Measuring training results

When we train, we must also measure the results of our training. If we have not measured, we have no idea whether what we have delivered is 'sticky', and therefore has resulted in meeting the learning outcomes our training set out to deliver. Dr Will Thalheimer - a humble guru in the learning space - has written some superb thought-pieces around education, training and measurement of learning, and I will repeat his words here for us all on measurement (Thalheimer, 2023).

"For the learning field, a good evaluation model should do the following (at a minimum):"

• "It should encourage us to consider the many ways we might measure learning, including at a minimum the following ways: (1) attendance, (2) learning activity, (3) learner perceptions, (4) knowledge, (5) decision competence, (6) task/skill competence, (7) behavior change, and (8) results for key stakeholders (including learners, organizations, co-workers/family/friends, community, society, and the environs)"
• "It should remind us that we must be careful to consider whether people will remember what they’ve learned—that demonstrating comprehension now does not guarantee that remembering will be enabled later"
• "It should remind us that learner perceptions may provide good hints about learning effectiveness, but that these indicators should be augmented with other measures of learning"
• "It should remind us that learner ratings of satisfaction and learning reputation are not always correlated with learning effectiveness"
• "It should remind us that attendance and completion are not sufficient metrics because people can attend but not learn, or they can learn the wrong things"
• "It should remind us that learner activity is not a sufficient metric because learners can engage in activities but still not learn, or they can learn the wrong things"
• A good learning-evaluation model or framework should also be infused with wisdom about learning, encouraging us to see that measuring knowledge is not sufficient, that we should also consider measuring decision and task competence" (Thalheimer, 2023) .

For a 'good' evaluation model, check out the scientifically-valid Learning Transfer Evaluation Model (LTEM; 2023a) here.

Sam

References:

Thalheimer, W. (2023). LTEM After Five Years. LinkedIn Pulse. https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/ltem-after-five-years-will-thalheimer/ 

Work-Learning Research. (2023a). The Learning Transfer Evaluation Model (LTEM). https://www.worklearning.com/ltem/

Work Learning Research. (2023b). The Learning Transfer Evaluation Model (LTEM) [image]. https://i0.wp.com/www.worklearning.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/LTEM-Graphic.png?resize=705%2C655&ssl=1