Kirkpatrick's Four Levels of Training Evaluation

Don Kirkpatrick wrote that using pre- and post-tests is a good idea. In the modern business world where things move quickly and resources are stretched, their use is only recommended when required by your stakeholders, when there is a specific business need for the data, or when the program can be modified based on pre-test findings to save resourc

The third practical issue affecting the evaluation of informal learning is that learners determine for themselves when they have finished learning, which often occurs before they have actually acquired new skills and knowledge. Learners stop learning when they feel they know something, whether or not they have finished the learning activity or have

Level 2: Learning: The degree to which participants acquire the intended knowledge, skills, attitude, confidence and commitment based on their participation in the training

Dedicated observer: If a program is new and very important or expensive, it may be worth the investment to have a dedicated observer in the room to watch the class dynamics.

so the categories should be defined so that there is more similarity within groups than between groups

Relevance is the degree to which training participants will have the opportunity to use what they learned in training on the job.

These are items that remind training graduates of what they are supposed to do and provide additional training and guidance, if needed.

Before training, learning professionals need to partner with supervisors and managers to prepare participants for training. Even more critical is the role of the supervisor or manager after the training.

Rather than testing the recall of knowledge, instead measure the ability to apply knowledge in realistic situations.