The evaluation of a training curriculum can focus on many different results in order to determine its effectiveness, such as the participant's increased knowledge and behavior change, as well as the impact of training on client and agency outcomes. There are also a variety of different research methods and strategies that can be used to evaluate the effectiveness of a curriculum. Use the following resources to learn more about training evaluation tools and techniques.
Development of Multi-Level Methodologies to Support Mainstreaming Training Evaluation (PDF - 1,610 KB)
Pratt (2006)
In Proceedings of the Eighth Annual National Human Services Training Evaluation Symposium
Explores the potential for the development of a multilevel methodology for evaluating the impact of human services training on families and communities.
Evaluating the Impact of Professional Development in Eight Steps
Killion
Evaluation Exchange, 11(4), 2006
Describes an eight-step evaluation process to help measure the impact of professional development on the student's knowledge and application of knowledge to practice.
Key Strategies to Educate Public Child Welfare Workers and Improve Child Welfare Systems
Zlotnik, McCarthy, & Briar-Lawson
Evaluation Exchange, 11(4), 2006
Reviews research and evaluation findings on public agency-university partnerships to educate public child welfare workers and the impact of such partnerships on workforce retention.
Measuring the Fit With Best Practices for Parent Education and Support Programs: A Guide for Program Planners, Program Implementers, and Proposal Writers (PDF - 197 KB)
University of Delaware Cooperative Extension (2003)
Presents an assessment to evaluate the development and implementation of parent education programs.
Suggested Methods for Evaluating Safe Start Training Outcomes (PDF - 76 KB)
Association for the Study and Development of Community (2003)
Presents a framework for determining the value of a training program and proposes a variety of research designs appropriate for Safe Start sites.
Suggestions for Evaluating Parent Education Programs
Rader & Cooke (2005)
Provides a starting point for staff and administrators to think about evaluation in terms of how it can improve their current programming as well as demonstrate outcomes to decision-makers.
The Three-Step Assessment Tango: Nurturing and Measuring Learning in Online Professional Development
Spicer, Stark, & Stone Wiske
Evaluation Exchange, 11(4), 2006
Presents a process for measuring the effectiveness of training programs that include an online learning component.
Training Evaluation in a Large System: California's Framework for Child Welfare Training Evaluation (PDF - 1,610 KB)
Parry & Johnson (2006)
In Proceedings of the Eighth Annual National Human Services Training Evaluation Symposium
Discusses issues associated with evaluating training, including item development, item functioning, content validity, and interpretation of findings.
Transfer of Training: An Evaluation Study
Wehrmann, Shin, & Poertner
Journal of Health and Social Policy, 15(3/4), 2002
View Abstract
Describes an evaluative study focused on the transfer of trained knowledge and skills back to the practice setting, including recommendations for evaluation of training efforts.
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