Transferring Learning into the Workplace and Measuring Performance Improvement

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Transferring Learning into the Workplace and
Measuring Performance Improvement

• Training Providers Competency Skillnet Conference
  
• 25 September 2009
• Dr Cyril Kirwan

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The importance of measuring performance
improvement

• A lot of money is invested in learning and
  development interventions (2 to 5 of payroll
  costs)
• Attention is being focused everywhere on value
  for money
• Those interventions that cant demonstrate a
  return on that investment are less likely to
  proceed

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The importance of learning transfer

• Research has demonstrated the important influence
  of many factors on learning transfer (i.e.
  application and maintenance of learning back at
  work)
• Estimates suggest only between 10 and 30 of the
  investment in learning and development actually
  translates into changed behaviour
• In order to derive the most benefit from training
  resources, it is necessary to look at the whole
  learning system
• If not, there is a risk of ignoring more than 70
  of the factors that contribute to learning
  transfer

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EVALUATING LEARNING EFFECTIVENESS
WORK ENVIRONMENT Peer, manager and organisation
support
FRAMEWORKS TOOLS AND TECHNIQUES
OUTCOMES Reactions, Learning, Behaviour, Results,
RoI
INPUTS Training content and design
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Model of learning transfer
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Evaluation important questions

• Why do I want to know this?
• What will I do with the information?

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Evaluation of programme outcomes
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Evaluation of programme content and design
(inputs)

• Link with training needs analysis
• Balance of theory and practice, in particular
  sufficient time allocated for practice
• Variety of methods
• Distributed vs massed learning
• Adult learning principles
• Learning situated in participants actual work
• Reflection, goal setting and action planning
• The skills and expertise of the
  trainer/facilitator

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Evaluation of work environment factors

• Motivation to learn (link to TNA)
• Motivation to transfer
• Personal ability to transfer
• Peer support
• Manager support
• Organisational climate for transfer

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And finally.

• A word on learning outcomes
• Participant may acquire new knowledge or a new
  skill
• Participant may discover how much or how little
  they already knew, and now have a framework into
  which to put it
• Participant may completely change the way they
  think about something, e.g. their role,
  themselves
• All of these outcomes are valid and should be
  considered