The relationship between trainee responses on participant reaction forms and posttest scores

Abstract In many organizations, the responses to participant reaction forms are the only data managers use when they decide to offer or revise a training course. Is this appropriate? To address this question the author studied the relationship between posttests (tests taken after the course is finished) and the responses on participants' forms for 1,200 trainees in a large manufacturing company. Although the study found no useful correlation between posttest scores and participants' perceptions of (a) the relevance of the course, (b) their own learning, (c) their enjoyment, or (d) the skill of the instructors, it found significant correlations between participants' enjoyment and the ratings of the instructors.