Training Evaluation Strategies

Training Evaluation Strategies

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Training Evaluation Strategies

Criteria

Training criteria or outcomes refers to the set of measures used by a trainer and the organization as well in the evaluation of organizational training programs. Training outcomes based on Kirkpatrick’s Four Level framework of evaluation criteria focuses on four distinctive elements namely reactions, learning, behaviour, and results. Reactions are the first level, which focuses on employee or trainee satisfaction in terms of the effectiveness of the training program provided by the trainers and organization as a whole. The second level or criterion refers to learning, which is illustrative of the incidence of acquisition of skills, attitudes, knowledge, and behavior of the trainees (Rothwell, 2005). The third segment relates to behavior, which is illustrative of any improvements in work related activities with respect to individual duties and responsibilities in the organizations. The fourth and last criteria are the results of the training process, whereby the strategic goals and objectives are achieved in terms if effectiveness of the training program.

Pretests

Pretests are used to control threats to validity of the evaluation techniques used by the trainers. Other techniques used include the use of comparison groups and random assignments. This is a critical process in evaluation program development and appraisal (Rothwell, 2005). It provides an effective means of ensuring that the evaluation program and utilized techniques arte fair, accurate and content or focus is relevant in relation to the purpose and intention of evaluation. It ensures that the evaluation program is developed in an appropriate manner to identity the strengths, weaknesses, threats and opportunities inherent in the training program used by the organization.

Reference

Rothwell, W. J. (2005). Beyond training and development: The groundbreaking classic on human performance enhancement. New York: American Management Association.