Training evaluation is a key part of organizational development, as it is designed to evaluate the effect and impact of training programs on employees or trainees. Training assessment enables organizations to use their resources properly and to effectively achieve the goals of their organization. Kirkpatrick’s four levels of evaluation serve as an overall blueprint for measuring the effectiveness of various interventions. In the 50s Donald Kirkpatrick made this model and it has become one of the most important things in the world of training and development. It consists of four levels: Reaction, Learning, Behavior, and Results, all with different definite areas of focus on training effectiveness. The indicators at the various levels guide evaluators to assess the different aspects of the program, ranging from whether the program satisfied the participants and was educational to whether it made behavioral changes and was successful. Through the application of the Kirkpatrick model, organizations can systematically evaluate their training initiatives and in turn, make proper and informed decisions that can be used to enhance performance as well as strive towards achieving strategic objectives. This paper explores each level of Kirkpatrick’s model and discusses its application in evaluating training programs.
Kirkpatrick’s Four Levels of Evaluation
Level 1: Reaction
At Level 1 of Kirkpatrick’s Four Levels of Evaluation, Reaction evaluation deals with the participants’ instant reactions to the training they had undergone. Level 1 assessment aims to measure participants’ feelings, reviews, and general opinions about the training It aims to find out the way of the trainee’s feelings towards the varied components of the training, that is; the content, delivery, materials, and the instructor’s ability. This stage gives knowledgeable information about the first impression of the participants and the organizations can provide valuable areas that they can work on (Kirkpatrick 2018). The key to Level 1 evaluation is that it serves as a basis for all other stages. The training process can be made more effective by ongoing participant feedback that helps trainers evaluate the degree of acceptability and relevance of the course material and delivery. Moreover, the role of positive reactions from the participants during the training can also ensure enhanced motivation and engagement, resulting in impacting the learning outcomes. According to Rosenberg et al. (2021), emotional responses influence opinions about training programs. The level 1 evaluation, like the surveys and field observations, assists trainers and organizations to identify the participant experiences leading to improvement of the training programs.
Level 2: Learning
In level 2 evaluation, popularly known as Learning evaluation, the trainers try to assess the extent to which the participants have learned knowledge, skills, and attitudes that have been delivered to them. One of the key goals of the evaluation is to determine the efficiency of the learning experience and to see if the specified learning objectives have been obtained by the participants. Level 2 evaluation is important because it proves the efficiency and effectiveness of the process of learning, either by examining the increase of the knowledge level among participants or by demonstrating the acquired new skills. Learning outcomes help do it for organizations; they show the effectiveness of their programs and to which extent they address the gaps or need further reinforcement. Two ways that are often used for Level 2 evaluation include pre-test and post-training, questions, exercises, simulations, observing, using examples and demonstrations Through these strategies changes in the participants’ degree of knowledge, skills, and attitudes may be tracked before and after the training such that two sets of data for the level of learning outcomes are quantitatively and qualitatively measured.
Level 3: Behavior
Level 3 evaluation, behavior evaluation, evaluate training-to-workplace transfer. To assess if participants used their new skills and knowledge at work. Behavior assessment is crucial because it examines how training has affected participants’ on-the-job behaviors and performance. Assessing behavior change helps firms determine if training improves performance and yields outcomes. Surveys, interviews, observations, performance assessments, and job analyses are Level 3 evaluation methods. These approaches enable trainers and managers to assess participants’ job habits and performance improvements after training, revealing how learning is applied in the workplace.
Level 4: Results
Results evaluation, level 4, measures how training affects organizational objectives and results. To evaluate training’s impact on KPIs and business goals. Results assessment shows the ROI of training activities by comparing training results to organizational objectives including greater productivity, decreased costs, better quality, and enhanced customer satisfaction. By assessing outcomes, businesses can justify training spending and plan future investments. Level 4 assessment uses organizational measures including sales, customer feedback, productivity, and staff turnover. Qualitative data on training’s influence on organizational performance may be collected via surveys, interviews, focus groups, and case studies (Praslova, 2017). These strategies help businesses evaluate training’s concrete benefits and make strategic choices to maximize training effectiveness and meet business goals.
Application of Levels 3 and 4 Evaluation
Selection of Training Course Topic
The training course topic chosen is “Leadership Development for Middle Managers.” This course will help in developing the leadership skills that middle managers require within the organization. Apart from this, it will include issues like elaborate communication, conflict resolution, decision-making, and team management so that middle managers will be able to use these skills to ensure their teams’ success and further improve the organization’s performance. Middle managers are at the heart of a dynamic organization by realizing the overall vision and objectives into specific operational plans and holding agreement the whole way through. Alsalamah & Callinan’s (2021) study reports on the necessity of middle-level supervisors in achieving organizational transformation or innovation. Encouraging the workforce, especially the key role-players, to share in this development, can have a major effect on organizational performance. By concentrating on middle managers’ leadership skills, the organization can offer managers who take up leadership roles at all levels and enhance employee engagement and productivity in the process. On top of this, middle managers commonly act as an interface between senior management and the rank-and-file employees, therefore their leadership skills are essential to accurate cross-level communication and common vision within the organization.
Levels 3 and 4 Evaluation in the Training Evaluation Process
Level 3 evaluation in the training evaluation process aims at identifying the effect of training on job behavior whereas assessing the impact on organizational results falls under the purview of Level 4. Level 3 assessment is aimed at determining the degree to which the learners use the knowledge and skills gained during the training sessions in their respective behaviors at the workplace and their performance. In the level 4 evaluation stage, we get more interested in the wider organizational outcomes that a trained workforce brings because of improved productivity, customer satisfaction, or reduced operation costs. By conducting Levels 3 and 4 evaluations, businesses assess training effectiveness in driving behavioral change and its impact on organizational goals. This includes evaluating learning transfer to job roles and its contribution to measurable improvements in performance.
The main reason behind the importance of Levels 3 and 4 evaluations for organizations is that they are a source of evidence that the training programs deliver these goals in the work field. Through correlating training outcomes and organizational outcomes, the evaluations help in justifying training investments, informing future key initiatives, and aligning programs with the objectives of the organization. They highlight the areas for skills enhancement, leading the training to the most cost-effective investments.
References
Kirkpatrick, J. D., & Kirkpatrick, W. K. (2016). Kirkpatrick’s four levels of training evaluation. Association for Talent Development.https://books.google.co.ke/books?hl=en&lr=&id=mo–DAAAQBAJ&oi=fnd&pg=PT10&dq=Kirkpatrick%E2%80%B2s+four+levels+of+evaluation&ots=LOCgSPnhSy&sig=b5LF4PwDByDngJcEPe9-K_1XTz8&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q=Kirkpatrick%E2%80%B2s%20four%20levels%20of%20evaluation&f=false
Praslova, L. (2017). Adaptation of Kirkpatrick’s four-level model of training criteria to assessment of learning outcomes and program evaluation in higher education. Educational assessment, evaluation, and accountability, 22, 215-225.https://doi.org/10.1007/s11092-010-9098-7
Rosenberg, E. L., Zanesco, A. P., King, B. G., Aichele, S. R., Jacobs, T. L., Bridwell, D. A., … & Saron, C. D. (2021). Intensive meditation training influences emotional responses to suffering. Emotion, 15(6), 775.https://doi.org/10.1037/emo0000080
Alsalamah, A., & Callinan, C. (2021). Adaptation of Kirkpatrick’s four-level model of training criteria to evaluate training programs for head teachers. Education Sciences, 11(3), 116.https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci11030116
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