The Kirkpatrick's model- What are the Disadvantages?

There are four main levels of the Kirkpatrick's model that is used to test and evaluate the training of which the particular student goes through and the results from that particular learning experience.

The four main levels consist of the following:

Reaction of student - what they thought and felt about the training

Learning - the resulting increase in knowledge or capability

Behavior - extent of behavior and capability improvement and implementation/application

Results - the effects on the business or environment resulting from the trainee's
performance

DISADVANTAGES:

REACTION:

'Reaction' only captures a particular reflection of the user while he is learning the program and thus can be proved to be inaccurate and should not be used as solid or concrete evidence as to why the content or structure of the design should be changed.

LEARNING:

'Learning' tests and evaluates how well the participant is able to grasp the objectives of the e-learning program (What he has benefited from the program and what is that desirable benefit/ intention of the program that is supposed to be built in the learner once the process is completed?)

The disadvantage of this particular aspect is that it requires time and money.

BEHAVIOR:

The 'Behavior' aspect has to deal with the impact of the e-learning package on the user based on actual application of concepts learnt in job applications for example. This is usually tested 3-6 months after the course is completed so as to provide accuracy and also measure how much of importance or significance the learner looks at it and therefore decides on whether or not to use it based on that decision. The disadvantage present here is even more time and money. It requires deep insight into the root causes of performance deficiencies and interventions as possible side effects from the course process of the e-learning package.

RESULTS:

The important part of this aspect is that it measures quality/ performance improvement of the user in the workforce which is the RESULT of the effects of the e-learning process that he or she has experienced.

Disadvantages include substantial levels of investment and expertise are required to develop the results. It is not easy to develop such results as it requires careful observance and interpretation of the user's performance level and in particular, his job type. Precise analysis is also needed in the production of the results. It is also often difficult to decide if this stage is a necessity and worth investing (The user could have already shown good performance in the program but could possibly and not possibly, do badly later in his or her workforce). The linkage between the results and the training process is also difficult to establish because they may be different based on an individual's personal job type which may not be in correspondence to the type of training he went through in the e-learning process.