Whether it’s to inform, teach, improve, change or a combination of these factors, training should have a purpose. But how can you be sure you’ve done what you set out to do? Good training evaluation techniques identify and measure what learning has occurred during and after learning, whether job performance improvements have been realized, and most importantly, how organizations can get the best training value for their money and efforts. In this webinar, we explore why learning evaluation is an important component of any training program and how you can measure the application of learning beyond the learning event itself. We discuss how to implement learning evaluation that’s practical and provides value but isn’t have to be complicated, time-consuming or expensive. Tune in!

1. ACCELERATE LEARNING PERFORMANCE
Learning Evaluation -
How to get the most out of your training
programs simply and effectively
1Hosted by Lambda Solutions and Limestone Learning

2. Your host
Paula Yunker
Managing Partner &
Instructional Designer

3. • Actsafe Safety Association
• Alaska Airlines
• Bank of America
• BC Assessment
• BC Hydro
• BC Liquor Distribution Branch
• Government of BC
• Health Shared Services BC
• Industry Training Authority (ITA)
• Prospera Credit Union
• The City of Calgary
• UBC
Partial client list

4. Agenda
• What is learning evaluation?
• Why is it important?
• Types of learning evaluation
• Putting it into practice/ typical
implementation challenges
• Favorite learning evaluation
resources
• Q & A

5. What is learning evaluation? Why is it important?
Learning evaluation is the systematic
process of determining the effectiveness
of a training program.
It provides structure
and support for
learning transfer back
on the job.

6. Poll question
How much importance does your
organization or your clients put on
learning evaluation?
1) Not at all important
2) Slightly important
3) Moderately important
4) Very important
5) Extremely important

7. Aligning learning to organizational goals

8. Where to begin
• There should be explicit alignment
between training programs,
learning objectives and business
outcomes.
• Begin by considering what impact
on business the training should
have and what expectations are.
• Ask questions to discover and
understand the underlying problem
that generated the training request.

9. Identify the business need
Ask your stakeholders and business partners:
• What kinds of business outcomes are you
currently seeing?
• What results do you want to see after
training?
• What KPIs’ should change?
• What will success look like to
you?

10. Identify the business need (cont.)
Involve managers and
supervisors too. Ask:
• What is the current level of job
performance?
• What do you expect your employee(s)
to do as a result of training?
• What would good job performance
look like to you?
• What support, resources and tools
will be available to employees?
• What support, resources and tools do
you need to support the employees?

11. Poll question
Do you or your training team identify
what the business needs are before you
begin designing your training program?
a) Yes
b) No
c) Not sure

12. Types of learning evaluation
• Before
✓ Benchmarking
• During
✓ Formative
✓ Summative
• At the end
✓ “Smile sheet”
• On the job
✓ Learning transfer
• Business results
✓ Metrics and qualitative data

13. Food for thought…
To change behaviour and get the results you
want, you need structure, support and
accountability.
Ken Blanchard, Author and business management expert

14. Poll question
What is the highest level of
learning evaluation you/your
organization implements?
a) End of course “smile sheet”
b) Evaluation during the training session
c) End of the training session (summative)
d) Learning transfer tools back on the job
e) Not sure

15. Putting learning evaluation into practice

16. Evaluation before training
• Before and/or at the start of the
training session.
• Should directly align to learning
content/learning objectives.
Examples: written tests, blog question, reading
assignment with questions, video, self-assessment survey

17. Evaluation during training - formative
• Design a variety of formative
evaluation tools.
• Place in strategic spots.
• One formative tool per lesson/
learning objective.
• Not tested/graded.
Examples: team discussion, brainstorming, flipchart
exercises, job-related scenarios, reflective questions,
Q&A

18. Evaluation during training - summative
• Typically at the end of training
session.
• Completed individually and marked.
• Type of evaluation is determined by
the final learning objective.
• Should be at least one question or
task for each learning objective.
Examples: job-specific case study, written test, role play,
presentation, demonstration of a task.

19. Evaluation at the end of training
Go beyond a “smile sheet” and measure not only
learner satisfaction but their level of engagement
and relevance to their job.
• Incorporate statements or
questions that focus on higher
levels of evaluation.
• Use an odd numbered scale (1-3,
1-5; 1-7, etc.).
• Make statements learner-centered.

20. Evaluation sheet statement example
Rather than:
The facilitator provided debrief activities
for participants to demonstrate their
learning.
Use:
The debrief activities helped me to
effectively practice what I learned.

21. Evaluation sheet statement example
The content was relevant to me and to my job.
(use a rating scale)
I estimate that I will apply the following
percent of the knowledge I learned directly to
my job.
10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%
Include evaluation statements that get learners
thinking about how they will apply their
learning back on the job.

22. Evaluation back on the job
Think of the learning event
as an ongoing process.
An ATD study identified
that more than 70% of
training failure comes after
the training program is
completed.

23. Managers are critical to post-learning success
“Managers greatly underestimate their impact
on the learning outcome. Studies have proven
that a manager’s involvement prior to the
learning experience has the greatest impact on
whether learning is transferred and applied.
Managers can directly influence and impact the
outcome of training.
The Six Disciplines of Breakthrough Learning by C. Wick, R. Pollock
and A. Jefferson

24. Typical implementation challenges
• Lack of buy-in from the top.
• Ownership – who’s
responsible?
• Lack of reinforcement on
the job.

25. Supporting learning transfer
Once learners are back on
the job:
• Determine how soon learners can apply
new learning.
• Work with managers to identify how
learners can be supported.
• Set a calendar reminder to follow up re:
progress.
• Review post-training data – does
feedback require follow-up?
• Start small to make it manageable.

26. Learning transfer evaluation tools
Support the application of
new knowledge/skill with:
• Handouts
• Blogs
• Mentor
• Coach
• Job aids/infographics
• Videos
• Microlearning nuggets etc.

27. Learning transfer evaluation tools
Measure the transfer of
learning with:
• Knowledge sharing discussions
• Teach back
• Application activities
• Self-assessment
• 360 degree survey
• Learning action plan, etc.

28. Learning action plan
• Used prior to training, at the end of training
and back on the job after training.
• A contract between the learner and
manager.
✓ What will be learned?
✓ What has been learned?
✓ How can learning can be implemented
and used on the job?
• Signed by both parties.
• Provides structure to help managers and
employees put learning into practice.
• Common in best practice organizations.

29. End at the beginning
• Involve stakeholders, business
partners and managers.
• What key metrics are available?
• Include both metrics and
qualitative data for a well
rounded picture.
✓ Gather success stories
✓ Share the information.
✓ Create trusted relationships with
managers and business partners.

30. Favorite learning evaluation resources
• Evaluation websites, blogs.
• Higher learning courses.
• Books/reference material.
• Sample documents:
✓ End of course learning evaluation.
✓ Pre-/post-course self-assessment.
✓ Post-couse evaluation survey.
✓ Sample end of course evaluation
questions.
✓ Learning action plan.

31. #
Questions

32. Contact…
Paula Yunker
Managing Partner &
Instructional Designer
pyunker@limestonelearning.com
1-888-463-8489

33. Master Class Series: How to Gauge
Engagement in Moodle Using NPS
Thursday, September 20th, 2018
10 AM PT
Next Webinar

34. #
Thank You!

35. TOLL FREE +1.877.700.1118
EMAIL INFO@LAMBDASOLUTIONS.NET
WWW.LAMBDASOLUTIONS.NET