Research findings published in academic journals can be complex and hard to access. Trust me, I struggled with my fair share of those articles in graduate school, and know firsthand how daunting they can be to interpret. My goal with this and future blog posts, is identifying relevant training research and boiling down the results, and providing actionable recommendations.
Here, I am reviewing a study conducted by fellow North Carolina State University alumni, on training analytics:
The Advantages of Tracking
A frequently touted advantage of e-learning is its ability to track trainees’ progress throughout a learning initiative. It not only lessens the administrative burden by automatically recording completion status, but can also provide insight into learning experiences, pinpointing areas where learners struggle, excel, and/or skip entirely.
Evidence for the utility of such information abounds. For example, I recently finished a study at Training Industry, Inc., which reveals a positive relationship between training evaluation and the length of time that training is sustained (effective programs tracked sales coaching activity almost three times as often as ineffective programs). Another Training Industry study shows that effective leadership development programs are twice as likely to measure networking, interactivity and collaboration.
The Downside of Analytics
Still, electronic monitoring may not always lead to positive outcomes. We assume that tracking occurs in the background, exerting little influence on learning processes. But, my colleagues’ recent study published in the Journal of Applied Psychology, suggests that tracking can inhibit learning when trainees have a performance goal orientation. Such individuals are motivated by the desire to demonstrate competence, while those with a learning goal orientation are motivated by the potential to develop their skills.
In the study, learners with a performance goal orientation experienced greater evaluation apprehension and lower skill acquisition when they believed their training performance was being monitored. In contrast, those with a learning goal orientation were not affected by monitoring.
Recommendations
These research pieces point to a disconnect between the overall positive outcomes resulting from monitoring and the potential for certain types of learners to experience negative ones. The NC State study provides several recommendations:
- Provide easy opportunities for success early in training. This builds confidence and helps reduce feelings of evaluation anxiety.
- Include pre-training activities designed to cultivate a learning orientation by presenting training as a chance for personal development.
- Provide information about how the training performance data will be used prior to training.
I’ll be reviewing research on the role that training plays in fostering employee well-being in my next blog post.
