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The
Learning Process
hosted by
San Diego Figure Skating Communications a non-profit educational organization SDFSC-Enews.Org |
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The Evaluation of
Learning & Training Group Classes Promote Acquisition of Skating Skills Both rink management and the respective skating organizations share an interest in promoting new individuals to the rink through the use of group classes to impart beginning skills. Ideally many of these individuals will continue participating in more advanced group classes and eventually joining one of the skating organizations where they will continue to participate for many years. Such clubs or leagues are organized as non-profit, which requires them to have a realistic business plan to carefully controls expenses such as:
The most valuable measurement of effectiveness and usefulness of the training program is at the time the participants are experiencing it - not at some later date that is sometimes weeks or even months after they ceased registering for new classes. Feedback can be as simple as a survey that is handed out on the last class session of a series of classes. To help insure that they are turned in that day, provide a discount coupon for enrolling in the next series of classes. You might even double the coupons value if they enroll that day for the next series of classes. The
classic adage is obtain a high rate of continuation of the business
association
as this is cheaper than the cost of attracting a brand new customer through adver- tising in newspaper or via the internet. The group class program can be a source of contacts for the skating instructors/coaches to obtain private lessons when the skaters feel a need for more individual attention that will assure faster progress towards the athlete (and parents) obtaining their future achievement goals. Kirkpatrick's Training Evaluation Model Donald L Kirkpatrick's training evaluation model is constructed of four methods of evaluating what a student has learned. His model is widely used in business models. This model can easily be adapted to be used in developing and managing a skating program by rink management and the board of directors of the local skating clubs, associations, and leagues affiliated with the rink. Background of Author Donald L Kirkpatrick, Professor Emeritus, University Of Wisconsin (where he achieved his BBA, MBA and PhD), first published his ideas in 1959, in a series of articles in the Journal of American Society of Training Directors. The articles were subsequently included in Kirkpatrick's book Evaluating Training Programs (originally published in 1994; now in its 3rd edition - Berrett-Koehler Publishers). He also was president of the American Society for Training and Development (ASTD) in 1975. Kirkpatrick has written several other significant books about training and evaluation, more recently with his similarly inclined son James, and has consulted with some of the world's largest corporations. The 1994 book Evaluating Training Programs defined his originally published ideas of 1959, thereby further increasing awareness of them, so that his theory has now become one of the more widely used and popular model for the evaluation of training and learning. Kirkpatrick's four-level model is now considered an industry standard across the HR and training communities. More recently Don Kirkpatrick formed his own company, Kirkpatrick Partners, whose website provides information about their services and methods, etc. Kirkpatrick's four levels of evaluation model -The four levels of Kirkpatrick's evaluation model essentially measure:
All these measures are recommended for full and meaningful evaluation of learning in organizations, although their application broadly increases in complexity, and usually cost, through the levels from level 1-4. Quick Training Evaluation and Feedback Form, based on
Kirkpatrick's Learning Evaluation Model - (Excel file)
Refer to Kirkpatrick Evaluating Training Programs Other evaluation models that
may also be useful include:
Introduction
- Modifying Skills and Habits
Developing Personality Traits and Character Traits Training Considerations Resources: The following internet
links have been
gleaned from personal communications
combined with information from public institutions and athletic organizations/ associations that have a web presence with information concerning team and individual sports programs: All
materials are copy protected.
The limited use of the materials for education purposes is allowed providing credit is given for the source of the materials.
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