Deck 6: Training Evaluation

Question 1

_____ refers to the process of collecting the outcomes needed to determine whether training is effective.

A) Training evaluation
B) Program design
C) Performance appraisal
D) Needs assessment

Answer 1

A

Question 2

The evaluation process ideally begins with _____.

A) developing outcome measures
B) choosing an evaluation strategy
C) developing measurable learning objectives
D) conducting a needs analysis

Answer 2

D

Question 3

If a firm measures its sales volume before and after a training program, which training outcome is it focused on?

A) Reactions
B) Return on expectations (ROE)
C) Return on investment (ROI)
D) Results

Answer 3

D

Question 4

Appropriate training outcomes need to discriminate. This means that _____.

A) tests given to employees before and after a training program should differ
B) trainees should be asked to take a reliable test that includes items for which the meaning or interpretation change over time
C) trainees' performance on the outcome should actually reflect true differences in performance
D) different employees should be given different tests for measuring their performance on the same outcome

Question 5

Formative evaluation involves collecting data about a training program from trainees mainly through _____.

A) their opinions and feelings about the program
B) measures of performance such as volume of sales
C) tests and ratings of their behavior
D) return on investment (ROI)

Question 6

_____ is a time period in which participants no longer receive training intervention.

A) Regression
B) Mortality
C) Reversal
D) Maturation

Question 7

Which of the following statements best differentiates formative evaluation from summative evaluation?

A) Formative evaluation mainly involves collecting quantitative data, whereas summative evaluation involves collecting qualitative data.
B) Formative evaluation takes place on the completion of training, whereas summative evaluation takes place during program design and development.
C) Formative evaluation focuses on how to make a training program better, whereas summative evaluation helps to determine the extent to which trainees have changed after training.
D) Formative evaluation includes measuring the monetary benefits that a company receives from a training program, whereas summative evaluation measures beliefs and opinions of the trainees.

Question 8

A firm that aims at improving readily observable outcomes such as productivity by collecting related data at periodic intervals before and after training is typically applying the _____ evaluation design.

A) Solomon four-group
B) pre-test/post-test
C) return on investment
D) time series

Question 9

_____ relate to trainees' attitudes toward training content and motivation to transfer.

A) Reactions
B) Affective outcomes
C) Cognitive outcomes
D) Behavior and skill-based outcomes

Question 10

Behavior and skill-based outcomes are best measured by _____.

A) surveys
B) interviews
C) focus groups
D) observations

Question 11

Which of the following is an affective learning outcome?

A) Learners' satisfaction with training
B) Greater appreciation of diversity
C) Increased production
D) Reduced costs of production

Question 12

Front-line supervisors are likely most concerned with which training outcomes?

A) Reactions
B) Return on expectations (ROE)
C) Cognitive outcomes
D) Behavior and skill-based outcomes

Question 13

_____ refers to the ease with which training outcomes can be collected.

A) Reliability
B) Practicality
C) Acceptability
D) Relevance

Question 14

Which training outcome relates to trainees providing feedback about their satisfaction with a trainer?

A) Results
B) Cognitive
C) Reactions
D) Behavior and skill-based

Question 15

If trainers are interested in the generalizability of a study's results to other groups of employees, then they are said to be interested in the _____ of the study.

A) outcome practicality
B) criterion relevance
C) external validity
D) outcome believability

Question 16

_____ relate to whether trainees are using training content back on the job.

A) Reactions
B) Learning
C) Cognitive outcomes
D) Behavior and skill-based outcomes

Question 17

Which of the following statements is true of Solomon four-group evaluation design?

A) It is mainly used by companies that are uncomfortable with excluding certain employees or that intend to train only a small group of employees.
B) It is an evaluation design in which pre-training outcomes are completely ignored.
C) It combines both pre-test/post-test comparison group and post-test-only control group design.
D) Relative to the other evaluation designs, it is more economical and takes less time to conduct.

Question 18

Which of the following statements is most true of comparison groups?

A) The use of a comparison group poses a threat to internal validity.
B) Comparison group consists of a group of employees who do not attend the training program.
C) Employees in a comparison group have personal characteristics that are different from other trainees.
D) Use of a comparison group in training evaluation increases the possibility that changes found in the outcome measures are due to factors other than training.

Question 19

Typically, _____ are used to assess cognitive outcomes.

A) attitude surveys
B) observations
C) focus groups
D) pencil-and-paper tests

Question 20

Which of the following statements is true of random assignment?

A) It assigns employees to a training program without considering their individual differences.
B) It results in an unequal distribution of individual characteristics such as age, gender, and motivation.
C) It increases the effects of employees dropping out of the study.
D) It increases the differences between the training group and comparison group.

Question 21

Formative evaluation usually involves collecting quantitative data through tests or objective measures of performance.

Question 22

Evaluation designs without pre-test or comparison groups are most appropriate when _____.

A) information regarding training effectiveness is not needed immediately
B) companies are interested in determining how much change has occurred
C) a company has a strong orientation toward evaluation
D) a company is only interested in whether trainees have achieved a certain proficiency level

Question 23

The believability of study results refers to external validity.

Question 24

Return on investment (ROI) analysis is best suited for training programs that are _____.

A) attended by few employees
B) inexpensive and have limited visibility
C) significant financial investments
D) one-time events

Question 25

In the context of big data, _____ refers to the large number of sources and types of data.

A) valence
B) volume
C) variety
D) velocity

Question 26

Pilot testing is more useful for formative evaluation than summative evaluation.

Question 27

Pilot testing refers to the process of previewing the training program with potential trainees and managers.

Question 28

A reliable test includes items for which the meaning or interpretation does not change over time.

Question 29

Among all training outcomes, cognitive outcomes are most frequently assessed.

Question 30

Outcome measures are often perfectly related to each other.

Question 31

Cognitive outcomes generally do not help determine how much trainees use training content on the job.

Question 32

Improved self-efficacy beliefs relate to an affective learning outcome.

Question 33

A pencil-and-paper test is the best means for measuring skill-based outcomes.

Question 34

In the context of big data, _____ refers to the huge amount of data that is being generated and the speed with which it must be evaluated, captured, and made useful.

A) valence
B) volume
C) variety
D) velocity

Question 35

A comparison group refers to a group of employees who participate in the evaluation study but do not attend the training program.

Question 36

Results are more frequently examined than reactions.

Question 37

Favorable trainee reactions are strongly connected with transfer.

Question 38

_____ demonstrates to key business stakeholders, such as top-level managers, that their expectations about training have been satisfied.

A) Reactions
B) Return on expectations (ROE)
C) Results
D) Return on investment (ROI)

Question 39

_____ refers to concrete examples of the impact of training that show how learning has led to results that a company finds worthwhile and credible.

A) Utility analysis
B) Success cases
C) Return on expectations (ROE)
D) Outcome practicality

Question 40

Negative transfer is evident when learning occurs, but on-the-job behavior is lower than pre-training levels.

Question 41

The Solomon four-group design combines the pre-test/post-test comparison group and the post-test-only control group design.

Question 42

Once the costs and benefits of the training program are determined, ROI is calculated by dividing costs by benefits.

Question 43

Identify the circumstances when a company should consider employing a more rigorous design for evaluating a training program.

Question 44

Compare and contrast reaction and affective learning outcomes. Be sure to define each to demonstrate your understanding of these concepts.

Question 45

It is necessary to limit return on investment (ROI) analysis to certain training programs as it can be costly.

Question 46

The Hawthorne effect refers to employees performing at a low level because of the attention they receive.

Question 47

Describe three ways to minimize threats to validity.

Question 48

It is important to conduct a return on investment (ROI) analysis for nearly all training programs.

Question 49

Describe the various reasons for evaluating the effectiveness of training programs.

Question 50

Evaluation designs without pre-test or comparison groups are most appropriate when companies are interested in determining how much change has occurred in trainees.

Question 51

What are the characteristics of big data? Explain how big data could be used to show that learning influences business outcomes.