Boost Your eLearning Impact with the Kirkpatrick Model
Your team has just wrapped up an engaging eLearning course, and the feedback was great. But how can you be sure that they will apply what they've learned long-term? That’s where the Kirkpatrick Model comes in. Developed by Dr. Donald Kirkpatrick, this four-level model helps organizations evaluate the impact of training, from initial reactions to organizational outcomes, making it a valuable tool for corporate eLearning. In this article, we will explain how each level of the Kirkpatrick Model works and show you step-by-step how to use this valuable tool in your organization.
Introduction to the Kirkpatrick Model
Dr. Kirkpatrick recognized that, when evaluating training, most organizations focused too narrowly on participant satisfaction and failed to assess whether learners had actually gained skills and applied what they learned. Furthermore, he saw the need to determine whether the training helped the organization to meet its goals. His comprehensive, multi-level framework was designed to fill that gap.
While the original model was developed in the 1950s, the Kirkpatrick Model has been further developed by Kirkpatrick Partners LLC to reflect modern learning environments. Updated to consider motivation, working environment, and the role of technology, the model now aligns more closely with today’s eLearning needs.
eLearning and the Kirkpatrick Model
Back in Kirkpatrick’s day, it was hard enough to assess the impact of corporate training that was provided face-to-face in a single office or company. In today’s businesses, learning is more complex than ever. Employees are expected to upskill almost continuously, and your company likely has employees spread out across different offices, subsidiaries, or even countries. All this makes it more important than to systematically evaluate the effect training has in the long term — at that scale, there is no room for guesswork.
The Kirkpatrick Model in Detail
The Kirkpatrick Model takes a systematic approach that helps you evaluate training success at four different levels: Reaction, Learning, Behavioral Change, and Organizational Performance. By assessing all of these levels rather than just the reaction or “satisfaction” of the audience, the model helps you determine the overall impact that the training has on your organization.
Level 1
Reaction
In the first level of the Kirkpatrick Model, the focus is on gauging the learners' satisfaction and their immediate reactions to the training. To measure satisfaction, you can use things like feedback forms and online surveys. These can be brief and straightforward, asking learners about their experience, the clarity of the material, and the trainer's effectiveness.
Collect this feedback right after the session or course is completed to gain insights into areas that need improvement or clarification. This type of questionnaire should be a part of any eLearning program’s continuous feedback loop and can help ensure that the training content meets learners’ needs and expectations.
In the updated Kirkpatrick Model, learners are also asked whether the learning is relevant to their particular job and whether they would be able to put the new knowledge into practice. This is key, because if learners answer no to either of those two questions, the training will have no impact on their behavior on the job.
Level 2
Learning
The second level looks at the actual knowledge gained during the training. It aims to answer the question: Did the participants truly learn and understand the material? To measure this, you can use a variety of tools like online tests, quizzes, and simulations. For example, a quick quiz at the end of a training module can check for understanding.
The new Kirkpatrick Model puts more emphasis on testing skills rather than rote knowledge, and also assesses whether learners are motivated to use new skills on the job. To test whether they have acquired the necessary skills, you could build interactive, scenario-based learning into your courses.
Assessing knowledge acquisition, skill acquisition, and motivation is crucial because it ensures that the training effectively imparts new skills and knowledge — after all, an eLearning course can be interesting yet still ineffective. Fortunately, with the right LMS, you can easily incorporate quizzes and simulations in your training programs to measure success. This not only tests skills but also reinforces learning by encouraging learners to review and recall key points of what they have learned.
Level 3
Behavioural Change
In the third level, the goal is to determine if learners are applying what they’ve learned back on the job. This step is essential, as it shows you whether training has led to actual changes in their behavior, which is often the ultimate goal of the training. You should assess success at this level approximately 3-6 months after the training is completed.
If employees’ behavior has not changed, it is important to find out what exactly the blocker is — the problem isn’t always the training. If the assessments at Level 1 and Level 2 are positive, something else might be preventing employees from applying their new skills. Sometimes other processes or habits in the company need to shift before the employees are able to change their behavior.
Level 4
Organizational Change
The fourth and final level of the Kirkpatrick Model looks at the broader organizational impact of the training. This step answers the question: Did the training ultimately benefit the organization? You’ll often measure this based on key performance indicators (KPIs) and performance data. For instance, if the training was aimed at improving customer service, KPIs like customer satisfaction scores or complaint reduction could show the training's effectiveness. Tracking these metrics over time reveals if the training has a positive, measurable impact on the organization.
Kirkpatrick Partners LLC emphasizes the importance of looking at smaller, incremental changes as well. For example, a Level 4 change could be something like better team dynamics or incremental improvements in other areas. These are harder to assess but are nonetheless valuable successes that deserve to be celebrated. To gather data about these types of outcomes, you could again turn to employee surveys or measure employee efficiency over time.
Ideally, companies should build a company-wide culture of continuous evaluation, where skills, learning, and outcomes are monitored and adjusted on an ongoing basis. Just like the ongoing evaluation of training courses, this creates a feedback loop that builds on successes and quickly corrects course when things don’t work as expected.
Ideally, companies should build a company-wide culture of continuous evaluation, where skills, learning, and outcomes are monitored and adjusted on an ongoing basis. Just like the ongoing evaluation of training courses, this creates a feedback loop that builds on successes and quickly corrects course when things don’t work as expected.
The Kirkpatrick Model in eLearning
Because corporate eLearning programs are often used to train employees around the country or even around the world, systematic assessments are essential to making sure that the programs are effective and resulting in real change. Fortunately, there is a beautiful synergy between the Kirkpatrick Model and eLearning, since digital learning makes it easier to carry out a detailed analysis at each level. In Level 1 (Reaction), eLearning tools can quickly collect feedback through automated surveys. For Level 2 (Learning), online quizzes and knowledge checks can be easily integrated into the courses themselves, so you can assess learners’ understanding in real-time. Learning management software (LMS) also lets you track engagement data, such as time spent on modules or quiz performance, which helps trainers identify areas where learners may need extra support or further clarification.
However, there are also challenges in applying the Kirkpatrick Model to eLearning. For example, in a large organization, it is harder to gauge Levels 3 (Behavior) and 4 (Results). As each location or subsidiary will have varying developments and trends over time, it can be harder to understand whether and/or how these relate to a given eLearning course. However, you could use AI to monitor multiple data points across your organization, which would help to identify trends and provide data-driven insights into the long-term success of your training program.
The bottom line.
The Kirkpatrick Model offers a structured, multi-level approach to evaluating the effectiveness of corporate eLearning programs, ensuring that training isn’t just well-received but truly impactful. By assessing learners’ reactions, knowledge retention, on-the-job behavior, and overall organizational outcomes, you can more accurately measure whether training investments are driving real, positive change. As your corporate eLearning program continues to develop and evolve, the Kirkpatrick Model is an important tool that will help to maximize the impact of training and ensure that it helps your organization to reach its goals.
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