Theme 1 Evaluation My introductory class in the Training and Development program at NC State introduced me to the ADDIE model of training

g design. The ADDIE model is only one approach to training design and is certainly not flawless, but more importantly for me personally this model gave form and body to an idea Id had, but never developed the importance of evaluation. Billions of dollars are invested annually in training and development, not to mention the countless hours of work developing, presenting, and attending courses. Comparatively, very little is invested in evaluative processes that would serve to validate the programs and the results they produce. On the whole, American corporations develop a culture that encourages and expects effective training, but does little to examine if the training rises to the level of meeting its stated goals. This first course whet my appetite for the value of evaluation in training and, more importantly, for the necessity of evaluation to a consistently effective and improving training course and department. Subsequent classes augmented these concepts. Throughout the entire program the theme of evaluation was always present. In many classes, it was one of the primary themes, if not the dominant theme of the course; in others, it was a lesser theme, but it was always present. In time, I learned about the difference between formative evaluation, assessing the processes involved in a programs development, and summative evaluation, an assessment at the end of a course to determine if it achieved its stated objectives. This was an important differentiation to me because it added depth to the ADDIE model, which implies that evaluation is the last step of a five-step process. The knowledge that evaluation should be much more than a singular study at the end of a program helped me grow significantly in my thought as an instructional designer. This concept became especially important as I developed my own model for understanding training effectiveness as part of EAC 584. The model that I created is one of the highlights of my time in this program and the theme of evaluation, especially formative evaluation, has resonated strongly with me. I intend to carry that concept forward with me through the rest of my career. No product, training programs included, can be improved if one is unwilling to invest the time and resources necessary to objectively evaluate its development and application.