Evaluation of Training Programs: The Four Stages of Kirkpatrick (1959)

Why the Evaluation of Continuing Education is Crucial

For companies and organisations, the evaluation of continuing education measures is a central building block for sustainable competence development and for ensuring the transfer of learning into everyday working life. But which approaches enable an effective and comprehensive assessment of learning success? One of the most influential models for evaluating training and training programs was developed by Donald Kirkpatrick. The so-called Kirkpatrick model emphasizes that the value of a training course can only be precisely measured if an evaluation is carried out on four consecutive stages. This evaluation model, which is widely used in both theory and practice, offers companies the opportunity to systematically record the success and impact of their training measures.

The following overview details the four stages of the Kirkpatrick model – from evaluating participants’ immediate reactions to analyzing the longer-term results that the training achieves for the company.

Content of the Study:

Kirkpatrick’s thesis is that an evaluation only offers added value if all four stages of the evaluation are completed. These map the process that a training participant goes through. Success on one level is a prerequisite for success on a higher level. The four stages according to Kirkpatrick include:

1. Reaction:

At the lowest level, the reaction of the participants to the training is to be queried become. If they perceive the training negatively, they have no motivation to learn. In addition, the survey is intended to convey to the participants that their opinion is important and to derive changes from it.

2. Learning success:

In the second stage, the learning success of the participants is to be checked. Here it should be investigated what knowledge is learned, which Skills developed and whether the attitude has been changed. All three elements should be queried before training

3. Behavior:

In the third stage, the actual change in behaviour resulting from what has been learned is to be examined. The question here is what happens when the participant leaves the classroom and returns to their workplace. This change in behaviour can therefore only be checked after the participant has actually had an opportunity for (long-term) application.

4. Conclusion:

At the last stage, the final results that the training has brought to the company are to be reviewed. Depending on the content of the training, effects on productivity or sales should be checked, for example. The measurement of this level is therefore very complex.

To allow for an actual comparison, Kirkpatrick recommends using comparison groups at each level that have received no (or other training).

Kirkpatrick’s evaluation model is the most widely used evaluation model in theory and practice. There are a large number of additions and an even larger number of reviews of this model. Unfortunately, Kirkpatrick leaves open what the review of the four levels should look like in concrete terms. Nevertheless, it provides an important basis for the Evaluation of further training measures.

Further Information:

• All four stages should be included in an evaluation (at least in the beginning). The review at each individual level can provide important and, above all, different indications for improving a workout.
• An evaluation can be seen as an investment. Without an initial effort, it cannot offer any added value later on.
• The reaction of the participants to a training session is important, but not sufficient on its own.
• Before content can be implemented, it must be ensured that it has actually been learned. What is important here is not only pure knowledge, but also the attitude towards this knowledge.
• A change in behavior, which is usually the actual goal of training, should be reviewed. Before this is checked, however, the participant must have sufficient time to apply it.
• If the impact on the company’s bottom line cannot be directly verified, it can also be checked indirectly by an assessment by the manager.

In our video, we explain the Kirkpatrick evaluation model again. In addition to the four levels known so far, you will see another one that describes the cost-benefit ratio.

Quick Facts:

Source: Kirkpatrick, D. L. (1959/60). Techniques for evaluating training programs Part I, II, III and IV. Journal of the American Society of Training Directors, 13(11), 13(12), 14(1) and 14(2).

Original not available online. Excerpt from a recent book by Kirkpatrick