Evaluate your online training with Thalheimer's evaluation model!

Evaluating your training - why would you do it?

The importance of evaluating your training during the learning process is often underestimated. We track how many lessons we attend, whether we participate actively, and then we conclude a subject with an exam or an e-learning with a quiz, and that’s that. We get a grade, wonder what we did wrong, but as long as we pass, we don't think much more about it. We also don't stop to consider whether we can actually apply this knowledge and these skills in our daily work.

This is, of course, a real shame.

If you receive valuable feedback on your online training while you are learning, the final learning outcome is much greater. You can see which thought processes or skills you still need to adjust or refine. And not just afterwards, but during the process as well, so you can change course before the course ends.

There are various feedback models used in e-learning. For example:

• Kirkpatrick's 4 levels
• The “Five Moments of Need”
• The five phases of ADDIE
• The “Nine Events of Instruction”
• The “Decisive Dozen”

To name just a few.

During the Next Learning festival, we attended an interesting session with Will Thalheimer. His message was as follows.

Research has shown that the actual learning outcome cannot simply be measured with “old-style” evaluation forms. By formulating and administering questions differently, you get a much better picture of what has actually been learned. In this regard, the “Learning-Transfer Evaluation Model” is a useful tool.

In this blog, we tell you more about Thalheimer's evaluation model and why it appeals to us. But before you continue, it is good to remind you that it is always better to make your training as good as possible in advance. And that effective knowledge transfer often goes hand-in-hand with a strong online learning platform. Don't have a platform that meets all your needs yet? Take a look at the possibilities of Pluvo!

Evaluating your online training the old way

The fact that someone participates in a learning path does not mean that this person has actually learned anything; therefore, measuring attendance (how many sessions this person attended) says nothing about the learning outcome. If students complete a course (the familiar percentage bar at the top of an online learning environment), it does not mean that this person has learned anything from the e-learning. That is why measuring the percentage of the amount of material a student has gone through is pointless.

The same applies to participation. If someone pays attention during lessons, or is interested in the material, or even indicates that they really like a learning event, it still does not necessarily mean that he or she has learned anything. Measuring interest is therefore not useful.

Furthermore, old feedback models are also ineffective at measuring knowledge. If someone can regurgitate information, it does not mean they can apply this knowledge in practice; so why would you measure the recitation of knowledge? Even if someone indicates they understand a concept or even demonstrates a certain skill during a lesson or online, it does not mean that he or she can make the translation to the work practice. Therefore, measuring knowledge of a concept or the level of skill mastery immediately after a learning event (lesson, online meeting) is not useful.

Thalheimer argues that when creating an evaluation, we should focus on: understanding, remembering, decision-making, task competence, and persistence in applying what students have learned to their work or other “performance situations.”

But how do you do that? Thalheimer explains it according to his “Learning-Transfer Evaluation Model.” We will briefly explain the model. The links in this blog refer to the comprehensive article on this subject, written by Thalheimer himself.

The Learning-Transfer Evaluation Model

1. Attendance and participation (levels 1 & 2)

Thalheimer previously argued that attendance and participation are not useful metrics, but there are still several reasons to track them. Measuring a student's attention, interest, and participation can be useful to help you identify the strengths and weaknesses in your e-learning and can also give you an indirect indication of the student's interest, motivation, and engagement - this information can be useful for improving the design of the e-learning.

2. Perceptie (level 3) 

Als we vragen naar de perceptie van de cursist doelen we meestal op: zouden zij de cursus aan anderen aanraden? Vonden zij de docent goed? Voldeed de cursus aan hun verwachtingen? Thalheimer pleit voor het stellen van vragen die veel waardevoller zijn om het daadwerkelijke leerresultaat te meten, zoals: ondersteunde de e-learning je begrip van de materie, het onthouden van de materie en droeg het bij aan je motivatie om het geleerde toe te passen in de praktijk?

3. Kennis (level 4) 

Als cursisten kort na de cursus getest worden op welke kennis er is blijven hangen, is dit slechts een momentopname van het langetermijngeheugen. Dit biedt geen garantie dat de cursist zich de kennis daadwerkelijk eigen heeft gemaakt. Daarom pleit Thalheimer ervoor om de kennis op langere termijn nogmaals te testen om te achterhalen wat de cursist daadwerkelijk heeft geïnternaliseerd. Dit is echter nog steeds geen ideale methode, omdat het niets zegt over hoe de cursist deze kennis toepast tijdens het nemen van besluiten, bijvoorbeeld.

Onze blog over creatief online kennis toetsen is ook leuk om te lezen! 

4. Besluitvaardigheid (level 5) 

Om realistische besluitvorming te evalueren, kunnen we cursisten realistische situaties aanbieden om hen te laten oefenen met het nemen van beslissingen die vergelijkbaar zijn met het soort beslissingen dat zij moeten nemen in hun dagelijkse werkpraktijk.

5. Taakcompetentie (level 6)

Om taakcompetentie te meten kunnen we cursisten realistische situaties laten evalueren en hen vervolgens in staat te stellen beslissingen te nemen en acties te ondernemen die overeenkomen met die beslissingen.

Lees ook onze blog over digitale tools, waar we dieper ingaan op het toepassen van levensechte simulaties en gamification in je training.

6. Overdracht (level 7)

"Zijn cursisten succesvol in het gebruiken wat zij hebben geleerd in gerichte werksituaties?"

7. Overdrachtseffecten (level 8)

"Als cursisten inderdaad succesvol zijn geweest in de overdracht van wat zij geleerd hebben naar hun werksituatie, welke effecten heeft dat dan op gerichte en ongerichte resultaten en belanghebbenden?”

Evaluatie training voorbeeld

In een volgende blog leggen we je uit hoe je dit model ook daadwerkelijk kunt toepassen tijdens het ontwikkelen van jouw eigen e-learning. Wil je nu vast van start? Neem contact met ons op in de chat!