How do you get feedback from your learners?

Learner feedback is necessary for any type of training in order to assess their effectiveness., even with tools from Mobile learning. In the context of vocational training, it often happens that certain parts of the module need to be improved. In order to determine what works and what does not work in training programs, it is relevant to ask the learners the question directly.

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Step 1: Request feedback at the right time

If the training consists of several modules, it is better to ask for feedback at the end of each course rather than waiting for the end of the training.. At the end of a module, learners still have a good memory of the various elements of the course and will be inclined to give objective feedback. Conversely, after completing their course, individuals generally want to move on and it is not certain that they remember all the parts of the course that require improvement points.

It is therefore better to ask them for their impressions after certain stages of the course, when the content is still fresh in their memory.

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What actions should be put in place?

1. Establish a schedule of training modules;
2. Set a date for each feedback sent, at the end of each module;
3. Request an overall evaluation of the training from the learners.

Step 2: Send relevant questionnaires

Quizzes and surveys allow you to ask specific questions and get accurate answers. It is necessary to anonymize the questionnaires to get the most honest feedback possible.

During the development of your questionnaires, generic questions should be avoided and priority should be given to questions that improve or reinforce the content of training courses. :

• What is the most useful thing you have learned so far?
• What module was the most interesting?
• Which module was the least relevant?
• What knowledge was more difficult to acquire and why?
• Was there less relevant information?
• What resources were most useful to you?

What actions should be put in place?

1. Identify in advance the modules that aroused the least enthusiasm among learners;
2. Focus on the most relevant questions that will improve the training modules.

Step 3: Apply the PEA method

The PEA (Perceptions - Effects - Analysis) method is one of the most effective to receive a Feedback constructive. It can be adapted to any educational activity, regardless of the context or theme covered in the training.. It has the advantage of being easily remembered while providing a simple debriefing framework for the trainer and the learners.

• The phase” Perceptions ” consists in asking participants what they perceived during a sequence, with objective to separate perceptions from feelings as much as possible. This stage is quite difficult for learners, so do not hesitate to reformulate the answers to be certain that the distinction between perception and fact is acquired.
  
  
• The phase” Effects ” allows participants to describe what the perceptions caused them. Again, they may have difficulty deciphering their emotions and sometimes tend to go directly to the stage of analysis and interpretation. If participants have difficulty identifying the dominant emotion in them, it is possible to help them by going through the 4 basic emotions with them: joy, anger, sadness or fear.
  
  
• The phase” Analysis ” can be addressed when participants are aware of perceptions and their effects. They will thus have to share their conclusions, assessments and hypotheses.

This PEA method is very interesting to apply in the context of face-to-face training with group work.

What actions should be put in place?

1. Apply the PEA method at the end of each face-to-face module;
2. Encourage all participants to express themselves;
3. If necessary, involve an external facilitator to collect feedback using the PEA method.

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Step 4: Choose a feedback channel

To collect as many responses as possible, it is necessary to use the distribution option that is best suited to learners.

• The web link : it allows access to the feedback questionnaire directly on the Internet. It is accessible from a computer, tablet or smartphone and can be sent via email, text message or social networks.
  
  
• THEemail : this is the most common collection process that can take time and may not produce the expected results if the email is opened poorly. It is also possible to automate the process of sending feedback by email in order to collect feedback at key moments and without going through a time-consuming manual process.
  
  
• The sms : this methodology is very similar to that of emails, with therefore the possibility of sending SMS campaigns manually or of automating the sending of them.
  
  
• Through a tool of Social learning : with the Social learning, learners have the opportunity to directly grade and give feedback on the training, as well as to discuss with the learner community about the module produced.

What actions should be put in place?

1. Ask participants what communication channel they use the most;
2. Do not hesitate to do one or two reminders after the first sending.

Step 5: Analyze the results of the evaluations

Success in managing feedback depends on the number of disinterested reviews or comments collected. Some informal feedback is also full of relevant information, as it is often disinterested..

It is necessary to analyze the answers that will have been given by all the learners, identify the weak points of the training and then react quickly by proposing new ideas and adapting the learning method.

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What actions should be put in place?

1. Communicate informally with participants to obtain additional information;
2. Centralize and analyze feedback;
3. Discuss with the trainer in order to improve the various training modules.

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What to remember

There are 5 main steps to gather feedback from your learners:

1. Ask for feedback at the right time;
2. Send relevant questionnaires;
3. Apply the PEA method;
4. Choose a feedback channel;
5. Analyze the results of the evaluations.

To do this, here are the actions to be put in place:

1. Establish a schedule of training modules;
2. Set a date for each feedback sent, at the end of each module;
3. Request an overall evaluation of the training from the learners;
4. Identify in advance the modules that aroused the least enthusiasm among learners;
5. Focus on the most relevant questions that will improve the training modules;
6. Apply the PEA method at the end of each face-to-face module;
7. Encourage all participants to express themselves;
8. If necessary, involve an external facilitator to collect feedback using the PEA method;
9. Ask participants what communication channel they use the most;
10. Do not hesitate to do one or two reminders after the first sending;
11. Communicate informally with participants to obtain additional information;
12. Centralize and analyze feedback;
13. Discuss with the trainer in order to improve the various training modules.