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Using Analytic Hierarchy Process in Textbook Evaluation
Author(s) -
Kato Shigeo
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
tesol journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.468
H-Index - 14
eISSN - 1949-3533
pISSN - 1056-7941
DOI - 10.1002/tesj.125
Subject(s) - analytic hierarchy process , pairwise comparison , computer science , variety (cybernetics) , syllabus , context (archaeology) , component (thermodynamics) , process (computing) , hierarchy , evaluation methods , management science , outcome (game theory) , grammar , operations research , mathematics education , artificial intelligence , psychology , engineering , linguistics , mathematics , reliability engineering , paleontology , physics , mathematical economics , economics , market economy , biology , operating system , thermodynamics , philosophy
This study demonstrates the application of the analytic hierarchy process ( AHP ) in English language 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 procedure 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. However, 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.