7 Responses

1. Suggested Book
   The chapters on validation and evaluation in ‘Managing the Training Process’ – published by Gower – provide some pratical guidelines.

2. Evaluation
   The best book I have come across which beats all the rest by a long chalk is by Jack J Phillips, called; ‘Training Evaluation & Measurement Methods’. It’s a compendium of methods and systems which shows a vast range of options.

   Whilst I find the work of Peter Bramley and Leslie Rae et al all excellent reading, in terms of value for money, this is the book.

   e mail me if you want a quick overview garry.platt@wgrange.com

3. Evaluation resources
   I’m sorry that Garry Platt doesn’t seem overkeen on the value of my books, but if you don’t know them I would suggest you have a look and make your own mind up, as I think both are very helpful and practical. ‘Using Evaluation in Training and Development’ from Kogan Page, and ‘How to Measure Training Effectiveness’ from Gower.

4. Leslie Rae’s Books
   I do have Mr Rae’s books in my collection and they are excellent reading, but the best book on evaluation to date in my personal opinion is Jack J Phillip’s; ‘Training Evaluation & Measurement Methods’. Mr Rae’s books are also good.

5. LEAP Plans
   Here is a system we developed at Woodland Grange.
   LEAP = LEarning & APplication

   Before they attend training candidates complete LEAP 1 = Why am I attending this course? Where in my job will I be able to use it?

   During the training they complete LEAP 2 = What have I learnt? Where could it be used in my job?

   At the end of the training their line manager recieves LEAP 3 plus copies of the LEAP 2 documents = The line managers use these to review what the candidates have learnt and agreeing objectives for the future.

   Finaly, 3 months later the line manager recieves LEAP 4 = How has your candidate gone on? Have they been able to apply anything they learnt?

6. Evaluating training
   I attended the IITT’s Evaluating and Validating Training course earlier this year and found it to be very useful. I certainly would recommend it.

   When my colleague and I came to evaluate a training program we had run at the beginning of this year (on the Internet), we decided to evaluate it by doing a simple e-mailshot to everyone who had attended the training and to ask a few simple questions.

   The first few questions were to use the course objectives to make sure everyone could still meet them – eg – Can you explain what a search engine is and how you would use it? Can you name some copyright issues related to using the Internet? etc. We just turned the objectives round into a question!

   The next set of questions took a little longer to write, but we started by asking ourselves: What are we trying to find out? Once we knew that, it was easier to ask the questions.

   What we wanted to know was: Are people spending less time in the Library doing research and more at their desks? Do they find it quicker and easier to get the information now than before their training? How much time do they spend now surfing the net compared to before their training? That type of thing.

   The answers we got helped to identify any training needs (very few indeed) and also gave us some clout when it came to explaining to the powers that be that it had been worthwhile to teach people how to use the Internet “properly”.

   Hope this helps.

7. Training Evaluation
   Consider indirect methods.

   For example, one internal course provider decided to evaluate the effectiveness of their courses on research awareness by measuring the thickness of the carpet in the library pre and post course.

   There are lots of ways to kill the cat!

   Best Regards

   Robin T Cox