| Implementing Learning Transfer Evaluation

Background

In the first few weeks of starting with an organisation, I was tasked with researching how its learning interventions were making an impact both on colleagues and on the organisation itself. Like most, feedback was primarily being used to understand immediate opinion, comprehension, or satisfaction. However, it was not clear how this learning was being ‘transferred’ into the workplace.

Approach

I performed a thorough academic literature review to gain insight into current and competing methodologies for reliably measuring and identifying learning transfer. I accompanied this with insights from presentations held at the 2022 Learning Technologies Conference in London. I then used qualitative research methods to obtain data from managers across learning services to understand their interpretations and approaches to learning transfer.

Solution

After collating all research findings, I presented the work as a top-level overview comprising of background theory, a suggested framework based on the work of Will Thalheimer, and recommendations for applying said framework within the context of the organisation. A preview of this work can be viewed below.

Impact

This work was quickly accepted across managerial levels, leading to my championing this approach in digital learning. I have now worked with various learning groups across the organisation to guide positive change towards understanding learning transfer in different domains. I have also set up numerous pilot studies using linguistically appropriate longitudinal surveys to measure transfer over time, as well as working with others to combine learning transfer with technologies such as portfolios and knowledge bases.

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