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Online Training Needs Assessments: How to Measure
Learning Performance Effortlessly |
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With meaningful and periodical performance
assessments, instructors can easily and efficiently
measure all performances and provide valuable
feedback to learners in training
progress. |
Nowadays, most online training instructors like to evaluate
what learners learnt during the learning process through
traditional summative evaluation. However, this assessment
approach needs to be changed, as it only considers final
learning outcomes without considering the learning process of
learners. Actually, learning performance can be tracked by
related online assessments in the process of online training.
With meaningful and periodical performance assessments,
instructors would easily and efficiently measure all
performances and provide valuable feedback to learners in
training progress.
1. Schedule all assessments, not just at the end
Regarding the flexibility of online assessments, instructors
need to know the overall schedule of the training to grade
whole learning process. With different levels, make exact
schedule of assessments to examine all learners' performances.
The good point is, instructors can benefit from those results
of assessments as feedback, and add improvements in the
learning courses of next level. For online training, the
scheduled assessments could be easier to be integrated into
original learning timeline. Assessments and courses can be
based on feedbacks from previous assessments to engage learners
with interactions. At the end, assessment in traditional way
also makes sense with maximum efforts. In scheduled training,
performance assessments are really helpful to control entire
learning process.
2. Customize assessment creation, with right tools
To author online assessments with specified requirements,
instructors will create and implement quizzes to test
undergoing training. Types of quizzes may differ and may
feature formats ranging from multiple choice answers, plain
typed text responses and true/false and yes/no questions.
Instructors should carefully select the assessment authoring
tools, according to the usages. Creating quizzes as performance
assessments in online training has two categories of tools:
desktop applications, or Web applications. Desktop apps such as
Wondershare QuizCreator, or Web apps such as Quia Web have
similar features to customize assessment creation, but the
online usages. Desktop apps usually have plentiful contents and
take Flash technology to Web compliance; while Web apps offer
easy-to-use quizzes creation online directly but exact
enhancements.
3. Track and evaluate results, under management
As feedback on performance is a critical part of a learning
environment, online training instructors really need to analyze
all results of performance assessments. In order to evaluate
the whole learning process and know the exact data, all
assessment results must be properly collected and processed in
the learning system. Most LMSes (Learning Management System)
such as Moodle, BlackBoard can track assessment results within
the system. And the Web quiz apps Desktop quiz apps usually
come with a results component, for example, Questionmark's
Results Management System, QuizCreator's Quiz Management System
as professional assessment management, to make all results data
from performance assessments arranged as report. Whatever the
systems you use, just summarize the reports in the meaningful
points you need.
4. Take actions on feedbacks, performances focused
The best part of performance assessment in online training is
not just reporting the differences of individual learning
process, or scoring the final exam as performance. The results
in assessment report aim to inspire instructors to keep
improving the efficiency of entire online training. Just take
actions on the feedbacks. Instructors must manage all
assessment results as different reports in those assessment
management systems, or deal with them using other professional
statistical analysis software like Microsoft Excel or SPSS.
With meaningful result of these assessments, instructors have
the opportunity to maximize the value of any public or
corporate training.
From the approach to performance, knowledge and the core
management of entire training and learning process, efficient
online assessment can really increase productivity for
organizations. Furthermore, based on proper measurement of
learning performance, instructors would improve the process of
training with better interactions.
W. Peterson
12/29/2008
Source:
http://www.articlesbase.com/e-learning-articles/online-training-needs-assessments-how-to-measure-learning-performance-effortlessly-518080.html
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