. Ed.) in Educational Assessment and Evaluation

Jones International University

• M.Ed. in Elementary Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment: Teacher Licensure
• M.Ed. in Secondary Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment
• M.Ed. in Secondary Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment: Teacher Licensure
• MEd in Elementary Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment

Western Governors University

• M.Ed. Measurement and Evaluation

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Assessment and Evaluation Education and Training

Educational assessment and evaluation degree programs are generally offered at the graduate level of study. This can be at the masters (M.A.T, M.Ed, MSc), education specialist (EDS), or doctoral (PhD) degree program levels of study. I.e. assessment master degree or evaluation master degree. Online evaluation degree programs go by different names, for example:

• Master of Education in Curriculum Assessment
• Master of Education in Measurement and Evaluation
• Master of Education in Educational Assessment, Evaluation, and Research
• M.Ed in Educational Assessment, Testing, and Measurement
• PhD in Educational Assessment, Testing, and Measurement

Depending on the program of study, assessment, testing and evaluation courses may include:

• Educational assessment research methods
• Psychology of instruction
• Curriculum leadership
• Instructional strategies
• Educational technology
• Curriculum methods
• Psychometrics

Research design and methodology course are also likely to constitute your program of study. Course might include: Research design, action research, qualitative methods, qualitative methods, mixed methods, study design, and statistics.

Areas of study with an online evaluation degree also include educational statistics, psychometric testing, test and assessment design, curriculum development, test construction, and data processing, data analysis, testing software, and research procedures. Educational measurement programs might also cover program evaluation techniques and proctoring strategies.

Assessment Measurement and Evaluation Careers

The necessary skills in assessment and evaluation are research and curriculum development skills, needs assessment research, and data interpretation to evaluate student progress. In addition, assessment and evaluation experts may be responsible for defining program assessment criteria, create unit plans and lesson plans which support critical thinking and higher order skills, as well as designing learning strategies.

Graduates work in education departments, K-12 schools, and assessment and testing companies where they work with groups of students or individuals. Others work as consultants with organizations in order to create internal evaluation systems. They work on developing methods of assessing and increasing student achievement. In addition they are responsible for conducting research, collecting and interpreting data for the purposes of tracking a program's effectiveness.

Evaluation and assessment experts may assess curricula and propose strategies for improvement. Other assessment and testing professionals work on developing standardized tests and certification programs or standardized test. Another option is to work in research, or course evaluation. Some businesses also hire assessment and evaluation professionals for training, hiring, and productivity checks. Other areas of employment are program monitoring and evaluation and psychometrics.

Expected Salary and Projected Career Growth

The United States Department of Labor (BLS) reports that educational administrators earn around $75,000 annually. Education managers and program developers earn around $63,000 while educational consultants make over $85,000 annually. Career prospects with an online evaluation degree are positive, especially with a graduate degree. According to the BLS, positions for program evaluators will grow 24% between 2008 and 2018.