Pilar Pineda

Evaluation of training in organisations: a proposal for an integrated model

Purpose – Training is a key strategy for human resources development and in achieving organisational objectives. Organisations and public authorities invest large amounts of resources in training, but rarely have the data to show the results of that investment. Only a few organisations evaluate training in depth due to the difficulty involved and the lack of valid instruments and viable models. The purpose of this paper is to present an evaluation model that has been successfully applied in the Spanish context that integrates all training dimensions and effects, to act as a global tool for organisations. The model analyses satisfaction, learning, pedagogical aspects, transfer, impact and profitability of training, and is therefore a global model.Design/methodology/approach – The papers approach is theoretical, and the methodology used involves a review of previous evaluation models and their improvement by comparing their application in practice.Findings – An analysis of pedagogical aspects enables train...

Evaluation of Reflective Practice in Teacher Education.

Teacher education based on ‘reflective practice’ consists of observing, analysing and reflecting on teacher performance in order to improve professional practice. This article presents the results of an evaluation of a programme on mathematics teaching carried out using reflective practice. It was targeted at 284 teachers in various stages of the education system, using an approach that combines quantitative (surveys) and qualitative (interviews and reports) methods. While the study shows that the education programme generates high levels of satisfaction, pedagogical appropriateness and learning, its achievements in effectiveness are moderate. Although, in general, what is learned through teacher education is implemented in the classroom, it is done so in an isolated fashion, in other words, individually and without becoming a part of the culture of the school. The results show little evidence of its impact on student learning. The article offers proposals for improving the education programme, while, at the same time, analysing the usefulness of the approach and evaluation tools employed.

Building a Social Justice Pillar for Youth Career Development

The qualitative study presented aims at gaining an in-depth understanding of: Structural barriers to socially just employment amongst 16–25 years old living in Catalonia (Spain); competences to be developed in order to lower them; how educational centers and specifically their career guidance practices can contribute to build-up such competences. Results obtained identify the economic model, the economic crisis, socioeconomic policies, social stereotypes and discrimination, social inequality, the educational system and inappropriate career development practices as main structural barriers to socially just employment. Communicative, methodological, personal, competences to live together aimed at lowering such barriers are described. Furthermore, strategies that educational centers can carry-out to build the identified competences are presented. When it comes to career guidance within educational centers, results obtained in the study show it is mainly perceived as an individual matching process to access an unjust occupational status quo. However, based on all results obtained, proposals are made to move towards a social justice career development approach aimed at empowering youth to be agents of socially just employment.

Evaluation of teachers’ continuing training in the early childhood education sector in Spain

Good preschool education requires professionals whose training is both solid and updated. This article presents the results of an evaluation of the continuing training received by teachers in the preschool educational sector in Spain, and discusses the level of implementation. The authors examine factors such as culture and motivation, and look into the initiatives taken with respect to training. They evaluate the results of training, focussing on satisfaction, learning, pedagogical suitability and the transfer of training. The methodological approaches are both quantitative – a questionnaire administered to 1500 teachers and managers – and qualitative – 50 interviews and 10 discussion groups were carried out with 70 teachers. The results of preschool teachers’ training are quite positive overall, in terms of levels of satisfaction, learning, pedagogical suitability and the transfer of continuing training. However, there is little evidence of the skills being used at work, which suggests that training is not as effective as it could be.