Many workforce development training programmes use learning gains as a measure of programme effectiveness. However, research on K-12 education suggests that posttest scores may be influenced by pretesting effects. Pretesting may improve posttest performance by giving learners preknowledge of posttest content. Alternatively, pretesting may enhance…

This study focused on trainers' professional knowledge and skills. Forty-one aspects of trainer knowledge were identified from the empirical research literature and presented in an online questionnaire to 200 trainers, 253 trainees and 93 human resource development practitioners. The respondents rated the importance of each knowledge aspect for…

Purpose: This study aims to examine participants' perspectives in organization-sponsored training and provides support for further research positioning the trainer as an organizational leader. Design/methodology/approach: The interactions described in the trainees' experiences were examined through a social constructivist lens. Interviews were…

Explicit racial bias has decreased in the United States, but racial stereotypes still exist and conspire in multiple ways to perpetuate the underparticipation of Blacks in science careers. Capitalizing on the potential effectiveness of role-playing video games to promote the type of active learning required to increase awareness of and reduce…

The applied dissertation project focused on the development of a comprehensive onboarding program and Trainer's Guide specifically developed for charter school management employees. Charter school education has grown significantly in the last several decades with over 6,100 charter schools that are currently serving students nationwide. Formal or…

One's identity is often closely tied to one's profession. It is one of the first questions typically asked when meeting someone new. It is often how we introduce ourselves and often included in introductory-type information when asked. The purpose of this qualitative study was to examine the professional identity of civilian (non-enlisted) U.S.…

Considerable expenditure on human resource development (HRD) has not necessarily resulted in a significant impact on organizational performance, and research suggests that the failure to transfer learning may be an important explanation. The search for factors affecting transfer has been extensive, as shown in Grossman and Salas's article in this…

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…

This paper uses data from a recent national project on workforce development for vocational education and training (VET) practitioners in the service skills sector to examine the issue of teaching qualifications for VET practitioners in Australia. Data on the level of qualifications is limited and incomplete (Mlotkowski & Guthrie, 2010) and…

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to examine conceptual and theoretical links between intuition and coaching; investigate accomplished coaches' practical experiences of intuition; identify skill set of an intuitive coach; discuss implications of findings for coaches', HRD professionals', and line managers' learning and development.…

The best learning and development organizations support business initiatives tactically "and" help drive strategic change. Verizon did just that, earning it the No. 1 spot for the first time on the Training Top 125. Verizon and the other 2012 Top 125 winners continued to invest in training, collectively dedicating a mean of 4.52 percent of their…

Data were gathered from members of a large professional training organization regarding their practices for supporting training transfer. Transfer factor categories grounded in the literature were used to code the data using content analysis procedures. Commensurate with the transfer literature, results suggest that trainers reported strategies…

Qualitative data were gathered from trainers regarding best practices for supporting training transfer. Using content analysis, findings suggest interventions for bolstering transfer are best carried out in the work context and design/delivery phase, take place after training or during, and involve trainers and supervisors. However, trainers…

This qualitative study examined how trainers perceive and manage training programs with racially and ethnically diverse participants. Five themes emerged: global perspective, learning styles and culturally diverse participants, facilitation style, preparation for training with culturally diverse groups and, culturally sensitive training materials.…

A survey of 361 human resource developers (HRD) found that trainers are more satisfied with training than with their previous positions because HRD gives them the chance to do different things, make use of abilities, try their own methods, and earn satisfactory pay. (JOW)