Kirkpatrick Model (evaluation model)

The Kirkpatrick Model is a specialized method for analyzing the effectiveness of training programs. It was developed by Donald Kirkpatrick, an educator who first proposed the process during the 1950s. The model breaks down analysis into four levels: reaction, learning, transfer, and results. Each level must be executed in order, as it provides information for subsequent levels. Additionally, the Kirkpatrick Model may be repeated to continually improve a training regimen.

Background

Donald Kirkpatrick (1924–2014) was a professor at the University of Wisconsin. While writing his doctoral thesis, he began researching how to evaluate the effectiveness of training programs. Kirkpatrick decided to break down this complex process into four steps: reaction, learning, behavior, and results. However, he stepped away from the project in 1954, eventually earning a doctorate degree and moving on to other types of research.

In 1959, Kirkpatrick was contacted by Bob Craig, the editor of a journal about training, who convinced him to write articles about the process he used for training evaluation. After those articles were published, academics began questioning Kirkpatrick about how to apply his method. Over the following decades, Kirkpatrick created a formal model of his process and wrote articles about it. Over time, his model came to be used worldwide as a method for analyzing and improving training programs. Kirkpatrick continued to collect case studies and evidence of the effectiveness of his model, promoting it through the twenty-first century. He also co-authored several books on the method with his son, some focusing on improving specific levels of the model.

Overview

The Kirkpatrick Model breaks down project management into four levels of training evaluation. It can be implemented before, throughout, and after training. The Kirkpatrick Model is intended to demonstrate to a business the value of effective training.

In order for the Kirkpatrick Model to be implemented effectively, it must be carried out in the correct order. Each level of the Kirkpatrick Model gathers important data for the subsequent levels. For this reason, the implementation of each subsequent level requires a more demanding analysis than previous levels.

The first level of the Kirkpatrick Model is reaction, meaning how individuals react to the training process. The trainee is asked questions that show whether or not he or she enjoyed the experience. It also shows whether the trainee believes that the training will be useful in carrying out the task.

Kirkpatrick believed that participants in the program need to be carefully analyzed at level one to ensure that future levels would be effective. For example, a trainee who seems enthusiastic about learning might be willing to work harder during future training. However, Kirkpatrick was careful to note that optimism or enthusiasm toward learning does not guarantee results. An unenthusiastic learner might quickly grasp future material, while an enthusiastic learner might struggle.

The first level of the Kirkpatrick Model can be carried out in a variety of ways. It is commonly conducted through post-training program questionnaires. It may also be conducted through online assessments that are checked by evaluators or specialized tools called smile sheets.

The second level of the Kirkpatrick Model involves gauging how effectively the trainee has increased his or her expertise or knowledge. Studying trainees during this level is often more difficult than evaluating them for level one. The methods for evaluating how a student has improved must be tailored toward the type of training being conducted. For example, people being trained in academic fields may be evaluated effectively through the application of written tests. However, those being trained in effective emergency response techniques may require physical demonstrations of their skill, which should be evaluated by experts. In many cases, Kirkpatrick recommends conducting a pre-test prior to the training and a post-test following the training. Comparing the results between these examinations may provide instructors with clear data about trainee improvement rates.

Level three of the Kirkpatrick Model, the transfer level, analyzes how trainees perform after completing their training. Analyzing how knowledge transfers allows experts to evaluate the effectiveness of the training program. It may also indicate that educators should alter their program, tailoring their work to achieve more effective results. However, to carry out such analysis effectively, participants should be analyzed three to six months after training has begun.

Level four of the Kirkpatrick Model analyzes the overall success of the training model. If a training program is successful, workers will become more efficient and demonstrate better job performance. For example, factory workers should display reduced production times, fewer errors, produce higher quality products, and cause fewer accidents in the workplace. However, because of the wide variety of applications for the Kirkpatrick Model, instructors should carefully consider what metrics to use to analyze success.

If a program is found lacking, the trainers should consult data from the previous levels before making any modifications. This data may give trainers a more accurate idea of how to improve their training process. After modifications to the program have been made, the trainers should repeat the Kirkpatrick Model to analyze their success. This process can be improved through the use of a control group, allowing additional time for analyses, and the observations of impartial experts.

The Kirkpatrick model is not without its critiques. A primary one is that it is overly reliant on the reactions of learners as the basis to determine the quality of training. Learners, however, typically react to their level of enjoyment. Although they may like, or dislike, a particular regimen, this reaction may not, by itself, offer accurate clues into the effectiveness of the training. If the purpose of training is to bring about changes in behaviors, this may require a process where trainees are taken outside of their comfort zones. For example, learners may be called to adopt new skills or question pre-established conceptions or personal experiences. This may prove unsettling, and respondents can indicate this when queried about the value of their training. The regimen, nonetheless, may have been highly effective in imparting desired outcomes. A suggestion to help prevent these types of biases from impacting evaluations of training is to begin with the desired outcome as the center of the analysis. Training should be judged on how effective it was in helping learners to achieve learning objectives.

Bibliography

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Kurt, Serhat. “Kirkpatrick Model: Four Levels of Learning Evaluation.” Educational Technology, 6 Sept. 2018, educationaltechnology.net/kirkpatrick-model-four-levels-learning-evaluation/. Accessed 28 Apr. 2021.

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Smith, Derek. “A Complete Guide to the Kirkpatrick Model of Training Evaluations.” Biz Library, 11 Mar. 2020, www.bizlibrary.com/blog/training-programs/kirkpatrick-model-training-evaluation// Accessed 28 Apr. 2021.

“The Kirkpatrick Four Levels Is 50 Years New.” Kirkpatrick Partners, www.kirkpatrickpartners.com/product/kirkpatrick-then-and-now-a-strong-foundation-for-the-future/. Accessed 28 Apr, 2021.

“The Kirkpatrick Evaluation Model: How to Measure Training Effectiveness.” LucidChart, www.lucidchart.com/blog/how-to-use-the-kirkpatrick-evaluation-model. Accessed 28 Apr. 2021.

“The New World Kirkpatrick Model.” Kirkpatrick Partners, www.kirkpatrickpartners.com/Our-Philosophy/The-New-World-Kirkpatrick-Model. Accessed 28 Apr. 2021.

Kruise, Keven. “The Problem with L&D’s Beloved Kirkpatrick Model (and What to Do about It).” Forbes, 17 May 2023, www.forbes.com/sites/kevinkruse/2023/05/17/the-problem-with-lds-beloved-kirkpatrick-model-and-what-to-do-about-it/?sh=3ff4d10a6d06. Accessed 11 May 2024.

“20 Pros and Cons of Kirkpatrick Model.” Ablison, 2 Dec. 2023, www.ablison.com/pros-and-cons-of-kirkpatrick-model. Accessed 11 May 2024.