1. Define evaluation and identify the types and purposes of evaluation
2.Explain how evaluation fits within learning and development processes and systems.
3. Discuss the importance of learning transfer into the workplace.
4. Compare and contrast key theories for evaluating learning and development activities.
5. Explain the key steps within the evaluation process.
6. Identify sources of data and methods of analysis that can be used within the evaluation process.
7. Consider a number of key challenges that can act as barriers to conducting the evaluation of a learning and development activity.
8. Explore the characteristics of a knowledge economy and their implications for evaluating learning and development activities.
9. Discuss the key issues raised by intellectual capital accounting.
Learning and development is very important so that versatility is gained. Different methods of learning is used for the development of a person which includes induction , training at job place , different types of workshops , external studies , mentoring and coaching. There is a need for a definite set of knowledge and skills of the employees so that it can be nurtured for meeting the needs of the organization. Development and learning is synonymously related to the human resource development (Kolb2014). This might compose on and off the job methods for getting adequate knowledge. This paper will help in understanding the need for investing into learning and development and importance of it.
Evaluation is defined as the determination of the merit of the subject, the significance and worth with the certain number of criteria, which is governed. The traditional social research methodologies are used for the evaluation purpose. The skills that is required for evaluation is managementability, sensitivity, dexterity in polities and many other skills that do not rely on social research. The frequently used definition used for evaluation is that it is the systematic assessment of merit or worth of an object (Renninger, Hidi and Krapp2014). The other commonly used form of evaluation is the assessment and acquisition of information to provide feedback on some object. All works of evaluation involves sifting through the data and making validity of the information.
Types of evaluation:
There are different evaluation types , which depends on the object and the evaluation purpose. The distinction that occurs in the types of evaluation is between the summative and formative type of evaluation. The formative type of evaluation tends to improve the object that is to be evaluated (Moon 2013). This would help in examining the delivery of the program, implementation of the quality and assessment of the original form of procedure, personnel, context and more. The outcomes of the object are examined through the summative evaluation (Burke and Noumair 2015). This helps in the summarizing it through describing what actually happens in the delivery of the program, assessing the object to check the outcome, determining of the consequences of the casual factor and estimating the cost related to the object.
Examples for the purpose of evaluation:
Assessment refers to Education assessment where it is the process for documenting knowledge, skills as well as attitudes and beliefs.
Examples of Assessent
Validation
When it comes to planning, it need some training for the purpose of understanding the context of learning process. Planning comes with assessment for beginning the context in proper proper course of action. In other words, Validation is the assessement for conducting matches and what is happening elsewhere by remaining consistent with the National Standards.
The evaluation stages come at the last of the learning and the development system. The first stage involves defining as to why the program is needed. The goals and the objectives are needed to be visualized. KPIs present must be looked into to see how it affects the business. The next step involves the analysis. The drivers for the success need to be evaluated and see the quantitative and qualitative categories. The performances of the KPI are very important for making a perfect analysis. The desired behavior is also quite beneficial. The third process involves the design. This will help in (Edward et al. 2013). The fourth stage involves the development i.e. the contents that would be affecting the KPIs (Wilson 2014). The applicable performance impacting learning assets. The fifth step involves the implementation. The impact needs to be predicted. There is a need for the referring to data that would help in predicting the impact. The final stage is ‘Evaluation’ the impact that is witnessed and the consequences later.
An example for this can be defined when the process a driving license is acquired. During the first stage, the person decides to learn driving. There is already motivation within as there is encouragement from the siblings and friends (Knox and Marston, 2013). The next step involves diagnosis. This is the stage when it is realized that there are number of things that is needed to be learned. There was a need for practice for driving the car. The third step involves learning. This would involve acquiring of the new skills and knowledge (Granott 2013). Different types of videos are watched, training is taken and reading the rules of the books. The fourth step would be involving the application. This is the application of what was learnt and this would involve improvement building. There are a number of mistakes that are made yet it helps in building confidence (Hwang, Hung and Chen 2014). The final stage is the assessment. This is when a third party evaluates the driving skills and declares one ready for driving.
The learning transfer concept involves learning for a particular context and implementing it to another. This involves the capacity of applying the necessary skills to a new type of a situation. There are mainly three type of transfer learning i.e. transfer from a knowledge that is possesses to learning, the transfer from the old learning to new type of learning and the transfer from learning to application (Cummings and Worley 2014). When looking into corporation training, the latter type of transfers are important (Moog2014). There is a need for the businesses to see how the employees they transfer their knowledge from training into a real life scenario (Lantolf, Thorneand Poehner2015). This a quite challenging task. This quite difficult to know how the individual is going to respond to the training and comprehending thetraining, which tends transfer to real success.
Example: the college football team they get fresh athletes. These fresh athletes are going to play with the existing team. A whole year goes into learning. There will be occasion when they are going to get the opportunity to play this is the time they apply their knowledge they have gathered in the training period. During the time of practice, he can play exceptionally well but that does not mean he would come out successful in the main field (Kolb and Kolb2012).
When there is limited transfer of knowledge then the business might not turn out to be successful. The factors that create limitation in the transfer of the knowledge is environmental factors, participant’s factor, academic development factors (Zhang et al.2015). The expectation of the employer is profitability but this could be possible when there is application of knowledge transfer and skills.
There three types of evaluation model or theories. In an objective oriented approach, the process is simple and is straight forward. This type of approach deals in the objective oriented evaluation and helps in the determining the objectives and the extent of the goals (Otoo, Agapitova and Behrens 2015). There is a need for implementation of the two types of requirements before the application of the approach. The program needs to have the objectives and the goals. The second option should be using the appropriate measurement tools, the performance needs to be measured and this needs to be compared with that of the behavioral objectives (Thiessen, Kronstein and Hufnagle2013). The job of the evaluator involves in the identifying of the discrepancies between the objective and the performance.
The consumer oriented approach to evaluation involves emphasizing of the stringent and the defensible standards against product and the programs judged. The consumer-oriented evaluation is simple like that of the objective oriented approach. There are a list of standards and criteria that is compared with respect to the program and the product of interest. This is unlike that of the objective oriented approach where evaluator tends to use objective list, which is compared to the performance program (Li et al.2014). In case of the objective oriented approach the evaluation is completed with the help of the developers, program directors, administrators but in case of consumer oriented evaluation, the primary audience is the consumer of the product (Beetham, and Sharpe 2013).
In case of the expertise-oriented approach towards evaluation it mainly relies on the expert opinion and judgment in the field that is to be evaluated. The structure of the expertise oriented approach is different to that of the other forms of approaches. Expertise oriented approach is easy to implement and understand. Expertise oriented approach is based on the personal biases.
The program must be clearly articulated. This is important in establishing the evaluation plan. There is need for the description to answer the questions like the goals of the program, the activities for pursuing the goal, resources availability for the purpose and the expectation of serving a minimum number of people. The answers articulated will help in the improvement of the quality and accountability but it will help in making the program more beneficial.
Major Stakeholders:
The stakeholders are mainly the recipient,implementers, the decision makers related to the program. With their involvement as early as possible will help in getting different perspective of the program and help in the establishment of a common type of expectation. This will lead to clarifying the goals and objective of program to evaluate so that everyone understand the purpose.
Timing: The evaluation helps in the focusing on the process resources, means, activities and outputs. This involves in the focusing on the outcomes and how the goals can be achieved. There is evaluation of both outcomes and process.
Methodology: The data collected is either in the form of the qualitative and the quantitative. The qualitative data will give a descriptive type of information, which includes the behavior, value, opinion, knowledge, sensory response and the observable phenomenon. The qualitative data collection involves focus groups, informant interviews and participant observation
The information in the form of the numbers is collected through the quantitative method. The quantitative method involves questionnaire and surveys.
Reporting: There is a need to check that the work that is put in the program helps in the improvement of quality. When the findings and the recommendation are present there is need to understand the beliefs and the perception of the group.
Identification of the data sources:
Before the planning of the collection of the data there is a needs to identify the data set that is already available. The research plan is guided with the questions of evaluation than that of the available data. There are also pre existing data sets that can be utilized. This would be including the program information and data set collected for example from the federal government. There is a need for the clarification of the data set in the format that is available. The data set can help in presenting the features of the demographics and other background information
Difference between Quantitative and Qualitative method:
|
Traditional Perceptions |
Qualitative |
Quantitative |
|
Collection of the Data |
The data is collected through the following methods: · Focus Group · Depth Interviews · Accompanied Shops · Observation |
Data is collected through: · Survey · Audits |
|
Quantity of Data |
The data quantity is small |
The data quantity is large |
|
Nature of the Data |
The data is mainly unstructured example: verbal comments |
The data is structured. Example: Survey responses to that of the closed questions |
|
Focus |
The focus is on ‘Why?’ , How do the things work?’ |
The focus is on ‘What?’, ‘How many?’ |
|
Output |
The output is generated as a description |
The output is in the form of numbers |
Advantage and Disadvantage for choosing a particular method:
The following table shows the advantage and disadvantage of the Qualitative and Quantitative method:
Qualitative:
|
Advantage |
Disadvantage |
|
· A complex aspect of persons experience is studies · Fewer restrictions that are placed in the data · It is very good for exploratory form of research. |
· There is difficulty in the reliability and validity of the data · There is subjectivity involved in the analysis of the data · Time consuming. |
Quantitative:
|
Advantage |
Disadvantage |
|
· Helps in the measuring and the analysis of the data · Researcher objective about finding about the research |
· This type of research does not study in the natural setting. · The context of the study might be ignored. |
There are a number challenges in the learning and the development process which needs to be overcome so that there is smooth implementation of the same. The major barrier that is likely to come up is the lack of funds. When there is no sufficient funds then the learning process might come to a halt. For example in a factory, a new machine has been installed that has a number of extra function for which it is required for training the workers. This interrelates that there is need of funds or else the learning process does not proceed.
On the contrary, there is a need for the evaluation of the expertise from time to time so that the learning process can be enriched. There is diect link with the evaluation process that removes the barrier to learning activity.Expertise needs to be evolved from time to time. For example: the workers are recruited with the necessary amount of skills and expertise which will help the learning process easier.Linking Evaluation activities with learning activities is very impornat as it will help individuals keen in taking up new challenges and innovate in practical actions. It is therefore essential for taking the evaluative steps that is linked with assesent criteria leading to wide knowledge in diverse areas.
Limitation of capacity is flaw in the learning and the development process. For example: a machine installed in a workplace needs to have the maximum capacity so the that is functions effectively.
Knowledge Economy means the use of knowledge for generating tangibles as well as intangible values. In other words, technology considers knowledge technology as it help in transforming part of human knowledge to machines. Therfeore, this knowledge can be properly used for decision support systems in diverse fields a well as generating economic values at the same time. It can be even stated that knowledge economy is possible without use of technology.
The characteristics of the tangible and the intangible assets involves as follows:
Tangibles:
Current Assets: cash , stock inventory, short term investments , cash equivalents and many more
Fixed Assets: The fixed assets include machinery, buildings , furniture and many more.
Intangible:
The intangible assets involve the goodwill, copyrights, brand recognition, trademark and many more
The tangible and intangible assets are indispensible part of the knowledge economy.
The learning and development becomes easier when there is easy access to the available data. The innovation makes it possible to make competition fiercer. The workers with less number of permanent workers, more consultants and periphery workers will lead to impacting the organizational knowledge. The evaluation of the activity can be made through the focus on the workplace competencies and lifelong learning.
The intellectual capital accounting is the intangible value of the business which includes the human capital, the inherent value and the things that is left when the employee goes home. The accountability of the intellectual capital is possible when there is increasing competitive arena. The learning and the development needs to be made stronger for the intellectual capital development. In case of evaluating intellectual capital, it is very difficult to decipher financial capital.
On the contrary, Intellectual Capital results in optimization of stocj prices at times, IFRS Committee develops Internatioal Accounting System. This is held for prescribing the treatment for accounting in case of intangible assets. As defined in IAS 38.8, intangible assets considers as the identifiable non-monetary asset without any kind of physical substance. This cam be said that as asset treated as a resource as controlled by business entity from past course of action.
References:
Beetham, H. and Sharpe, R., 2013. Rethinking pedagogy for a digital age: Designing for 21st century learning. routledge.
Burke, W.W. and Noumair, D.A., 2015. Organization development: A process of learning and changing. FT Press.
Cummings, T.G. and Worley, C.G., 2014. Organization development and change. Cengage learning.
Edwards, G., Elliott, C., Iszatt-White, M. and Schedlitzki, D., 2013. Critical and alternative approaches to leadership learning and development.Management Learning, 44(1), pp.3-10.
Granott, N., 2013. We Learn, Therefore We Develop: Learning Versus Development. Adult learning and development: Perspectives from educational psychology, p.15.
Hwang, G.J., Hung, C.M. and Chen, N.S., 2014. Improving learning achievements, motivations and problem-solving skills through a peer assessment-based game development approach. Educational Technology Research and Development, 62(2), pp.129-145.
Knox, P.L. and Marston, S.A., 2013. Human geography: Places and regions in global context. Pearson.
Kolb, A.Y. and Kolb, D.A., 2012. Experiential learning theory. InEncyclopedia of the Sciences of Learning (pp. 1215-1219). Springer US.
Kolb, D.A., 2014. Experiential learning: Experience as the source of learning and development. FT press.
Lantolf, J.P., Thorne, S.L. and Poehner, M.E., 2015. Sociocultural theory and second language development. Theories in second language acquisition: An introduction, pp.207-226.
Li, Y., Chen, H., Liu, Y. and Peng, M.W., 2014. Managerial ties, organizational learning, and opportunity capture: A social capital perspective.Asia Pacific Journal of Management, 31(1), pp.271-291.
Moog, R., 2014. Process oriented guided inquiry learning. Washington University Libraries.
Moon, J.A., 2013. Reflection in learning and professional development: Theory and practice. Routledge.
Otoo, S., Agapitova, N. and Behrens, J., 2015. A strategic and results-oriented approach to learning for capacity development.
Renninger, A., Hidi, S. and Krapp, A., 2014. The role of interest in learning and development. Psychology Press.
Savery, J.R., 2015. Overview of problem-based learning: Definitions and distinctions. Essential readings in problem-based learning: Exploring and extending the legacy of Howard S. Barrows, pp.5-15.
Thiessen, E.D., Kronstein, A.T. and Hufnagle, D.G., 2013. The extraction and integration framework: A two-process account of statistical learning.Psychological bulletin, 139(4), p.792.
Triste, L., Marchand, F., Debruyne, L., Meul, M. and Lauwers, L., 2014. Reflection on the development process of a sustainability assessment tool: learning from a Flemish case. Ecology and Society, 19(3).
Wilson, J.P., 2014. International human resource development: Learning, education and training for individuals and organisations. Development and Learning in Organizations, 28(2).
Zhang, X., Gao, Y., Yan, X., de Pablos, P.O., Sun, Y. and Cao, X., 2015. From e-learning to social-learning: mapping development of studies on social media-supported knowledge management. Computers in Human Behavior,51, pp.803-811.
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