Analogical Evaluation Helps to Individualize Instruction

Abstract

Individualizing the educational offer is an important theme in research on both face-to-face and distance teaching methodology. The definition of the socalled “formative” function of evaluation and the development of strategies based on that funtion have taken individualization a Step forward. As useful as these strategies may be, however, they leave many areas uncovered. For example, it is not enough to individualize instruction by simply compensating actively on the basis of periodic testing; this is particularly true in the case of a highly heterogeneous public. The problem may be better addressed at its roots by means of so-called “analogical” evaluation, which permits anticipating the kinds of difficulties each student will presumably encounter in attempting the goals set for a given instructional segment and thus personalizing the educational package consequently. The technique is outlined in this paper.