Re: techwr-l digest: May 31, 2000

[Glen Warner <gdwarner -at- ricochet -dot- net>]

Steven Schwarzman <StevenS -at- Amdocs -dot- com> wrote:

> Probably the most commonly used model to measure success of training 
is by
> Donald Kirkpatrick. 
> 
> That model has four levels. They go something like this:
> 
> Level one - reaction, or did the students like the course?
> This is commonly measured by a questionnaire, aka a smile sheet, 
since
> typically scores are falsely high. It doesn't tell you much.

(*snip*)

That depends on the student.

I took a class on writing for magazines last year from a published 
writer with over 700 articles to his credit.

After about two hours of this four hour class, I realized I hadn't 
heard anything I hadn't read elsewhere.  I discussed this during the 
break with one of my fellow victims -- er, students -- and she also 
wasn't impressed, and was not coming back after the break.

The instructor was big on using humor in his articles, but weak on 
teaching about it.  No mention of "The Rule of Three," for instance.

Long story short, my comments for this instructor included a 
comparison of the class to sex:  "Lots of foreplay and no payoff" 
(though I didn't use the word 'payoff').

I also made a few suggestions to improve the course so as not to have 
the instructor quit in despair.

Any way ... I got a refund, plus an extra $10 bucks, and an invitation 
to take the class again.

I declined ... but I kept the money. :o)

So ... "smile sheets," with comments as strong as the ones I submitted 
for this particular class, should be taken very seriously.

--gdw