Discussions on the effectiveness of learner surveys, tips on creating actionable survey questions, and why learner surveys can be 'pure sex'. Plus, recommendations on a book and insights on the logistics of 1st and 2nd class stamps by the Post Office.
Learner surveys need improved questioning techniques for valuable insights.
Acceptability indexes can enhance survey metrics and inform learning design decisions.
Deep dives
Learner Surveys: Common Missteps and Ineffectiveness
Traditional learner surveys often yield ineffective results due to their weak correlation with actual learning outcomes. Studies reveal that smile sheets have minimal impact on course effectiveness, leading to the realization that these surveys are inadequate for evaluating training success.
Challenges in Learning Evaluation
Many professionals lack the necessary expertise in learning evaluation, hindering effective measurement of training impact. The complexity of learning assessment, coupled with prevalent misconceptions in the field, suggests a need for improved evaluation practices and skills development among learning leaders.
Enhancing Learner Surveys for Effective Feedback
To improve the value of learner surveys, it is essential to implement distinctive questioning techniques that offer more nuanced response choices, fostering deeper reflection from participants. Incorporating questions related to training effectiveness and adapting survey questions to specific program goals can enhance the feedback quality.
Evaluating the Value of Learning Surveys
Despite criticisms of learner surveys, recognizing their role as a starting point for gathering feedback can lead to valuable insights and continuous improvement in training programs. Utilizing techniques such as acceptability indexes can provide clearer metrics and enhance the utility of survey data for informing learning design and decision-making.
Learner surveys get a hard wrap: at best they’re a waste of time, at worst they actually mislead us. But what if we just did them well?
This week on The Mind Tools L&D Podcast, Gemma and Ross G are joined by Dr Will Thalheimer to discuss the second edition of Performance-Focused Learner Surveys – a book so exciting that Will wrote it twice!
We discuss:
why most learner surveys suck, despite L&D pros insisting they want to evaluate learning
how to create effective questions that give you actionable insights
For more from us, including access to our back catalogue of podcasts, visit mindtoolsbusiness.com. There, you'll also find details of our award-winning performance support toolkit, our off-the-shelf e-learning, and our custom work.
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