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Table of Contents

Traffic Incident Management Training Post-Course Assessment Tool Final Evaluation Report

CHAPTER 1. INTRODUCTION

The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) National Highway Institute offers the National Traffic Incident Management (TIM) Responder Training Course through a variety of delivery options including, instructor based, web-based, and web-conference based. This course provides first responders with a shared understanding of the requirements for safe, quick clearance of traffic incident scenes; prompt, reliable and open communication; and motorist and responder safeguards.

The FHWA Office of Operations sponsored the TIM Responder Training Program Post-Course Assessment Tool. The Tool provides FHWA, State, and local agencies responsible for TIM operations, the ability to assess student learning and the impacts TIM training has on operations along with hard metrics that show the return on investment in TIM training.

The tool has four levels of surveys designed to measure:

Level 1 – Reaction: Identifies whether the course materials and their delivery are effective, or if they need to be revised or enhanced.

Level 2 – Learning: Determines the effectiveness of the training in terms of how the student comprehends and retains the course information.

Level 3 – Behavior: Provides an understanding of whether or not students implement the TIM procedures and strategies provided in the training.

Level 4 – Results: Presents the operational benefits derived from the training programs.

To enable a comprehensive assessment of training activities that cover measures of reaction, learning, behavior, and results, the assessment tool has multiple survey instruments, including:

  • Pre-Training Assessments: Prior to attending a TIM training session, participants are asked to complete the appropriate pre-test to assess their existing knowledge of TIM.
  • Post-Training Assessments: Immediately following a training session, participants are requested to complete the appropriate post-test and course evaluation. The post-test estimates participants' TIM knowledge after receiving the training and the course evaluation captures the participant's feelings concerning the training and provides valuable feedback necessary to continually improve the program.
  • Training Implementation Assessments: Approximately three months after attending a training session, participants and their supervisors are asked to take a survey that assesses the impact the training has had on behavior.
  • Benefits Assessments: Six months to a year after personnel attend a TIM training session, agency administrators or senior management and/or the State or regional points of contact, are asked to complete a results survey. The TIM training results survey assesses the impact on and operational benefits realized by an agency/organization that has sent their personnel through the TIM training.
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