Creating worthwhile online training courses for your workplace requires time and money. While investing in eLearning is certainly worthwhile, you should feel confident that you are getting a good return on your investment. As such, in this blog, we reflect upon a popular method of gauging the effectiveness of eLearning courses.

The Kirkpatrick Model is one of the most widely known methods for evaluating online training courses. While it was developed by Donald Kirkpatrick back in 1955, the fundamental core of the model can still easily be applied to eLearning solutions today.

There are four levels of the Kirkpatrick Model: Reaction, Learning, Behavior, and Results. Let’s take a look at each of them and see how they relate to online course evaluation.

Level 1: Reaction
This level is focused on gathering opinions from participants. Did they find the online training courses to be useful? Do they feel more confident about the subject matter? How can the course be improved? Post-course questionnaires or surveys are a great way to gather this key data. Be sure to emphasize that honest answers are welcome.

Level 2: Learning
This learning level focuses on what the participants actually learned. Did they pick up on the key points of the training? Naturally, informal or formal tests are typically the best way to gauge this. Of course, it makes sense to have participants complete a pre-test before the training in order to have a baseline to compare these results to.

Level 3: Behavior
Even if course participants technically “learned” the subject matter, that doesn’t help much unless what they learned is reflected in their behavior. If your course was very in-depth, you should expect to notice these behavioral changes in the weeks and months that follow. For more quantitative data, consider holding evaluations with participants anywhere from 1-3 months after course completion.

Level 4: Results
Results are ultimately the primary goal of incorporating eLearning in any business. What was the purpose of your training? Whether it was increased efficiency, higher sales volume, or any other key measurable, level 4 attempts to identify links between it and your course. Ultimately, an effective course should result in a companywide improvement of the measurable(s) in question.

Improve Your Online Training Courses with Nickel City Learning Solutions

Nickel City Learning Solutions is your one-stop source for all of your training needs. Our philosophy is that learning should be fun, relevant, and measurable. Please don’t hesitate to contact us for further information regarding the implementation of eLearning solutions at your business.