Evaluating Training Programs - Research Paper Example

1- There are numerous reasons evaluation should be utilized. In a scholarly manner, and in your own words, the most common reason or reasons? The most common reasons for evaluation are to decide whether a training programme needs to continued, whether it remains effective, and whether there can be better ways to which it can be upgraded (Kirkpatrick, 2009, p.25). These reasons are the most common ones just because, it is through them, an improved performance can be brought about (Kirkpatrick, 2009, p.25). And they are the most important reasons also because, they encompass the expectations from which the very training programme emerged. 2- When evaluating Kirkpatricks levels one and two an evaluator should evaluate as soon as possible. Why is this true or not true of Kirkpatricks level three? Please state your answer and rationale in five or less sentences? The concept of evaluating as soon as possible is not valid for level three of Kirkpatrick’s (2006) evaluation (Kirkpatrick, 2009, p.90). Usually the third level of evaluation has to be carried out three to six months after training (Kirkpatrick, 2009, p.90). This is so because only then can it be found out whether the trainees were using what they had learned in their work atmosphere (Kirkpatrick, 2009, p.82). This is the time period involved in translating learning to action. The timing of this evaluation is also very important because, the when exactly a behavior change happens is to be judged precisely and based on that only the third level of evaluation can be conducted (Kirkpatrick, 2009, p.90). 3- What are three criteria for determining resource allocation (money, time, human resources spent) on level four evaluations. In other words, how does an evaluator or organization know the limits for spending money on level four evaluation. Imagine an organization that has 100,000 employees and a common HRD program such as coaching. Please limit your answer to five or less sentences? The three criteria for determining resource allocation on level four evaluation are, 1) how much money went into the training programme, 2) the potentiality of the results expected and 3) the “number of times that the level four programme has to be carried out (Kirkpatrick, 2009, p.103). But the basic criteria is to allocate as much money that can be reasonably set aside because “the greater the potential benefits, the more time and money can be spent” (Kirkpatrick, 2009, 92). Also, the number of staff and the time of staff to be utilized for level four evaluation depends on reasonably how many numbers of staff can be spared and also how many are required (Kirkpatrick, 2009, 103). In an organization that has 100,000 employees and a common HRD program such as coaching, the criteria for determining resource allocation on level four will be primarily based on normal good management practices and the routine monitoring system. 4- Pretend that I am a very successful manager in a large retail organization and that you are a consultant hired to evaluate the results of a Diversity Awareness Program that has been implemented by a successful HRD consultant. As manager, I assumed that the evaluation outcomes for levels one and two were satisfactory. I want you to evaluate changes in behavior and results on the job, levels three and four, respectively. Your response to my request is what? My response to your request will be with two parts. Regarding the third level of evaluation, I would say that primarily I will have to examine whether the time is ripe to make the third level evaluation, that is, whether the time has come when the behavior change is happening and gets reflected in the environment of the learner. My second part of the response will be about the fourth level of evaluation and I would be asking you the level of resources you would be able to spare to make this level of evaluation and in relation with that, how elaborate you might want this evaluation to be. 5- Pretend you are a professional evaluator and you are in a meeting with three very successful managers. Two confront you and ask for examples of programs you might evaluate at level three. As a precursor to this question you told the managers you have a Bachelor’s degree in HRD and enjoyed studying evaluation of HRD programs. How would you answer their question in 50 words or less? I would provide them with the following examples of programmes – 1) sales promotion training programme 2) customer complaint and resolution programme 3) intra-organizational work ethics promotion programme 4) training programme on hierarchy and work flow 5) communication skills training programme. 6- Describe a personal work-related situation where you were trained to do something and level three evaluation could have been successfully utilized but was not implemented. Provide details to this professor in eight sentences or less. Describe the context, type of training, and why you believe the evaluation would have yielded important information. In other words, what were the potential positive outcomes and why would each be valuable. Note: Part-time work or full-time work experiences qualify. In other words, all of us have had some work experience and all have been evaluated in a formal or informal manner? I was trained to be more effective in my interactions with the company clients who were our prospective buyers. The training was basically in methods of effective communication to make the company more customer-friendly. After the training I applied what I had learned through the training and started telling the customer who makes a sales call, my name and my department, and also started ending my call with a purchase request. And in case that client did not mean to make a purchase, then I started concluding the session with giving away specific information on what the client should do if in future he/she want to make a purchase. These were the potential positive outcomes of my training, and a level three evaluation could have acquired enough data to correlate my behavior change with the increase in sales and customer retention that materialized. References Kirkpatrick, D. L. (2009) Evaluating training programs: the four levels (3rd ed.). San Francisco: Berret-Koehler. Read More