What is the Dartboard Evaluation Strategy?

Dartboard evaluation strategy is a technique that can be used either as an assessment tool or a feedback mechanism. The strategy enables teachers to gauge understanding of a topic, effectiveness of an activity (or strategy) used to facilitate learning, or as a peer group assessment of student performance in class.

Creating the dartboard evaluation template:

Draw a picture of a dartboard with a bull’s eye on a whiteboard, flip chart or on a sheet of paper. The two factors essential for the creation of a dartboard template include the ratings or scoring and the points for evaluation.

The ratings are denoted by the number of concentric circles (three or more). Consider a template which has three concentric circles. The ratings can stand for “good, fair and poor” with “good” rating on the inside and “poor” represented by the outermost circle. The scoring is mostly qualitative in nature.

The points for evaluation are represented as different areas on your dartboard. For this, you need to first identify the different targets you want your students to evaluate. For example, if students are to rate the presentation of another group, you can include points like “use of audio-visual aids, communication skills, relevance of content to the topic and clarity of the presentation”.

Using the strategy in the classroom:

Students are given sticky dots or colored marker pens to rate the items. This is done in terms of their agreement with the scoring. For example, in the above scenario, students can rate the presentation on their use of audio-visual aids, by placing a sticky dot in any of the circle based on their judgment. If they feel the participants used good aids, a dot is placed in the center circle.

The more the students agree with the question or item, the closer they place the dot and as they disagree the farther the dots are marked on the dartboard.

Pros and cons of the strategy:

The dartboard evaluation is a strategy that is simple, quick, and easy to prepare and use. It can be used by any age-group. It allows for easy visual analysis of the evaluation. However, the disadvantage is that it does not cater to an in-depth evaluation of the target points and students can be influenced by group behavior. This strategy also does not provide an evaluation of the learning process.

Modifying the strategy:

These tips may be helpful in modifying the strategy to suit your needs:

Use as an exit slip: To avoid influence of group behavior, the templates can be created as miniature exit slip versions. These can be distributed and marked individually, giving you a clearer perspective about student understanding or feedback.

Addressing the target points: Content specific target points may be formulated that stimulate logical thinking and usage. You can also structure your questions to address a specific learning outcome.

Space for comments: An additional space for writing down queries or areas that need further clarification allows for a discussion on the same, thereby strengthening the learning process.

Discuss here: How do you evaluate if students have understood what you have taught?

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