Validation

Written by grixtik on . Posted in Uncategorized

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After the course has been developed, a validation process should be undertaken to ensure that all the components meet the needs of participants to achieve the learning objectives.

Validating the resources will allow the facilitator to review the materials prior to implementation.  It will also highlight areas that are not covered in enough depth or have been left out.

There are several types of validation and review methods for different components.

Click on each of the icons below

Questionaire
Observation
Pilot course

Questionnaire

For eLearning, you may ask participants to complete a questionnaire as the most effective form of feedback. The information from the questionnaire can then be interpreted to determine whether any modification is required.

Observation

For courses that are facilitator led or immersive simulation, a training specialist may observe the learning experiences. The observer should be independent of the facilitator so they can observe all aspects of the learning experiences.

Pilot course

Pilot sessions should be run prior to the final implementation of a course. Participants involved in a pilot session will provide candid feedback and the course can be reviewed in the effectiveness of helping participants to achieve the learning objectives.

Running a pilot course also allows facilitators and content experts to see how participants interact with materials and learning experiences. This is important in the development process because trained experts interact and interpret learning experiences differently to those they are training.

The pilot course should be run with a clear understanding of what is being reviewed. This may involve developing a checklist or guide of what is being reviewed.

Listed below are some general issues that may need to be observed, but these can change depending on the learning experience that has been developed.

  • Measure the amount of time participants need for each activity.
  • Check participants’ engagement with the material.
  • Detect points where material or tasks may be too easy or too difficult.
  • Confirm that participants understand the instructions for activities and exercises.
  • Evaluate the flow and sequence of the course.
  • Test how well participants achieve the course’s stated learning objectives by the end of the course.
  • Validate the course assessment tools.
  • Collect feedback from participants about the course.
  • Locate points where the course should be revised.

Do not try to modify the course during the pilot session. This makes it difficult to get a clear understanding of the effectiveness of the course. The course should be reviewed at the completion of the pilot with the content expert and training specialist. If major changes are required then a second pilot may need to be run. If only minor modifications are needed then the course can be implemented.

Questionnaire

For eLearning, you may ask participants to complete a questionnaire as the most effective form of feedback. The information from the questionnaire can then be interpreted to determine whether any modification is required.

Observation

For courses that are facilitator led or immersive simulation, a training specialist may observe the learning experiences. The observer should be independent of the facilitator so they can observe all aspects of the learning experiences.

Pilot course

Pilot sessions should be run prior to the final implementation of a course. Participants involved in a pilot session will provide candid feedback and the course can be reviewed in the effectiveness of helping participants to achieve the learning objectives.

Running a pilot course also allows facilitators and content experts to see how participants interact with materials and learning experiences. This is important in the development process because trained experts interact and interpret learning experiences differently to those they are training.

The pilot course should be run with a clear understanding of what is being reviewed. This may involve developing a checklist or guide of what is being reviewed.

Listed below are some general issues that may need to be observed, but these can change depending on the learning experience that has been developed.

  • Measure the amount of time participants need for each activity.
  • Check participants’ engagement with the material.
  • Detect points where material or tasks may be too easy or too difficult.
  • Confirm that participants understand the instructions for activities and exercises.
  • Evaluate the flow and sequence of the course.
  • Test how well participants achieve the course’s stated learning objectives by the end of the course.
  • Validate the course assessment tools.
  • Collect feedback from participants about the course.
  • Locate points where the course should be revised.

Do not try to modify the course during the pilot session. This makes it difficult to get a clear understanding of the effectiveness of the course. The course should be reviewed at the completion of the pilot with the content expert and training specialist. If major changes are required then a second pilot may need to be run. If only minor modifications are needed then the course can be implemented.