Make Your Training Effectiveness Measure Stronger With Learning Analytics
The most commonly used model for training evaluation is the Kirkpatrick model. This model has 4 levels of evaluation. They are the learner’s reaction, how much they are learning, how much the training has changed the employee's behavior, and the results of the program.
Unfortunately, attaining the information for each level of evaluation can sometimes be tricky. For this reason, L&D professionals often have a hard time accurately calculating the ROI and the effectiveness of training. However, learning analytics makes training evaluation much easier by providing real data about learners and their contexts, which can be used for better understanding and optimizing your learning programs.
Learning analytics is the measurement, collection, analysis, and reporting of data from online learning. You can use this information for the purpose of better understanding learning and the environments in which it occurs. Analytics can provide L&D managers with key insights and the information they need to not only accurately evaluate training but also make data-driven decisions to improve learning experiences.
Essential Metrics For Training Evaluation
Metrics That Can Measure Participants' Reactions
Learning analytics can track and analyze both employee feedback and time spent training. This will give you a better look at how employees are responding to training and how they feel about it. If employees are quickly clicking through sections of the program, it is a sign of disengagement. Employee feedback can give you insights into the relevance and effectiveness of training without having to guess.
Metrics That Can Measure How Much Employees Are Learning
Analytics can be tracked and analyzed to identify patterns and signs of knowledge retention. Much of this is done through the analysis of quizzes and assessments. If employees don't remember what they learned after completing the training, they won't be able to apply the knowledge or skills on the job.
Metrics That Measure Changes In Behavior
The desired result of a training program is not only to expand the knowledge and proficiency of an employee but also to improve performance. This is why tracking changes in employee behavior is crucial in determining the effectiveness of training. Learning analytics is the educational tool you can use to track patterns in employees' responses to simulations. Simulations are lifelike scenarios where employees can practice their skills. Employees who do well in applying knowledge during simulations are likely to have similar results on the job.
Predictive Analytics
Descriptive analytics is the tracking and analyzing of learner data from machine learning, and it can provide you with a lot of insights that can help you improve and measure training effectiveness. But predictive analytics can take things even further. When learning analytics is paired with AI technology, predictive analytics can adapt to individual learner patterns and preferences. Personalization improves training speed and efficiency, which greatly impacts learning outcomes and training effectiveness.
For efficient learning, companies need to redesign the way they conduct training programs. This needs to be done in a way that learning caters to the needs, preferences, and styles of employees. The modern learner has a tremendous passion for consuming knowledge in their respective fields. They want to be able to learn as well as share their knowledge and collaborate with their peers.
Effectiveness Of Training
The effectiveness of training is cemented only when we measure and analyze how much the participants have learned through the entire program. A proven way of doing this is to structure a predictive analytics model where the performance of the learners is tracked throughout the training. Based on this data, learning programs are aligned as per the learners’ performance. Portions of the training program the learners did not fare well or did not complete are reworked upon. The direction for this is often derived out of the portion of the training where the learners perform well. It’s a simple strategy of learning what worked and putting it into practice. This makes sure that the training is aligned with the learner’s reaction and behavior. It also ensures that the training achieves its desired result.
You can also use predictive analytics to predict other aspects of performance and key result areas. They can throw light upon whether an employee will pass a course or even retain the knowledge to do their job better. While passing a course will have short-term consequences, it can lead to the inability to learn new skills and worse still, to failing to meet up to the expectations of the job role. Deep and pertinent insights from predictive analysis of training can help L&D leaders plan better and create learning strategies to improve business performance.
Conclusion
Quality learning experiences have become essential. They provide more than just a competitive edge. They increase engagement, productivity, and profits, attract new talent, and they are an important part of a healthy corporate culture. More than 90% of employees say they would stay at a company for longer if they felt they invested in their Learning and Development [1].
However, even if you invest in training and development programs, you will never know if they are effective without measurement. With an increased focus on online and virtual training, learning analytics has become a key component when it comes to measuring the effectiveness of training.
As technology continues to advance, we are discovering more and more benefits and uses for Big Data and this is also true when it comes to corporate learning.
Learning analytics can help you measure nearly every level of training evaluation quickly and easily. Advanced and predictive analytics can provide you with even more insights and can help you provide customized learning experiences to all of your organization’s employees.
The truth is you can't effectively measure the ROI of your employee training programs without learning analytics. Utilizing learning analytics ensures that you are accurately measuring the ROI of your training program and gives you insights so you can maximize training effectiveness.
To learn more about how you can evaluate and better measure the effectiveness of your corporate training programs, read the eBook The Power Of Learning Analytics: Measuring L&D Outcomes For Business Performance. If you're curious about how to use learning analytics for remote workforce engagement, join the webinar, too!
Sources:
10 Statistics on Corporate Training and What They Mean for Your Company’s Future
Not Investing in Employee Training Is Risky Business
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