Effectiveness Of Different Development Activities In Improving Personal Performance

Kirkpatrick Model

The Kirkpatrick Model is the worldwide standard for evaluating the effectiveness of training. Using this model, businesses can improve on the personal performance of employees.

The Kirkpatrick Model uses 4 levels to measure how a personal respond to training through evaluating if the training has had a positive impact on the employee and organisation.

“The Kirkpatrick Model considers the value of any type of training, formal or informal, across four levels. Level 1 Reaction evaluates how participants respond to the training. Level 2 Learning measures if they actually learned the material. Level 3 Behaviour considers if they are using what they learned on the job, and Level 4 Results evaluates if the training positively impacted the organisation.”

Johari window 

Whilst researching the Kirkpatrick Model, I discovered another model called the Johari window. Although this isn’t directly a model to explain different learning styles, it does assist individuals in better understanding their relationship with themselves and others. By understanding this model, individuals can improve their approach to problem solving, learning, or discovery. It is also useful in group learning activities.  

“The philosopher Charles Handy calls this concept the Johari House with four rooms. Room 1 is the part of ourselves that we see and others see. Room 2 is the aspects that others see but we are not aware of. Room 4 is the most mysterious room in that the unconscious or subconscious part of us is seen by neither ourselves nor others. Room 3 is our private space, which we know but keep from others.”

Open or Arena: Adjectives that are selected by both the participant and his or her peers are placed into the Open or Arena quadrant. This quadrant represents traits of the subjects that both they themselves and their peers are aware of. 

Hidden or Façade: Adjectives selected only by subjects, but not by any of their peers, are placed into the Hidden or Façade quadrant, representing information about them their peers are unaware of. It is then up to the subject to disclose this information or not. 

Blind : Adjectives that are not selected by subjects but only by their peers are placed into the Blind Spot quadrant. These represent information that the subject is not aware of, but others are, and they can decide whether and how to inform the individual about these blind spots.

Unknown: Adjectives that were not selected by either subjects or their peers remain in the Unknown quadrant, representing the participant’s behaviour’s or motives that were not recognized by anyone participating. This may be because they do not apply or because there is collective ignorance of the existence of these traits.”

Using learning techniques can help individuals, their managers and mentors to expand their learning ability by using methods which they may not previously have known existed, or which they did not think applied to them. Not just in a practical ability, but also in a psychological one. 

Once these techniques are understood and implemented they should lead to a more “rounded” learner.