The strategy to evaluate remote and online training is to build it into the design of the training programme itself. Determine how progress will be monitored and measured against the objectives that is to be achieved and list down the indicators that will be used to track them. Typically, the evaluation methodology is the same as any normal physical classroom in-person training.
| Evaluation | Method |
| How well did the participants like the online session? | Use feedback tool available on your platform. Send an online evaluation form to participants to complete at the end of the session or after it ends. |
| What did the participants learn? | Conduct an online pre-training test and post-training test and measure knowledge change |
| To what extent did the participants’ behaviour change? | Interview the participants’ immediate supervisors, peers and even subordinates after a predetermined time gap to examine how their behaviour has changed.Conduct an online assessment with managers, participants themselves, or their subordinates after a predetermined time gap to check how job performance has changed. |
| What are the effects on the business or environment resulting from the participants’ performance? | Analyse data from existing management systems and establish correlation to the training programme. |
Be sure to also gather other source of information that can be used in evaluating the effectiveness of the remote and online training session by downloading and saving:
- Chat text
- Poll results
- Video recording
For remote and online training, like any of the normal physical classroom in-person training, it is best to develop in advance an evaluation plan. Some virtual tools like the webinar and video meeting software have built-in survey functions that can be used as a feedback form. Alternatively, we can also have a web-based evaluation form and share the link before the course ends. Due to the nature of online training, it is advisable to set aside time for the evaluation to be done during the training session itself and make it as easy as possible for the participants to complete without having to log into a different platform or software.
Considering that some remote and online training sessions may exceed the expected end-time by a few minutes and participants may have other urgent matters to attend to as soon as the online training session ends, it would also be a good idea as a back-up to prepare an e-mail message with the link, or better still an embedded evaluation form ready to send to the participants.
Additional to the traditional questions of normal physical classroom in-person training, consider asking participants to also evaluate:
- Pace of the session
- Amount of interactivity
- Usefulness of the exercises / learning activities
- Skills of the trainer / learning instructor and facilitator
- Skill of the host / producer / moderator
- Effectiveness of the virtual format
