Corporate E-Learning

Welcome to the Measuring Results with Training workshop. Although we all know that training can have many amazing benefits, sometimes it can be hard to prove those benefits and attach a dollar value to training. Some topics, like sales training or time management, might have direct, tangible benefits. Other topics, like communication or leadership, might have benefits that you can’t put a dollar value on. In this course, we will learn about the different ways to evaluate training progress, and how to use those results to demonstrate the results that training brings.

In order to train individuals effectively, the trainer must understand that there are four ways that an individual can learn. Although each individual has a preferred style, all four elements must be included for learning to be effective. This module will look at David Kolb’s four stage learning process and the four related styles of learning.

A good evaluation will cover all four dimensions of learning. This module will give you an overview of Donald Kirkpatrick’s four levels of evaluation, which correspond loosely to Kolb’s four learning stages.

In the previous module, we talked about how evaluation should take place at four different levels. In order to effectively evaluate each level, you will need a variety of tools. In this module, we will learn about some different types of measurement tools that can help you effectively evaluate results.

In order to prove results from training, your training plan must include clear learning objectives and a clear focus. This will enable you to build a solid evaluation plan. The first step in this process is to determine your training needs.

An evaluation plan should be part of any training plan. It should be created at the same time – after the needs analysis and objectives are outlined. In this module, we’ll look at the four key components of an evaluation plan.

So far, we have looked at some general tools for evaluation. In this module, we will focus on some tools that you can use to perform evaluations before training begins.

Often, trainers may assess learning before and after training, but they may neglect to check in with trainees while they are learning. It’s very important to include this in your training plan, particularly since most training programs start with foundation concepts and build towards advanced concepts. If your trainees get lost at the beginning, your entire program could be in jeopardy.

Your evaluation plan should include evaluations after the training is finished. There are two reasons for this. One is that some skills take months or even years to develop. Another is that you want to make sure that the trainee continues to apply their knowledge after the training is completed.

In rare cases, you may need to evaluate participant progress beyond six months post-training. This module will give you some guidelines for those situations. Patience and an understanding of how long some changes take will provide an excellent base is long term evaluations are required.

Companies often spend a lot of money on training, so it only makes sense that they will want to see what they got back from the training. In some cases, this may be easy – you may be able to see a drop in hard numbers (like product defects, customer complaints, or days absent) as a result of your training. In other cases, the benefit might involve something much harder to calculate, like reduced stress, improved teamwork, or better communication. This module will show you how to calculate the return on investment (ROI) for any training program.

Although this workshop is coming to a close, we hope that your journey to improve your training skills is just beginning. Please take a moment to review and update your action plan. This will be a key tool to guide your progress in the days, weeks, months, and years to come. We wish you the best of luck on the rest of your travels!