Trainer Assessment: A Guide to Measuring the Performance of Trainers and Facilitators (2nd ed.)

Citation

Cattell, A. (2003), "Trainer Assessment: A Guide to Measuring the Performance of Trainers and Facilitators (2nd ed.)", Industrial and Commercial Training, Vol. 35 No. 4, pp. 171-173. https://doi.org/10.1108/ict.2003.35.4.171.2

This book as a second edition is the follow‐up to Assessing Trainer Effectiveness (1991). In his preface to the new text, Rae establishes that there have been many changes in approaches to training and the role of the trainer since 1991; hence the need for a reappraisal of methods of evaluating trainer effectiveness and performance. This book is intended to be part of such a reappraisal and includes updates of nine chapters plus three entirely new chapters. This includes one on e‐technology and its impact on the trainer and on trainer assessment. The book is also intended as a framework for self‐assessment by trainers or as an appraisal/evaluation approach which would assist training managers in appraising their staff, or senior managers in evaluating the contribution of training specialists.

Rae emphasises the move from training in its traditional form, to learning and development and the impact in a variety of ways that this has had on both provider and learner. The first five chapters cover the role, requirements, necessary skills and functions of the effective trainer, whilst also introducing two questionnaires designed to aid trainer/training team assessment and trainer role orientation assessment.

Chapters six to 12 major on, in the first instance, the uses of training validation, then assessment, after first having sought to define the terms validation, evaluation and assessment. This is done at two levels, in terms of training event validation and assessment, and assessment of trainer performance, how this is done and by whom.

The final two chapters examine technology training and its assessment, and methods of cost value analysis as regards assessing trainer performance, cost of events and the organizational cost of both. Updated material on Training and Development N/SVQs is also contained in chapter ten and in the Appendices. The Appendices also contain check‐lists and assessment inventories covering activity control, practical demonstrations, lecture and discussion leading, and trainer assessment by trainees.

The book is written at a very practical level and as such relies heavily on the experience of the author in narrative descriptive form, which feels sometimes to be quite relentless in its presentation and writing style. Some relief is given by the presentation of questionnaires within the main text. Little theory is presented and that which is will most likely be known to readers. As such, the author provides no bibliography, but instead outlines recommended reading. Interestingly, eight of the suggested texts date from before 1984, and of the six dated in the 1990s to 2001 two are on technology training, and the remaining four are the author’s own books. Rae highlights that this is because there are few publications dealing specifically with assessment as to date most texts have dealt with examination of training rather than the trainer. Whilst there is no doubt that the book has been updated to represent change in the late 1990s, one gets the impression that there is a degree of nostalgia on the part of the author, which is reflected in his writing style.

For a new trainer/facilitator, training manager, or manager interested in finding out more about methods of assessment, the text offers a range of options which are explained simply and pragmatically. For those with experience or for students seeking a more theoretical approach and information, the book is perhaps of less value and at £47.50 may be regarded as fairly expensive.