Are Dynamic Evaluations the Best for Presentations?

Fourteen years ago, skiing down a beautiful blue run, I face planted on ice and broke my leg in four places. After surgery, rest and months of therapy, it was time to get back into shape. My doctor approved me for a running program and I have been at it ever since. Running is my go-to exercise because it is so portable - I can take it to every city I work in - and it gives me a chance to get outdoors and see the sights. 

About a year ago, I began to experience significant pain in my left hip. My GP listened to my complaint and diagnosed bursitis. After therapy and shots, with no improvement, I went to my first specialist. An x-ray showed no arthritis or obvious problems, so I was assigned more PT. After months of no progress, I broke down and found another orthopedist who specializes in "dynamic ultrasound." Just the name of the procedure makes sense to me! If we are trying to evaluate a complex body part with moving, changing components, wouldn't something dynamic be better than something static?

The best learning facilitators also need to use dynamic evaluation procedures. A feedback form completed at the end of a class represents a moment in time -more like an X-ray than an ultrasound. But a dynamic evaluation process will look at the learning in application, as a living organism that will change over time. Should you still use a feedback form? Sure, but add these other components to your evaluation plan, as well.

1. After-Class Products: Once learners are back on the job, we want to be sure they can and do apply the valuable skills they learned. One way to encourage application is to require completion of a project prior to issuing class credit. These products provide the instructor or employer with concrete evidence of retention (or lack thereof). 
2. On-the-Job Observations: No matter how much effort the instructor puts into designing a realistic simulation activity, the job environment will always be different than a classroom environment. Noise, pacing, and uncontrolled human interactions can all form a cacophony of stressors that cause new skills to fall apart. Observations in authentic environments will allow you to see if the training effectively prepared participants, and help you to identify components of the training that need tweaking. Observations can also lead to the development of a professional learning plan that focuses on an individual’s unique needs.
3. Other Outcomes: Depending on the mission and goals of an organization, there can be myriad ways to link training to outcomes. If the training is for a school, did we see an increase in student test scores? If the class is for a business, did we see an improvement in customer satisfaction ratings? Perhaps the organization needs to increase sales, find additional donors or reduce accounting errors. Whatever the goal, training should be having an impact. The connection between training and these outcomes can be tricky to ascertain. However, in order to justify the time and money spent on training, it is essential to explore this data. 

For more ideas on evaluation and other aspects of effective training, go to Caffeinated Learning.

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