Almost all learning professionals have heard of Kirkpatrick's four levels of evaluation: reaction, learning, behavior, results. Most of you know about reaction sheets and pre and post tests. And most of you have used Level 1 and Level 2 tools to gather evaluation data. But, ASTD conducts a survey each year that shows that a high percentage of organizations do not evaluate at levels 3 and 4. I believe that among learning professionals there is a huge gap between understanding the four levels and successfully implementing them, especially Levels 3 and 4. Unfortunately, most of you have only found the time and resources to use what I call a model of smile sheets, pre and post test, and hope for the best." Further, most of you involved with instructional design follow the ADDIE model (Assess, Design, Develop, Implement, Evaluate) when developing courses by considering evaluation after the course is off and running. As the originator and strongest ambassador for the four levels, I am most interested in people finding practical ways of using all four levels to evaluate and improve programs, reinforce mission-critical behaviors, and demonstrate the value of learning. This session is designed to do just that--to offer some practical suggestions on making the four levels come to life for you. This includes preparing for evaluation, taking a practical look at each of the levels, and building a compelling trail of evidence of the value of learning. After the session, you will understand: - the 10 requirements for an effective training program - the definitions of and guidelines for all four levels - designs and tools for evaluating all four levels - the need for building a "trail of evidence" The audience for this session is: all training professionals."