An Evaluation of Problem-based Learning in Public Service Training:The Case of 2010 Mid-Level Managers Training Course in the Regional Civil Service Development Institute, DGPA
Don-Yun Chen*, Chih-Yun Wu**, Keng-Ming Hsu***
Abstract
Because of democratization, the training and development of Taiwanese civil servants have gone through a transformational stage in the past decade. Not only has the structure of training organizations changed drastically, the methods used to train civil servants have also been altered. Many experiments of adopting new training methods other than traditional lecturing have flourished. However, not enough attention has been paid to how these changes have impacted training effectiveness.
In this paper, the authors use a new program initiated by the Regional Civil Service Development Institute, Central Personnel Agency from 2009 to 2010 to implement a training evaluation. The program installs a 12-hour Problem-based Learning (PBL) session into a week-long training course for middle managers from local governments. Four results are presented. First, the logistics of the training course has a positive impact on how trainees evaluate the PBL effectiveness. Second, the trainees found that the utility of the PBL has an obvious impact on their effectiveness evaluation. Third, the perceived utility is more importantly related to effectiveness evaluation than satisfactory ratings. Lastly, the rate of participation has an independent impact on the effectiveness, but, an analysis of perceived utility and satisfactory rating shows that the participatory influence was minimal.
Two suggestions can be derived from this research. First, in the era of changing training method from traditional lecturing to trainee-centered PBL, training evaluation should be focused on learning effectiveness rather than trainee satisfaction. Second, quality improvement of training courses should be focused on increasing perceived utility of the course rather than the quantity of participation.
Key words: Problem-based Learning (PBL), The Regional Civil Service Development Institute, DGPA, training and development, outcome evaluation, public sector human resource development
* Paper Correspondent. Professor, Department of Public Administration, National Chengchi University, e-mail: donc@nccu.edu.tw.
** Associate professor, Department of Business Administration, Tunghai University, e-mail: annacywu@thu.edu.tw.
*** Assistant professor, Department of Public Administration and Management, National Tainan University, e-mail: Kengming@pchome.com.tw.