Test Bank Training Evaluation Chapter 6

Employee Training and Development, 8e (Noe)

Chapter 6 Training Evaluation

1) ________ refers to the process of collecting the outcomes needed to determine whether training is effective.

A) Training evaluation

B) Program design

C) Performance appraisal

D) Needs assessment

2) Which of the following statements best differentiates formative evaluation from summative evaluation?

A) Formative evaluation mainly involves collecting quantitative data, whereas summative evaluation involves collecting qualitative data.

B) Formative evaluation takes place on the completion of training, whereas summative evaluation takes place during program design and development.

C) Formative evaluation focuses on how to make a training program better, whereas summative evaluation helps to determine the extent to which trainees have changed after training.

D) Formative evaluation includes measuring the monetary benefits of training, whereas summative evaluation measures beliefs and opinions.

3) Formative evaluation involves collecting data about a training program from trainees mainly through ________.

A) their opinions and feelings about the program

B) measures of performance, such as volume of sales

C) tests and ratings of behavior

D) return on investment (ROI)

4) The evaluation process ideally begins with ________.

A) developing outcome measures

B) choosing an evaluation strategy

C) developing measurable learning objectives

D) conducting a needs analysis

5) ________ relate(s) to whether trainees are using training content back on the job.

A) Reactions

B) Learning

C) Cognitive outcomes

D) Behavior and skill-based outcomes

6) Which training outcome relates to trainees providing feedback about their satisfaction with a trainer?

A) results

B) cognitive

C) reactions

D) emotional

7) ________ relate to trainees' attitudes toward training content and motivation to transfer.

A) Reactions

B) Affective outcomes

C) Cognitive outcomes

D) Behavior and skill-based outcomes

8) Front-line supervisors are likely most concerned with which training outcomes?

A) reactions

B) return on expectations (ROE)

C) cognitive outcomes

D) behavior and skill-based outcomes

9) Behavior and skill-based outcomes are best measured by ________.

A) surveys

B) interviews

C) focus groups

D) observations

10) Typically, ________ are used to assess cognitive outcomes.

A) attitude surveys

B) observations

C) focus groups

D) "pencil-and-paper" tests

11) Which of the following is an affective learning outcome?

A) learners' satisfaction with training

B) greater appreciation of diversity

C) increased production

D) reduced costs of production

12) If a firm measures its sales volume before and after a training program, which training outcome is it focused on?

A) reactions

B) return on expectations (ROE)

C) return on investment (ROI)

D) results

13) Which of the following statements is NOT true regarding a Net Promoter Score (NPS)?

A) The NPS is used to measure satisfaction by asking trainees to rate the likelihood of recommending training to a peer.

B) Trainees are categorized into detractors, permissives, and promotors.

C) The NPS is computed by subtracting the number of distractors from the number of promoters, dividing this number by the number of respondents, and then multiplying by 100.

D) None of the above—each statement is true.

14) It is estimated that 35% of organizations collect data on which of the following training outcomes?

A) reactions

B) cognitive outcomes

C) behavioral outcomes

D) results

E) ROI

15) It is estimated that 15% of organizations collect data on which of the following training outcomes?

A) reactions

B) cognitive outcomes

C) behavioral outcomes

D) results

E) ROI

16) ________ is (are)  likely to be the easiest training outcome to measure.

A) Return on expectations (ROE)

B) Return on investment (ROI)

C) Results

D) Reactions

17) ________ refers to the ease with which training outcomes can be collected.

A) Reliability

B) Practicality

C) Acceptability

D) Relevance

18) ________ refers to whether performance on the outcome reflects true differences in performance.

A) Validity

B) Discrimination

C) Reliability

D) Utility

19) Appropriate training outcomes need to discriminate, meaning that ________.

A) tests given to employees before and after a training program should differ

B) trainees should be asked to take a reliable test

C) trainees' performance on the outcome should actually reflect true differences in performance

D) different employees should be given different tests for measuring their performance

20) If trainers are interested in the generalizability of a study's results, they are said to be interested in the ________ of the study.

A) outcome practicality

B) criterion relevance

C) external validity

D) outcome believability

21) Which of the following statements is most true of comparison groups?

A) The use of a comparison group poses a threat to internal validity.

B) They represent a group of employees who do not attend training.

C) Employees in a comparison group have personal characteristics that are different from others.

D) They increase the possibility that changes found in outcome measures are due to factors other than training.

22) Which of the following statements is true of random assignment?

A) It assigns employees to a training program without considering their individual differences.

B) It results in an unequal distribution of individual characteristics, such as age and gender.

C) It increases the effects of employees dropping out of the study.

D) It increases the differences between the training group and comparison group.

23) A company that aims to improve readily observable outcomes by collecting data at periodic intervals before and after training is likely applying a ________ evaluation design.

A) Solomon four-group

B) pre-test/post-test

C) return on investment

D) time series

24) ________ is a time period in which participants no longer receive training intervention.

A) Regression

B) Mortality

C) Reversal

D) Maturation

25) Which of the following statements is true of Solomon four-group evaluation design?

A) It is mainly used by companies that are uncomfortable with excluding certain employees or that intend to train only a small group of employees.

B) Pre-training outcomes are completely ignored.

C) It combines both pre-test/post-test comparison group and post-test-only/control group designs.

D) Relative to the other evaluation designs, it is more economical and takes less time to conduct.

26) Evaluation designs without pre-test or comparison groups are most appropriate when ________.

A) information regarding training effectiveness is not needed immediately

B) companies are interested in determining how much change has occurred

C) a company has a strong orientation toward evaluation

D) a company is only interested in whether trainees have achieved a certain proficiency level

27) Return on investment (ROI) analysis is best suited for training programs that are ________.

A) attended by few employees

B) inexpensive and have limited visibility

C) significant financial investments

D) one-time events

28) ________ demonstrate(s) to key business stakeholders, such as top-level managers, that their expectations about training have been satisfied.

A) Reactions

B) Return on expectations (ROE)

C) Results

D) Return on investment (ROI)

29) ________ refers to concrete examples to show how learning has led to results that a company finds worthwhile and credible.

A) Utility analysis

B) Success cases

C) Return on expectations (ROE)

D) Outcome practicality

30) In the context of big data, ________ refers to the huge amount of data that is being generated and the speed with which it must be evaluated, captured, and made useful.

A) valence

B) volume

C) variety

D) velocity

31) In the context of big data, ________ refers to the large number of sources and types of data.

A) valence

B) volume

C) variety

D) velocity

32) Pilot testing refers to the process of previewing the training program with potential trainees and managers.

33) Formative evaluation usually involves collecting quantitative data through tests or objective measures of performance.

34) Pilot testing is more useful for formative evaluation than summative evaluation.

35) A CEO is likely more concerned with summative evaluation relative to formative evaluation.

36) Results are more frequently examined than reactions.

37) Affective outcomes would be considered a Level 1 outcome in Kirkpatrick's model of training evaluation.

38) Among all training outcomes, cognitive outcomes are most frequently assessed.

39) Improved self-efficacy beliefs relate to an affective learning outcome.

40) Despite its advantages, one of the significant disadvantages of a Net Promoter Score (NPS) is that it is relatively difficult for learners to complete.

41) A "pencil-and-paper" test is the best means for measuring skill-based outcomes.

42) Skill-based outcomes can be used to evaluate both learning and transfer.

43) A reliable test includes items for which the meaning or interpretation does not change over time.

44) Outcome measures are often highly related to each other.

45) Favorable trainee reactions are strongly connected with transfer.

46) Cognitive outcomes generally do not help determine how much trainees use training content on the job.

47) ROI (return on investment) would be considered a Level-4 outcome in Kirkpatrick's model of training evaluation.

48) Negative transfer is evident when learning occurs, but on-the-job behavior is lower than pre-training levels.

49) Negative transfer happens when no learning occurs during training, and subsequently, there is no on-the-job impact.

50) The believability of study results refers to external validity.

51) A comparison group refers to a group of employees who participate in the evaluation study but do not attend the training program.

52) The Hawthorne effect refers to employees performing at a low level because of the attention they receive.

53) Evaluation designs without pre-test or comparison groups are most appropriate when companies are interested in determining how much change has occurred in trainees.

54) The Solomon four-group design combines the pre-test/post-test comparison group and the post-test-only/control group design.

55) It is necessary to limit return on investment (ROI) analysis to certain training programs as it can be costly.

56) It is important to conduct a return on investment (ROI) analysis for nearly all training programs.

57) Once the costs and benefits of the training program are determined, ROI is calculated by dividing costs by benefits.

58) Describe the various reasons for evaluating the effectiveness of training programs.

59) Compare and contrast reaction and affective learning outcomes. Be sure to define each to demonstrate your understanding of these concepts.

60) Describe three ways to minimize threats to validity.

61) Identify the circumstances when a company should consider employing a more rigorous design for evaluating a training program.

62) What are the characteristics of big data? Explain how big data could be used to show that learning influences business outcomes.