Transfer of Training among the Instructors of Technical Education in Nepal

Abstract

Training as the planned intervention to enhance the knowledge, skills and attitude becomes meaningful only when the learning is transferred from training to the workplace. In this context, transfer of training is substantially affected by various work environmental factors. So, this study was conducted to explore the environmental factors that contribute to the transfer of training among the instructors of technical education in Nepal. It also investigated their perceived level of transfer, contribution of the explored factors on perceived training transfer and differences in perceived training transfer across various demographic characteristics of instructors. Guided by post-positivism, this study adopted cross-sectional survey design. Delphi process was applied from the 13 carefully selected Delphi Experts that generated a scale of 40 statements of environmental factors. Similarly, from literature, a scale of seven items was developed to measure perceived training transfer. 251 respondents were selected as samples for survey from the population of 719 instructors who completed Instructional Skills related training from October 2018 to ii December 2019. Using Exploratory Factor Analysis, out of 40, 29 statements were retained under six factors. They were named: i) Organizational Transfer Intervention, ii) External Monitoring and Evaluation, iii) Local School Governance, iv) Management Support, v) Social Support and vi) Workload. These factors represent both internal and external environmental forces. The level of perceived training transfer was found to be high among the instructors. Meanwhile, Regression analyses showed that all six environmental factors, together and individually, have positive effect on perceived training transfer with large effect sizes and high statistical power. Using independent samples t-test and one-way ANOVA with Welch and Brown-Forsythe tests, it was found that perceived training transfer is higher in female respondents, in married respondents, in instructors from institutional schools/colleges and instructors having experience from five to 10 years in comparison to the new instructors. These differences were confirmed with low-medium effect size and high-medium level of statistical power. Altogether, the explored environmental factors and are represented by two major driving forces: i) Support and ii) Control. This study has practical implications to educational institutions for role in promoting training transfer and to external evaluators in their roles ensuring transfer of learning in the classroom as well as to TVET policy makers to ensure transfer of training. Based on this study’s findings, further studies can be expanded studying the explored factors using Confirmatory factor analysis to confirm a model, conduct longitudinal studies in similar contexts, explore trainee characteristics or training design-delivery related factors that affect training transfer, explore reasons for differences across demographic variables and such.