Materials Evaluation with AHP

This program was developed for the purpose of utilizing the framework of the analytic hierarchy process (AHP) in various teaching materials evaluation, focusing in particular on its potential for systematically integrating different components of evaluation criteria in a variety of teaching contexts. AHP is a measurement procedure wherein pairwise comparisons are made at different levels, each of which comprises a specific criterion. A series of hierarchical comparisons are consecutively carried out to help the evaluator prioritize the available alternatives, that is, the materials or coursebooks to be chosen. This program can be used by both individuals and teams and can be utilized in various decision-making settings, as was done by British Airways, which applied the method in choosing the best entertainment system for its flights in 1998. Numerous evaluation criteria have been proposed to help teachers assess materials more validly and reliably, using checklists with several categories or components, such as syllabus, content, illustrations, and price, to facilitate the evaluation process. So far, few of these evaluation methods examined or considered a systematic method that integrates each criteria component to arrive at a final evaluation outcome and weighs each component in order to adapt the evaluation to the particular teaching context.