Application Exercise (A-1) Due 7.14.13 - Essay Example

and number Assignment number and Contents Introduction 3 Level Reaction 4 Level 2- Learning 4 Level 3- Evaluations 5 Level 4- Value to the organization 5 Reference 6 Introduction In case of evaluating the effectiveness of a training program it is appropriate to use the four-level model by Donald Kirkpatrick. This model says that the method of evaluation should always start with the bottom level and then, with the gradual passage of time and with increased funds, the method should move successively through the next levels that is level two, three & four.

Feedback from each prior stage serves as the foundation for the subsequent level's evaluation. Thus, each following level signifies a more specific determination of the efficiency of the training program, but at the same time needs a more precise and prolonged analysis (Kirkpatrick & Kirkpatrick, 2007) The four levels are- Level 1 evaluations- This step is also known as reaction as this level measures the initial reaction of the employees towards the training program. This method mostly takes the help of surveys.

Level 2 evaluations- This is the learning step as it measures the amount of information that has been learnt by the participants. This phase is usually evaluated by the application of criterion-referenced tests. Level 3 evaluations- It’s the transfer phase that measure the amount of skills learned by the participants are actually being used in the day to day work. The transfer phase is mostly reviewed by the methods like interviews with co-workers and supervisors & observations. Level 4 evaluations- It refers to the value to the organization.

It is the determination of the financial investment on the training session in terms of the outcome faced by the organization. The assessment for this level doesn’t have a clear definition. Let’s discuss the four levels in details: Level 1- Reaction 1. Evaluation at this stage assesses how the employees who took part in the training program react to it. The employees are given a feedback-form immediately after the session is over. These forms tries to find out the answer to the questions like did the trainer answer all your questions?

How much helpful was the training session? Was the infrastructure adequately supportive? Etc. Kirkpatrick states that, all training programs should at least be analyzed at this level to gather the relevant information needed for the further improvement of the program (Kirkpatrick & Kirkpatrick, 2007). Moreover, the participants' feedbacks have got significant impact for the next level in the model that is the learning level. Even though a positive response does not assure learning, a negative response almost definitely eliminates its possibility.

Level 2- Learning Evaluation at this stage pushes the assessment beyond the learner contentment and tries to study the degree to which the employees have developed with reference to skills, attitude & knowledge. Measurement at this tier becomes more complicated and lengthy than tier one. Measurement procedures range from formal to informal methods of examining to team appraisal and self-assessment. It is likely that the employees take the assessment or test before the training session which is known as pretest and if they take it after the training then it is called as post test, both of which are devised to verify the amount of learning that has taken place.

Supervisors are therefore given the task of monitoring the progress of the employee after training has been imparted to them. The supervisors simply monitor whether the employees are applying the tools & techniques learnt through the training program. Level 3- Evaluations This level evaluates the transmission of training material that has occurred in the employee’s behavior as a result of the training program. Assessment at this phase tries to answer questions like - Are the newly acquired skills, knowledge, or attitude being used in the everyday environment of the learner?

Are their jobs getting easier with the implementation of various tactics that has been provided to them through the training program? For many corporate trainers this phase exhibits the actual measurement of a program's success. However, measurement at this level becomes complex as it often becomes unattainable to forecast when the change in attitude will take place, and thus needs key decisions in the context of how to evaluate, how often to evaluate & when to evaluate. Level 4- Value to the organization This phase is often considered as the bottom line.

This level deals with the measurement of success of the training session with reference to the perspectives of the managers and executives who consider improved quality, reduced frequency of accidents, increased production, increased sales, decreased costs, and even higher profits or return on investment as the standards for measuring the effectiveness of the session. From the business and organizational viewpoint, this is the overall cause behind a training session, yet tier four results are not usually addressed.

Estimating the results in monetary terms is not easy to measure, and is difficult to connect directly with the training imparted. Reference Kirkpatrick, D.L. & Kirkpatrick, J.D. (2007) Implementing the Four Levels. USA: Berrett-Koehler Publishers.