‘Don't forget to write’: how reflective learning journals can help to facilitate, assess and evaluate training transfer

Abstract

Reflective learning journals (RLJs), containing qualitative data from 75 union and non-union participants in a leadership development programme, were examined in order to assess their utility as a mechanism for facilitating transfer, assessing transfer and evaluating training. The findings suggest that (1) organizational training can benefit from using reflective tools, such as RLJs, to both evaluate training effectiveness and enhance transfer and (2) qualitative techniques provide an alternative and engaging methodology for researchers to use for training evaluation and transfer research.

Keywords:

• reflection
• reflective learning journal
• qualitative analysis
• training transfer
• training evaluation

Acknowledgements

The authors are listed in alphabetical order reflecting equal contribution to the paper. This paper was funded, in part, through a SSHRC grant to the first author. The authors thank the staff of Memorial University's Gardiner Centre and the HR staff of the utility company where this study was conducted for their support. A previous version of this paper was presented at the Annual Meeting of the Academy of Management, August 2009, Chicago.