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Training Bootcamp: Evaluate Learning
Mike Coonrod, sbjLive Producer

Training Bootcamp: Evaluate Learning

Posted online

You’ve just invested a significant amount of time and money to train members of your team. Now you have to see if your employees actually learned the confidence, skills, behaviors, or attitudes you wanted to instill in them. Sherry Coker, OTC Center for Workforce Development Business Development Director, says there are five simple methods to test what the students learned. Give positive feedback along with criticism to keep the process productive. This is sponsored content.

Duration: 2:11

Video Transcription:

- - Don't waste your money on training if you're not going to evaluate learning. The purpose of training is to close performance gaps.

So how do you measure if learning has actually occurred? You have potentially spent a month and/or maybe thousands of dollars to develop a training program that will build the skills of your team, so you have to be able to show whether or not that has actually happened.

The first step in evaluating whether or not learning has occurred is if they have attained the intended skills, behaviors, competence, or attitudes. Here are five ways to do this. We have knowledge checks, discussion, individual and group activities, role play, and simulation.

Let's take a moment to break down a couple of these methods. Keep in mind, people learn in many different ways, including hearing, seeing, and doing. We remember more of what we learn if multiple methods are utilized.

A knowledge check is simply asking quick questions at any time during the training to affirm that people are listening, engaged, and understanding the material. A written knowledge check can provide the evidence needed to affirm the success of your training program as well.

Never underestimate the power of hands-on activity. Simulation provides a way for people who learn by doing, giving them an opportunity to practice. Simulation can be physical, hands-on activities, like working on a computer, or operating a piece of machinery.

Role play is another effective method. Some people like me love it, other people hate it. But role play is a great technique to allow individuals the opportunity to explore some realistic situations by interacting in a controlled and supportive environment.

Make sure you provide positive feedback along with any criticism for the process to be productive. Why is evaluating learning so important? Well, in business, everything you do needs to lead to profitability, and this includes training.

Just as you spend money on the right equipment for a job, you want to make sure that the dollars you spend on training will give your team the knowledge, skills, and abilities to contribute the most to your organization.

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