Evaluation Objectives: A Brief Description

I got an email today from someone asking me about a term I created called "Evaluation Objectives." I realize that I have not actually written anything for public consumption on this, SO this blog post will suffice until my book on workplace learning is released. Apologies if the following is not completely clear.

The basic idea is that we ought to have evaluation objectives rather than learning objectives in the traditional sense.

Specifically, we need to decouple our learning objectives from our evaluation objectives so that what we evaluate is directly relevant. Of course our evaluation objectives and learning objectives have to be linked, but not necessarily with a one-on-one correspondence.

 

AN EXAMPLE

Suppose you want to train managers to be better at championing change efforts.

Traditionally, we might have objectives like:

The learner will be able to describe how people tend to resist change.

Or, put in a more performance-oriented fashion, a traditional objective might read:

The learner will engage in activities that lessen colleagues' resistance to change.

Examples of evaluation objectives might be as follows:

1. The learner will initiate a change effort within one month after the training ends and be successful in getting 75% of his/her colleagues to sign a public statement of support for the effort.

OR, if real-world compliance cannot be assessed, an evaluation objective might be something like:

2. In the "Change-Management Simulation" the learner will score 65 points out of a total possible of 90.

OR, if a simulated performance can't be created, an evaluation objective might focus on ratings by employees.

3. Two months after the training ends, the learners' colleagues will rate them on average at least 4.5 (of 6 levels) on the multi-rater 360-degree change-management scale on each of the 5 indices.

OR, if this can't be done, an evaluation objective might focus on a series of scenario-based questions.

4. On the 20-question scenario-based quiz on change management given two weeks after the course ended, the learner will get at least 17 correct.

NOTE: More than one evaluation objective can be used for any learning intervention.

THE POINT:

Evaluation objectives are NOT tied to individual learning points that have to be learned, though of course they are linked because both should be relevant to the overarching goals of the learning program.

THE BIG BENEFIT:

When objectives focus on the big picture, as compared to when there is a one-to-one correspondence between learning objectives and evaluation items, (1) they are more relevant, (2) the learners are more likely to see them as valuable and worth achieving, (3) organization stakeholders are more likely to see the evaluation results as having face validity, (4) the evaluation results will give us additional pertinent information on how to improve our learning interventions.

 

Anyway, I'm going to cover this in more detail in the book I'm working on, but for now, that's what evaluation objectives are all about.

Comments

[Curt Will]

Aren't you talking about the criterion element of a well constructed learning objectives? Robert Magers book "Preparing Instructional Objectives" lays it out pretty clear I think. It seems like those of us in the profession of workplace learning spent a lot of time renaming stuff that is already done.

[Cauly Boe]

I've been struggling with this issue for years, and it's one of my favorite hot buttons, so thanks for writing about it.

First of all, you say "we ought to have evaluation objectives rather than learning objectives" then say they "have to be linked." So are you proposing to replace one or are you saying to keep both?

And if you are suggesting both should be kept, then how are they presented to the learner? Both at the same time? The traditional one at the traditional spot and the evaluation one after the lesson?

[michelle mcshortall]

I agree with Curt, we do spend time renaming stuff that's already there, e.g. the criterion element of a well constructed learning objective. But it is about timing also, post learning is a good time to encourage our learners to reflect and plan on how they might use what they've just learned. Encouraging learners to set transfer and application goals themselves is worthwhile, but often better positioned post learning experience.

[Will Thalheimer]

I'm going to have more to say about this within a few days. I need to clarify some misconceptions.

Two short notes:
1. Evaluation objectives are NOT simply a rehash of Mager's criterion standard, THOUGH they do follow that excellent advice.

2. Instructional objectives should NOT serve two masters at the same time. We, as learning professionals should be guided by some objectives, AND OUR LEARNERS should be guided by OTHER objectives.

More later...

[discount cycling clothing]

The learner will be able to describe how people tend to resist change.Or, put in a more performance-oriented fashion, a traditional objective might read:

[men's jerseys]

Evaluation objectives are NOT tied to individual learning points that have to be learned, though of course they are linked because both should be relevant to the overarching goals of the learning program.

[Marc by Marc Jacobs Handbag]

for his many years in leading the workplace learning