Assignment for my Graduate Diploma in Training and Development

Recently, we were made to read an article on using an smiley sheet to determine particpants' view on the trainer's performance. Here's my reflection.

Learning Journal Reflection

I read with immense interest the article in “Training, Aug 2006” given by Nelson on the use of smile-sheet evaluation to determine trainer’s performance. The writer of the article cited a few examples from real-life organisations to point out that there is little correlation on ratings by the participants on trainers after the training sessions to participants’ performance outcome post-training. The most interesting example was the one done by Richard E. Clark, Professor of Educational Pyschology and Technology at the Rossier School of Education, University of Southern California. Professor Richard published in “Turning Research into Results: A Guide to Selecting the Right Performance Solutions” that “when used to evaluate performance improvement programs, reaction questionnaires, or ‘smile sheets’ often indicate the opposite of what happened”, which revealed there was even a negative correlation between Level 1 results and on-the-job performance (Level 3).

If what stated in the article was entirely true, then most organisations, including Social Service Training Institute (SSTI) where I am working in, are simply wasting their time and resources in compiling Level 1 data from the reaction questionnaires and linking their operation decisions to training based on this data. SSTI conducted over 300 short courses in FY08/09 with more than 6000 training places attended. This translated into SSTI staff having to compile over 300 individual post-training level 1 reports of our associate trainers’ performance. If it takes an average duration of half an hour per report to be generated by the training coordinating staff and to be reviewed by our management across SSTI, then about 150 hours or about 16 working days are wasted on level 1 data a year. Moreover, SSTI uses Level 1 data to evaluate the performance of its associate trainer. It is unfair for trainers who are responsible, doing a conscientious job of facilitating training and learning, but may not be “entertaining” and “interesting” to the participants to be “punished” under such evaluation system.

In order to determine whether Level 1 data are effective or not to evaluate the trainer’s performance, we would need to determine what the core performance areas of a typical trainer exactly consist and the final outcome as a result of the training session. The core businesses of a trainer are simply to enhance the transfer of learning in terms of knowledge, develop the attitudes of the participants to be interested in the subject matter, as well as to inspire them to apply what they know, and finally to develop certain skills that are relevant to the work of the participants. The final outcome from an organisation’s perspective should be improved performance of the participants at the workplace after training. Level 1 evaluation does not provide objective information related to key performance areas of the trainer (which is actually pertaining to Level 2 evaluation) and final outcome of training (related to Level 3 evaluation). Those who rely solely on Level 1 information for trainer’s evaluation are actually based on the hypothesis that there is correlation between learning and positive training experience (created by trainer) encountered by the participants. While this hypothesis may be true to some extent, there are other factors, which may affect the participants’ inclination to learn and apply the knowledge at the training session. These factors include the following:-

• Difficulty of the subject being taught – The more difficult the subject, the less inclined the participants to learn and apply
• Perceived relevancy to work – The better the participants’ perception that subject is relevant to their work, the more inclined the participants to learn and apply
• Perceived management support – The greater the endorsement of management to support the post-course changes, the more inclined the participants to learn and apply

• Perceived benefits linked to the training – If there are tangible benefits, e.g. salary increase pegged to the attendance of the course, the more motivated the participants to learn and apply

These factors interplay dynamically and influence each participant to either be motivated to learn or not to learn.

Having said this, some organisations may justify their current practice of using Level 1 evaluation to gauge trainer’s performance by saying that it is an easy and convenient way of getting immediate response of the training session. Level 2 evaluation is simply too time-consuming and takes organisational resources to implement. Time is needed from the participants to take written tests; training staffs are required to conduct and oversee the written test process, as well as to compile the test results. All these work and resources just to evaluate the effectiveness of the training may not be cost-effective for every training session. They argued that even though Level 1 evaluation may not be totally accurate in evaluating training effectiveness, at least it still provides some data on participants’ reaction, which theoretically would still relate to motivation to learn by participant. One suggestion I have to get the best of both worlds is to take into consideration participant ratings for difficulty of the subject, relevancy of subject to their work, and participant’s perception of the learning. We can look at these 3 areas and hopefully obtained a more realistic assessment of the effectiveness of the training session.

Another suggestion that I’ve is to include a part in the smiley sheet for the participants to rate for themselves how much they learn and know about the subject being taught before and after the training session. In this way, the focus is not so much on the trainer, but on themselves as learners. The participants would have to ask and judge for themselves whether they have learned anything, regardless of whether they like or dislike the trainer. Of course, this suggestion is also not fool-proof as in the article, it was already mentioned that learners were overly optimistic about predicting how much they will remember.

Personally, I prefer the method suggested by the writer to “employ muiltiple mechanisms” in order to “put that smile back into smile sheets”. The concept of having a mini-focus group sessions and asking the participants how they would redesign or improve the training is an excellent way of reinforcing they have learned and to clarify what wasn’t clear to them. Moreover, having tried out whatever they had learned at the training session previously, they would experience the impact at work and what new issues faced, they can highlight to the trainer, who can better tweak the training programme to be more relevant. Last but not least, they would understand the constraints and limitation faced by the trainer, and they would be more realistic about their expectations on trainers and learning in future.

Finally to conclude, my personal take is that Level 1 evaluation is still important and provides the most immediate and easiest way of getting training evaluation data. We should use Level 1 data as a form of feedback to improve on future training sessions, ranging from training environment, learning methodology and training delivery. If we were to use the Level 1 data for purposes, other than as feedback for the training session, such as evaluation of trainers, etc, we must take into consideration the limitation, the accuracy and the other factors that affects the correlation between participant’s perception of the training session to the item that we wish to evaluate for. Of course, pragmatic consideration, e.g. the investment of cost, time, resources for the evaluation process must also be considered so that whatever analysis we do on the training evaluation, the outcome for the organisation will be one that is of the most cost-effective with reliable conclusion.

Answers for Those in Pain and Suffering

Last Friday, I meet up with two of my colleagues for lunch, cum a bible study session in which we talked about our reflection and personal feelings on Psalm 107. During that session, I shared about some questions that I had pertaining to verse 4.

How had some wandered to desert wastelands without knowing? Why are they in a situation whereby they cannot find a way to a city where they could settle? Do they have no other ways? Is the situation caused by themselves or by other people?

The reason for all these questions is due to the fact that these are the very questions that I am asking in parallel with some real life experiences that I had in the past. I shared cautiously and vulnerably to the two colleagues of what was going through my mind, fearing that they may not understand where I was coming from, and why I had such thoughts.

True enough, the responses that came from them were their understandings of bible, God, situation and the personalities involved of why the past incidents happened and how I should respond in relation to God's truth. "Gives thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever...", "Our confidence should lie in God and not on men.." As we finished our session and walked back to office, I was desperately appealing for them to understand what I had been through, and my desire for the church leadership to be better. I was so flustered that I concluded that never will I ever want to share with them the matter again.

I received an email from one of them this morning about her reflection on her thoughts about how we should make sense, behave and act pertaining to church leaders and failures within the church. I wish I can include the content of the email here for all to see but I shouldn't in case she would be affected by it. It is ironic to receive "godly advices" from a Christian of less than half the time I had been a Christian, who have never served sacrificially and wholehearted involved in taking care and dealing with sinful people, who have never been hurt and disillusioned by the leaders and followers of Christ, who never had the experience of been betrayed by one of your closest friend and mentor, who have never stood up against authorities for a certain cause and the risk of being rejected by the main community. People who read this entry may think, why is Joncreate so emotional? Why can't he control his own emotions and just follow the biblical principles in response? Joncreate is so immature to have so much negativity within him.

In order to have genuine and a comprehensive answer to my pain, I began to read "Cries of the Heart" again, on the chapter of "The Cry for a Reason in Suffering". Ravi shared, "To live is to sooner or later experience or witness pain and suffering. To reason is to inevitably ponder 'Why?'". Everyone would have to ask this question sooner or later. Habakkuk asked, "Why do you make me look at injustice? Why do you tolerate wrong" (Hab 1:3). David cried out, "How long will the enemy mock you?" (Ps 74:10). Jonah was exasperated by the violence of the Ninevites and wanted them wiped out. Jeremiah challenged God, saying, "I would speak with you about your justice: Why does the way of the wicked prosper?" (Jer 12:1)

It is not wrong to have such questions. These questions are some most honest and genuine questions that can be raised of a Christian faith that talks of a loving God who is in control of all things. Neither should we dismiss such questioner as one who does not want to believe in God's Word. Instead they may be the ones who sincerely wrestling in their mind and heart with the problem. How should anyone, or Christians respond to such questioner? Glib and incoherent answers to such heart cries will definitely not help. The bible does not ignore these questions in silence but addresses it with great seriousness.

Book of Job - An example of Job who never once lost sight of God that God is very much in control. However with all the pain and suffering that Job endured, he could not reconcile this with his theological framework. He had always assumed that if you are good, you will be blessed and if you are bad, you would be cursed. His theological framework was then refined by God subsequently.

I am really fascinated by the response of Job's so called friends who actually travelled to visit Job upon hearing his misfortunes. With friends like them, who needs enemy?!! But the true fact is such friends do exist..Note the interesting responses by the friends who saw the actual condition of Job and were so shocked by the Job's plight that they were speechless for 7 days.

The first friend who spoke was Eliphaz, the oldest and the kindest. Basically there were no evident flaws to his thoughts except for the weird foundation upon to which he built it and his callousness, which care more about his eloquenceof the argument than for the misery of his friend. We just need to put ourselves in Job's shoes to feel and understand how Job will feel if our friends start to talk like Eliphaz. An important lesson to learn from Elizphaz is never to build an entire theological system based on personal experience that cannot be verified by others. What you have experienced previously especially in terms of spiritual experience should not be used as the sole and main interpretation of your friend's experience of misfortune and existence. According to Ravi, this is a dangerous way to claim devotion to God as there is no way to differentiate between worshipping God or playing God. Job 6:14-17 - As authentic as Eliphaz's experience may be, Job has the right to dismiss it as Eliphaz's speech missed Job's anguish. Job went on to question Eliphaz's heartlessness in Job 6:24-28

The second interesting response was that of Bildad. He appealed to Job to refer back to the words of the ancient and the wise. After all, the former generations would have something to teach us about suffering and pain. However the issue here is that do these words provide an answer to the question of why pain occurs in our lives and not just merely asking us to accept, endure and triumph in the situation. Job was more concerning and pondering about the reason of his suffering more than how to endure it. Even if there is a valid and noble to suffering, it may be a distant answer to a proximate agony. The heart is not satisfied with such an answer.

It was then at this point that Job began to ask for aribitration between God and him. Maybe it can be that even his friends don't understand him at all and he felt so misunderstood that he wanted someone to be that point of contact, of arbitration. The point of contact to someone who understands, empathises should facilitate healing from within.

Finally, came the response of Zophar, the youngest and the rudest. He basically called Job an idiot and a windbag. (See Job 11:12) How typical is his reaction, that of impatience and anger - We are all like him once in a while when we think that we have the answer and the other person fails to see our point. Zophar's point is in essence - God's ways were not Job's ways and Job just needed to understand that. At this point, I felt so amused as I have heard so many of such reasonings given by leaders who don't have the time to go through the period of pain with their people and therefore they gave this reason, hoping that the person would shortened his grieving process and to resume back to his normal life asap. What is the result and impact in the church community as a result? You inculcate a community of people who doesn't think and try to make sense of a circumstance as best as they can, and to grow and become wiser from it. You inculcate a community of people who is just focused on doing God's will and on rushing to finish the Great Commission, while blinded to their inner world, as well as the surroundings arund them. Such imbalanced community are caused by such "godly" leaders. The fact is the devil's way is not Job's way as well. Job's thinking is just concerned about the what and why of the difference between God's thinking and his, not just the fact of it.

Finally, God started to give the most shocking response to Job, with questions that Job cannot answer. God is simply trying to demonstrate to Job that "Do not assume that you only accept that which you comprehensively understand." God implied that He has given sufficient evidence of His power and design in creation. To seek comprehensive knowledge as the only grounds for belief is unreasonable. There is a world of difference between the words sufficient and comprehensive. God challenged Job to admit to his limitation and allow Him to be God. God insists that those limitations do and must exist. At this point, amybe to all those who are suffering out there, may the point above remind you that we are still very much living in a fragile and fallen world. We are fragile and easily damaged if not for God's grace and protection. We therefore need a someone greater than us to be able to care for us.

God then took Job beyond just making him think that it was all too vast for him. God made Job realised that He is a God who brought beauty and all that's good into a world out from nothing and He would also fashion such good things out of Job's brokenness. There is intelligence behind the design in the universe, as there is also intelligence in helping us cope with suffering. All these in essence are to remind Job that God is both Creator and Designer.

Job's response to God was that of humility (Job 42:5-6), as God had heard his cries, met up with him and revealed to Job that He was also Revealer and Comforter. Job's knowledge of God has become from that of a third person's perspective and knowledge to being that of a personal one. A side note from this is that God had longed from direct fellowship with us through history and I don't have to elaborate on this. And I am comforted to note that Job finally is able to know who God is personally, through this experience of pain and suffering. And I suspect that many of us and our friends are also in this predicament that we are rich in the allusions to what others had said about God but improvished in our own personal knowledge of Him.

"Until pain is seen in a personal context and its solution is personally felt, every other solution, however good, will seem aceademic. All the answers that one might offer to a hurting person will fall on deaf ears until that person has come to a personal recognition that God has spoken and revealed Himself in His Word first and then in his or her own experience"

Why Don't I Feel My Faith

Last sunday's in his church sermon, Pastor Jeff preached about the Power of the Cross, during which he shared that God is love and God desires to have a close relationship with us.

He commented on the observation that sometimes Christians complained or voiced out that they felt that God was far from them. He sought to give a reason and explained that God is constant and God would always desire to relate closely with us. He then questioned that if God never move from his posture of desiring a close relationship with Him, the conslusion is obvious that we did. He further suggested that these people already knew how to draw close to God and the solution to their problem was simple and that was to go back to read the bible and to pray.

While there is nothing theologically wrong about what he said, the manner and simplicity which he attempted to address the issue were not doing justice to the complexity and the wide spectrum of causes/reasons to why people do not experience God. It was at all helpful for those Christians who were genuinely struggling in their faith of experiencing God. The answer is definitely not satisfying for a thinking Christian who wish to make sense of his experience in life. My view is that Pastor Jeff should at least acknowledge that the issue is one that is complex and cannot be simplistically be answered.

For those who are questioning genuinely about their struggles and wanting to make sense of their experiences, I recommend that you read the book "Cries of the Heart" by Ravi Zechariah. In this book, Ravi discussed about his personal thoughts on some of the common existential struggles in the heart that we often experience as human. You can see the written reviews below.

http://www.amazon.com/Cries-Heart-Ravi-Zacharias/product-reviews/0849943876/ref=dp_top_cm_cr_acr_txt?ie=UTF8&showViewpoints=1

Discover your Life Purpose and Passion

Below is one website which I had stumbled upon last year when I was at the valley of valley in my Christian walk. However that period was such a refining experience for me that it had awakened me to know exactly what God has purposed and made me for and to be. Hope that the website is useful to all of you.

http://www.theonequestion.com/test.html

My answers to the questions raised in the website are below:-

1. What are you naturally curious about?

• History
• Wisdom from the past generations
• Inspiring lives of ordinary people
• Politics
• Leadership
• Economics and finance
• Existential struggles of life
• Ethics
• Self-help
• Human philosophy and behaviour

2. What would you change about the world?

• Self-centered leadership
• Ungrateful people
• Injustice
• Undue hurts and disappointment caused to other people
• Indifference of people
• Disregard for other people
• Unclear goals
• Religion which disregards emotional well-being of people
• Suffering
• Cheating and dishonesty

3. What would you love to do or accomplish before you die?

• Have a mentor who's experienced to share his life wisdom
• Go on a mission trip
• Be self-sufficient
• Find an institution of integrity and progress, and a compelling cause to commit to
• Pour out my life for a committed mentee
• Share and impart whatever I know and have
• Defy norms of society or groups who are self-centered
• Help other people who are truly and humbly accept that they are in need

4. What would you do if you could not fail?

• Get my own team and start my own church
• Research and prepare teachings
• Train and help organisation/ people to improve
• Write and publish my reflection
• Build a team of like-minded people

5. What would you do if you would not be limited by money?

• Help to set up non-profit organisation to build and train people to be equipped for every good work
• Travel to different parts of the world for humanitarian aid

6. What would you like to hear at your funeral?

• Family members - Loving, committed, caring, and enabling
• Friends - Convicted, passionate, devoted, steadfast, flexible, life-long learner
• Colleague - Responsible, value-adding
• Others - Enriching with new/ different perspectives, champion of underdogs, refreshing, inspiring and authentic

7. What are the things you currently enjoy doing?

• Going on courses
• Reading and learning something new
• Reflection and creating new perspectives
• Hanging out with friends, playing LAN gaming
• Doing something with a clear goal
• Achieving something which I know I'm good at
• Singing
• Counselling people and at the end they felt that they were mininstered
• Playing soccer and winning
• Relaxing with my girlfriend, baring my innermost thoughts and feelings
• One-on-one setting with people who are most honest and vulnerable

8. What were the activities or tasks you were doing when you felt most empowered?

• Running my own caregroup
• Sharing my thoughts and reflection
• Initiating and completion of my project
• Doing something which I know will be beneficial to a group or institution which I am committed to
• Doing tasks with a group of committed and like-minded people

9. What would you most like to be acknowledged for so far in your life?

• Pioneering and setting up a admin support group in Uni ministry
• Helping to develop and raise CLs
• Organising a conference of 500 pax
• Develop syllabus for basic guitar lesson

10. If you have only one wish, what would it be?

• To have a team of like-minded, passionate and committed people to fulfill a cause

11. Whose life do you want to be living?

• Ravi Zechariah for his grasp of life and its issues, and his inspiring and thought-provoking reflections
• Lee Kuan Yew for his insights, discipline and strong will
• Jesus Christ for his humanity and humility

12. What ideas are you most inspired by?

• Selfless, devoted, competent and empowering leadership
• Life-long learning and education for all
• Ethical and civil-minded society

13.With whom would you like to surround yourself?

• People who are well-read
• People who are insightful and gives refreshing perspectives
• People who inspires and motivates me to action
• People who are loving and caring towards me
• People who want to develop others

14. Do you take responsibility for what is happening to you? (Do note that I did this questionaire last year when I hasn't really recovered yet from past hurts(

No, I don't believe it. I gave myself to the people whom I cared for and in exchange, I got betrayal, misunderstanding, neglect and criticism. Right now, I really can't see how things will come to change or how I am going to step out from the mess. But I am determined to achieve my life purpose no matter what it takes. My life won't be determined by others but myself only.

Begin with the End in Mind: Principles of Personal Vision

I have just stumbled upon this article below and felt that the subject is one of utmost importance in life but is one of the least that we actually think and talk about. I was reminded about one of Stephen Covey's "7 Habits of Highly Effective People" principles - Begin with the End in Mind: Principles of Personal Vision.

In order to live a life that counts, we must first be able to see what's the end in mind and everything will fall in place. Hope that this entry will spark off a series of questions and thoughts about what is of meaning to our lives and how we are actually living with respect to the meaning.


Speaking openly about death and dying
15 Apr 2009
938LIVE

In a conservative society, the subject of death is often held taboo. But, if you only had a few months left to live, would you be more comfortable to talk about death and dying? What would you consider important if you were in the last stages of a terminal illness? 938LIVE’s Shereena Sajeed learns what it means to die with dignity.

38 year old Rani Muniandy first discovered she had breast cancer almost one year ago. After suffering symptoms such as a heavy cough, feeling tired and constantly out-of-breath, she later found out the devastating news, after an emergency operation she had to undergo. To make things worse, Ms Muniandy has to take care of her 14 year old son who already is fatherless, after his dad passed away in a traffic accident 10 years ago. She describes what ran through her mind upon learning she only had four months to live. "Because they say I only can stay (alive) for four months, I really sad already, then I cannot see my son's face, always I feel because my son already no father, then I feel like my son (is) lonely, what I am going to do, then like everyday I am confident that I must (be) alive, to take care of my son, then I everyday pray, and alot of friends all motivate me, you don't give up, I think your life is not going to end, it's a very long life."

It was with those encouraging words together with her own will power to fight the disease that has given her the strength to pull through. Unfortunately, the cancer has spread to Rani's bones and she’s not responding to the chemotherapy treatment anymore. She’s on morphine drip because of the extreme pain that she has to endure. Already, she's had to deal with the physical changes to her outward appearance, still, she maintains it's always a mind-over-matter attitude that keeps her going.

"When I fell sick, there were alot of changes. Last time I see my face, very pretty, then suddenly become, after I go for chemotherapy, my hair started to drop, my skin all change colour, totally my face, my body all totally change ready, everyday I see my face in the mirror, I am very sad you know, then I cry why I become like that then in my heart, I say, this is not my actual (self), one day I will surely be changed as per normal, like last time, I'm more pretty then, everytime my mind says I am not ugly, I'm pretty then always I say, "I can do this, I can win from this sick(ness)." Her unfazed determination stems from her positive outlook to life, her religion and the constant reassurance she gets from her son and her close friends.

Like Rani, 55 year old Mr Chua Buay Lim, a successful Chief Executive Officer of an SME was diagnosed with liver cancer more than 2 years ago. He too had to deal with the disease which left him with half a liver. To control the tumor from spreading further, he has to take oral chemotherapy tablets twice a day.
Though the odds may be stacked against him, he’s taking one day at a time and doesn’t fear death at all. "Well, I am now 55 years old, so I've seen alot of people die from cancer and I know that death is part and parcel of living, so when I was diagnosed with the disease , I did not feel anything, the only thing is what is the option for me, what medical options are there and I try to find the best doctors to handle my case."

In the first ever survey on death attitudes in Singapore, the greatest fear that Singaporeans have is being a burden to family and friends before they die.
The next was medical cost, followed by fear of pain.

Commissioned by the Lien Foundation, the survey was designed to provide a rough picture of attitudes and perceptions people have about death and end-of-life care. The Lien Foundation survey revealed that 60 percent of the respondents said they were comfortable with talking about their own death or dying. Having no children himself, Mr Chua, had no qualms talking about pre-death arrangements with his spouse who is a Vice-President of a bank. "I've already sat my wife down and I already settle all the finances with her, I also even told her which undertaker to contact and what type of ceremonial I would like to have and in fact all the practical needs that are attached to my death have already been arranged." He views death very practically, acknowledging that we will all face the end of our lives one day. Still, talking about his death with others close to him, is something which doesn't sit well with them.

"I'm very open about death but when I am talking to friends, relatives, you know they always like to put in good words, trying to allay your so-called fears all this, so they do not like to open up about death, whereas I am more open about it, but that's the realities of life.”

When it came to being open about the idea of being in a hospice, most of the respondents in the survey answered no. Though they knew that hospices provide a place of care for the terminally ill, half of them didn’t know that hospices also provide home daycare services and care as well.

Currently, about 55 percent of Singaporeans die in acute hospitals and only about one third die at home. Palliative care experts warn that about 65 percent of Singaporeans will need hospice care in the future as Singapore’s ageing population increases.

Mr Lee Poh Wah, CEO of Lien Foundation:
“I think most people if given a choice they would want to die at home you see, and from the survey you also see that only 20% of the respondents are receptive to assessing hospice services, I think this partly because of the myth, they think that it’s actually a physical place itself, so if public education is done well, I think we can infer that there is a massive latent demand for home hospice care, waiting to be tapped you see. So the challenge that is how to develop and scale up services to meet this new demand responsively and also affordably.”
Still, Mr Lee feels there needs to be more of an open dialogue about death within the society.

“Like any phobia, the fear about dying can be elevated when we have knowledge, when we can talk more openly about it, when, we are prepared, when we have the power to make it a better experience for ourselves you see, so which is why the Foundation is embarking on this public engagement exercise to get people to have more dialogues, to see the idea of dying well and to promote the importance of hospice and palliative care.”

For many, the issue of dying and the fear of it may seem like an abstract idea in the not-so-distant future. But for self-assured businessman like Mr Chua, every day given to him is a gift.

"Dying well means I have taken care of my family, I've done some good in my life and I don't want to be a burden to anybody and I can go off knowing that the family can be well taken care off."