When to evaluate

Four different stages of evaluation can be defined:

1. The pre-training evaluation.  This evaluation is carried out after collecting and identifying training needs of the diverse stakeholders, setting the aims and objectives and the design of the programme.  The coherency between these different elements should be evaluated and if necewssary adapted.  In literature you will also find the term 'ex-ante evaluation' for this stage.
2. The ongong evaluation.  The evaluation that takes place during the training course and which can appear in different forms.  The probably well-known 'reflection groups' are an example of daily evaluation that give you the opportunity to check if the programme is answering the different needs and is reaching the defined objectives.  But also a mid-term evaluation, halfway through the seminar, is an example of 'ongoing evaluation'.  The ongoing evaluation enables you to adapt the programme according to the group - and learning process that takes place.
3. The end of the training course evaluation.  On the very last day of the training course participants are asked to give their opinion about the learning achievements, the flow of the course, the methods used and so forth.  Apart from individual questionnaires, visual methods and other group evaluation methods can be used. For participants it can be hard to express their opinions at that moment.  They are still 'in the course' and cannot take the necessary step backwards to give a proper assessment of their learning achievements.

4. The impact/follow up evaluation.  Also known as the ex-post evaluation.  This evaluation takes place bewteen 3 and 6 months after the training course and focuses on the impact of the training on the personal and professional life of participants and the impact for other stakeholders.  How did participants implement the learning outcomes and what concrete results did occur?