Training Coaches, Bambi Cliffe and Candace Storrer, recently presented at the NAEYC Annual Conference 2024 in Anaheim, California! The title of their session was: Improve the effectiveness of your training: How to create and use evaluations to improve outcomes.

When Bambi and Candace were contacted via email and chosen, the training plan was created. They used all the same guidelines in Fundamentals of Effective Training (FET) and PACES when developing the training plan. After some reviews, a practice presentation, and re-writes, they were ready!

The presentation focused on using Kirkpatrick’s Levels of Evaluation to show the importance of using evaluation and feedback in your training. This was an expansion on a part of FET that most trainers would recognize. This concept uses evaluation surveys, research and collection of data to improve training outcomes as well as prove they are effective. Through this presentation, participants learned to identify and compare the 4 Levels of Evaluation based on research and to examine the importance of all levels of evaluation and composing questions for each level. Participants were given the opportunity to create meaningful evaluations to prove and improve training outcomes. Resources were given to help participants with Level 3 and 4 ongoing communication and evaluation review with participants.

Even though Bambi and Candace had presented before, they both got the jitters before they presented. However, the session went smoothly, and they were pleased with the results and feedback they received from participants.

Bambi and Candace are so grateful that the University of Kentucky’s HDI Department sponsored them! It was a wonderful experience!

Do you think you would like to present at NAEYC? Submitting a proposal is the first step. What does that look like? First, they look for the “call for proposals.” To send a proposal, a trainer does not have to have the training completed and ready. You just need the objectives and outcomes defined and ready to submit. There is a review committee that chooses, and decisions are made around June. If you are interested in submitting a proposal for the 2025 NAEYC annual Conference here is the link with all the information: https://www.naeyc.org/events/annual/2025-proposals. Proposals are due by January 30, 2025. This year’s conference will be in Orlando, Florida in November.

If you have any questions about the application process, please feel free to contact us at candace.storrer@uky.edu or bambi.cliffe@uky.edu.