CIPD Level 5: Evaluating L&D in the Knowledge Economy Presentation

This presentation delves into the critical aspects of evaluating Learning and Development (L&D) within the context of a knowledge economy. It begins by defining evaluation and its various types, including formative, summative, process, outcomes, and impact evaluations, alongside outlining several purposes such as adequacy assessment. The presentation then explores how evaluation integrates into L&D processes and systems, emphasizing the importance of learning transfer. It further contrasts three evaluation theories: the objectives-based approach versus the naturalistic approach, the educational connoisseurship model, and the metrics-based model (Kirkpatrick's Four Levels). Key steps in the evaluation process, data sources, and methods of analysis are examined, followed by a discussion of challenges in evaluating L&D, such as funding and expertise limitations. The presentation concludes by highlighting the characteristics of a knowledge economy, implications for evaluating L&D activities, and the role of intellectual capital, including intellectual capital accounting.

Evaluating L&D in a
Knowledge Economy
Name of the student:
Name of the university:

Introduction
 Knowledge economy is based on intellectual capital
 The international network of the brainpower is called
knowledge economy (Bathelt, Golfetto and Rinallo 2014)
 Evaluation and growth of knowledge, skills, capability,
experience and intellectual growth are required in this
economy.
 Learning and development (L&D) as well as evaluation are
important for the growth of knowledge economy.
 Through L&D and evaluation, the purpose of independent
learning is achieved.
 Gathering and developing knowledge on business and
evolving technologies is a prerequisite of success in the
modern business world and it creates the need for evaluation
of the L&D processes (North and Kumta 2018).

Evaluation: Definition
 Definition of Evaluation:
 Evaluation: A systematic process of critical examination
and determination of the merit, significance and worth
of a subject against some criteria governed by a set of
standards (Rossi, Lipsey and Henry 2018).
 In the context of L&D, evaluation refers to purposeful
gathering, analysis as well as discussion of the
evidences from different relevant sources regarding the
worth, quality and impact of learning (Nielsen and
Kreiner 2017)
 Evaluation process is dependent on judgment of the

Types of evaluation
1)Formative
2)Summative
3)Process
4)Outcomes
5)Impact (Venable, Pries-Heje and
Baskerville 2017)

Purposes of evaluation
1)Adequacy assessment
2)Plausibility assessment
3)Probability evaluation
(Stufflebeam and Coryn 2014)

How evaluation fits within L&D
processes and systems?
 Evaluation of L&D processes and systems is
necessary to understand the effectiveness of the
programs and knowledge obtained from those
(Kearns 2014)
 Ensures the efficiency of an organization’s learning
and development initiatives and programs for the
employees
 Learner’s satisfaction level is assessed and validated
for assessing the effectiveness of L&D programs
 Evaluation methodologies or parameters are set
before the learning process is implemented

How evaluation fits within L&D
processes and systems? (Contd.)
 Evaluation process starts after the L&D programs are completed.
Based on feedback and learners’ performances, modifications and
improvements in the programs are done.
 Without evaluation, further improvement in the L&D programs is
not possible
 Models like ADDIE can be used to evaluate the L&D programs
 Iteration process under evaluation is used to eliminate unnecessary
and ineffective steps or contents from L&D programs
 Aligned with organizational strategy and is useful for predicting
future strategies (Beevers and Rea 2016)
 Essential for designing improved teaching/learning strategy in
future based on the findings/outcome of the current L&D programs

ADDIE model of evaluation
 ADDIE stands for:
 Analysis
 Design
 Development
 Implementation
 Evaluation (Almomen et al. 2016)
 It is a flexible and dynamic guideline for creating
effective training programs and L&D contents
 Evaluation is done to see if the organizational goals
are being met after training is imparted to the learners

Learning transfer
 Learning transfer refers to the efficient application
of the knowledge attained from the L&D programs
into real business problems (Weiss, Khoshgoftaar
and Wang 2016)
 It is the bridge between the learning from training
programs and L&D activities and real business
results (Cormier and Hagman 2014).
 Effective learning transfer maximizes the L&D
outcome.

Importance of learning transfer
into the workplace
 Importance lies in ability of the employees to apply
learning to practice and meet the employers’
expectations.
 Successful transfer of learning results in higher returns
on investment and higher profit for a business (Belenky
and Schalk 2014)
 Learning is aimed at enhancing knowledge and
potentiality of employees in a business and transfer
enables them to execute the knowledge acquired in
solving business problems (Renta-Davids et al. 2014)

Three evaluation theories
 Objectives-based approach vs
naturalistic approach
 Educational connoisseurship
model
 Metrics-based model
(Kirkpatrick's Four Levels)

Objectives-based approach vs
Naturalistic approach
 Objective based approach determines the degree of achievement
of educational objectives
 In naturalistic approach, key concerns and issues of participants
are addressed (Stavropoulou and Stroubouki 2014)
 Data type: Qualitative
 Advantages: Objective based approach is straight-forward and
follows scientific tradition, while in naturalistic approach, contexts
are acknowledged and used for benefitting those being studied
 Disadvantages: In objective based approach, unintended
outcomes are ignored and takes no account of students as
individuals with all their differences (Xie 2016), while in
naturalistic approach, participants may identify criteria with little
educational worth.